Gamers Boycott Blizzard After Protest Sympathizer Is Banned
- Heavy-handed reprimand of Hearthstone player upsets community
- Highlights cultural chasm between U.S. and Chinese norms
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Activision Blizzard Inc. is facing a fierce backlash and calls for a boycott after a unit of the American video-game company punished a player for supporting Hong Kong’s protest movement, the latest cultural clash between the U.S. and China.
Blizzard Entertainment banned Ng Wai Chung, known as Blitzchung, from its Grandmasters esports competition for a year and withheld prize money he had already won after he used a slogan from Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. Players and fans around the world immediately responded with outrage over what they view as heavy-handed punishment and kowtowing to Chinese censorship. The topic erupted online, with #blizzardboycott trending on Twitter.