Are you willing to boycott ActiBlizzard after the recent actions taken against those who support Hong Kong?

Gestault · Oct 10, 2019

I'm surprised at the reluctance to call this situation censorship, which for once, would actually apply.

That's part of what's unsettling about it to me: The specifics of what Blizzard has done are an extension of a state's propaganda goals re: seized territory and quelling a social uprising. The substance of what they're doing isn't internally motivated aside from greed, and they're punishing their own players in material ways to enforce China's censorship goals. That has a particular tinge of cruelty to it. Normally even when there are distasteful associations, the game company isn't the one carrying out the slimy stuff directly. And even when a game company does something slimy, it's of their own accord.

kamineko · Oct 10, 2019

Yeah, I think I will. Next game I'm interested in from them will probably be Diablo 4. I'll find something else to play

Skux · Oct 10, 2019

Blizzard won't care. Their Chinese audience is far more numerous and lucrative than anyone in the West willing to boycott them.

Hollywood has been pandering to China for years now, and the few people that care enough to notice don't even mind.

Boiled Goose · Oct 10, 2019

Rhaknar said:
just curious, is this bit still about Blizzard or just a general statement? Because "funding genocide" is very murky, unless you consider every company with dealings with China (aka where China profits from them), then you can include pretty much every developer or console maker out there and just say "videogames fund genocide".

Which technically wouldnt be false I guess? There's a fucked up thought >_<

In his Hitler example it wasn't murky

Rhaknar · Oct 10, 2019

Boiled Goose said:
In his Hitler example it wasn't murky

hence why I asked if that was still about Blizz :p

Boiled Goose · Oct 10, 2019

Skux said:
Blizzard won't care. Their Chinese audience is far more numerous and lucrative than anyone in the West willing to boycott them.

Hollywood has been pandering to China for years now, and the few people that care enough to notice don't even mind.

They already care. Money is money. Enough to care to do things differently is another issue, but actions like these can't go without consequences. There has to be a cost

twofive · Oct 10, 2019

Just notice I have Starcraft on my computer from way back. Deleted. Done.

Expy · Oct 10, 2019

Boiled Goose said:
They already care. Money is money. Enough to care to do things differently is another issue, but actions like these can't go without consequences. There has to be a cost

There is a cost.

The cost however seems to be irrelevant to them in the grand scheme of things.

Boiled Goose · Oct 10, 2019

Expy said:
There is a cost.

The cost however seems to be irrelevant to them in the grand scheme of things.

You're asserting it's irrelevant. I'm not convinced that's true.

Expy · Oct 10, 2019

Boiled Goose said:
You're asserting it's irrelevant. I'm not convinced that's true.

Until the day that they reverse course and basically give up the Chinese market, then whatever cost (boycotts/lost revenue) they're taking doesn't matter enough to them.

TheManWithoutFear · Oct 10, 2019

I've been playing Hearthstone since open beta, I have two accounts with a total of over 35k wins.

I'm usually staunchly anti-boycott because I think you're mostly harming lower level employees who probably agree with you but in this case, I'm not playing another game until they at least give him his prize money back and re-hire the casters.

Totally gross behavior.

Coyote Starrk · Oct 10, 2019

Boiled Goose said:
You're asserting it's irrelevant. I'm not convinced that's true.

No Blizzard doesn't get a middle ground here. They don't get to do that. Either money means more to them than human rights or it doesn't. They don't get to say "Well we definitely feel bad that we gotta do things this way, but that's just business guys. Sorry." As if that is somehow an acceptable excuse for bending over backwards to appease a brutally violent and oppresive regime.

Fuck them for taking this course. And fuck them until they change it. There is no in between.

Kiria · Oct 10, 2019

Imo to those who wants Sekiro .. people can always buy the Asian Ver. Physically or Digitally

Guilt free as its published by From Software

Boiled Goose · Oct 10, 2019

Expy said:
Until the day that they reverse course and basically give up the Chinese market, then whatever cost (boycotts/lost revenue) they're taking doesn't matter enough to them.

If they don't reverse course it doesn't mean they don't care. They still want to Maximize revenue and thus their decision making will be affected moving forward

Boiled Goose · Oct 10, 2019

Coyote Starrk said:
No Blizzard doesn't get a middle ground here. They don't get to do that. Either money means more to them than human rights or it doesn't. They don't get to say "Well we definitely feel bad that we gotta do things this way, but that's just business guys. Sorry." As if that is somehow an acceptable excuse for bending over backwards to appease a brutally violent and oppresive regime.

Fuck them for taking this course. And fuck them until they change it. There is no in between.

I agree with you that I want them to reverse course.

My point is that even if they don't, taking action against them still matters.

Coyote Starrk · Oct 10, 2019

Boiled Goose said:
If they don't reverse course it doesn't mean they don't care. They still want to Maximize revenue and thus their decision making will be affected moving forward

Caring isn't enough though. Actions are what matter.

Otherwise their "caring" is no different than the usual "Thoughts and prayers!" we see from the Right after Mass shootings. It's meaningless. Blizzard has the ability to enact real consequences here, but they are possibly letting greed get in their way.

Brutalitops · Oct 10, 2019

Personally I'm not, but I can absolutely understand why it's happening and hope Blizzard makes this right

Boiled Goose · Oct 10, 2019

Coyote Starrk said:
Caring isn't enough though. Actions are what matter.

Otherwise their "caring" is no different than the usual "Thoughts and prayers!" we see from the Right after Mass shootings. It's meaningless.

Oh I think we can and should demand more than that yes.

My point is that speaking out and protesting is never meaningless.

Acorn · Oct 10, 2019

I don't buy anything from Activision already, not on purpose (although I fucking hate kotick) just not interested in their stuff really.

Coyote Starrk · Oct 10, 2019

Boiled Goose said:
Oh I think we can and should demand more than that yes.

My point is that speaking out and protesting is never meaningless.

Oh okay then this was all a misunderstanding. I thought you were trying to argue that just because Blizzard is siding with China here that it doesn't mean they don't care about the people of Hong Kong as if that somehow made their decision to side against them any better.

Thats my bad.

Boiled Goose · Oct 10, 2019

Coyote Starrk said:
Oh okay then this was all a misunderstanding. I thought you were trying to argue that just because Blizzard is siding with China here that it doesn't mean they don't care about the people of Hong Kong as if that somehow made their decision to side against them any better.

Thats my bad.

Yes.

I was arguing against the self defeating loser attitudes of many in the thread. Not giving blizzard a pass at all.

TheMadTitan · Oct 10, 2019

Kiria said:
Imo to those who wants Sekiro .. people can always buy the Asian Ver. Physically or Digitally

Guilt free as its published by From Software

If you're a console player, sure. But I think all of the PC versions are Acti. And even then, finding a key that is from a region where they don't publish doesn't mean it'll register in your region.

Me personally, the boycott is easyish. I can ditch Call of Duty Mobile, though I was wanting MW4 given I haven't played a new FPS, especially a modern era one, in years and could really go for one, especially with the mobility that's now in game.

ItsTheShoes · Oct 10, 2019

No. I don't have a dog in the fight other than I like blizzard games.

Drwu · Oct 10, 2019

Mainly for the hong kong stuff but i was pretty close to boycotting them for being generally a gross company with the tax dodging and the predatory loot box shit

Kiria · Oct 10, 2019

TheMadTitan said:
If you're a console player, sure. But I think all of the PC versions are Acti. And even then, finding a key that is from a region where they don't publish doesn't mean it'll register in your region.

Me personally, the boycott is easyish. I can ditch Call of Duty Mobile, though I was wanting MW4 given I haven't played a new FPS, especially a modern era one, in years and could really go for one, especially with the mobility that's now in game.

even on steam asia/japan ver are not published by Activision

but yea you will surely need a asia/japan steam account if ever but its not a bad price to pay

SaiyanRaoh · Oct 10, 2019

Nope. Got hundreds of hours on Diablo III and not stopping now,

Kaguya · Oct 10, 2019

With Sekiro out of the way, it shouldn't be that hard, even if Sekiro get a DLC.

Dreams-Visions · Oct 10, 2019

I'm definitely impressed that 700 people simply don't give a fuck about anyone but themselves.

SaiyanRaoh said:
Nope. Got hundreds of hours on Diablo III and not stopping now,

Considering you can't give Blizzard any more money for Diablo than you already have, that's probably fine.

That said, I mean who really gives a fuck about Diablo 3 in 2019? I've put in about 3,000 hours and laugh at the suggestion that Diablo 3 is someone's break point. Fuck Diablo 2, 3 and 4.

Coyote Starrk · Oct 10, 2019

SaiyanRaoh said:
Nope. Got hundreds of hours on Diablo III and not stopping now,

You continuing to play Diablo does literally nothing. They already have your money, there is no Micros, and there is no monthly subscription fee. Continuing to play it doesn't move the needle at all aside from player count and Diablo 3 has been out for like 50 years so I doubt they are sweating their player count there.

Now WoW on the otherhand.....

rare · Oct 10, 2019

Abso-fucking-lutely.
Already uninstalled everything battle.net related, I feel like fucking shit for even getting the humble monthly this month.

SaiyanRaoh · Oct 10, 2019

Sai said:
imagine being a grown ass adult in the world we live in and still having, like, zero principles.

*raises hand*

Dreams-Visions said:
I'm definitely impressed that 700 people simply don't give a fuck about anyone but themselves.

Considering you can't give Blizzard any more money for Diablo than you already have, that's probably fine.

That said, I mean who really gives a fuck about Diablo 3 in 2019? I've put in about 3,000 hours and laugh at the suggestion that Diablo 3 is someone's break point. Fuck Diablo 2, 3 and 4.

Well, I give a fuck, and it's the only opinion here that matters to me. Thank you, and I'll probably buy 4 when that's released.

Oh, I also dropped the money on that Crash/Spyro Humble Bundle. More to the backlog pile!

XboxCowdry · Oct 10, 2019

alexi52 said:
Yep Boycotting them along with any Chinese products

So getting rid of all the consoles then?. Since the PS4 Switch and Xbox One are made in China.
No doubt you'll also need to get rid of your mobile phone and the TV too.

Tpallidum · Oct 10, 2019

Yeah I'm not playing blizzard stuff much the days anyway.

Fugu · Oct 10, 2019

I'm not surprised about the apathy, but I am surprised about the people who are seemingly proud of the fact that they are devoid of principles.

boris_feinbrand · Oct 10, 2019

Scerick said:
I had to go to account.blizzard.com and open a support ticket (although it's fully automated so not too bad).

Thank you.

dark494 · Oct 10, 2019

It's pretty appalling how openly, morally bankrupt people are here.

Then again, given the general state of the world, I shouldn't be surprised in the least.

CrazyAndy · Oct 10, 2019

Sai said:
imagine being a grown ass adult in the world we live in and still having, like, zero principles.

It's liberating.

Gold Arsene · Oct 10, 2019

I voted no but I've done some thinking and I've changed my mind. Probably done with them until they at least TRY to fix this.

Terrell · Oct 10, 2019

I can't even get behind the idea that they want to protect their revenue in emerging markets. Authoritarian regimes bait people and companies into betraying their home nation's democratic rights like this all the time, and if keeping a user on a game platform is enough to lose the market entirely, then they only have the most tenuous grasp on that market in the first place and shouldn't have relied on the revenue from it. PERIOD.

Deleted member 203 · Oct 10, 2019

People should probably look at this list and see if they've supported any of these companies before grandstanding about how moral they are for boycotting blizzard over this and how everyone else is a literal monster https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/...d_espn_forbids_discussion_of_chinese/f32iio0/

It's not that easy. Sorry.

That said the people going "lol yeah i don't give a fuck" are definitely pieces of shit

Bricktop · Oct 10, 2019

I could pretend I'd boycott them over this, but I already stopped buying their games so it's more a 'stay the course' than an actual boycott.

Terrell · Oct 10, 2019

Nora said:
People should probably look at this list and see if they've supported any of these companies before grandstanding about how moral they are for boycotting blizzard over this and how everyone else is a literal monster https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/...d_espn_forbids_discussion_of_chinese/f32iio0/

It's not that easy. Sorry.

That said the people going "lol yeah i don't give a fuck" are definitely pieces of shit

It's also not quite the same. While many of those decisions are bad, most of them aren't directly penalizing their consumers for their political beliefs, either. I couldn't fault anyone for taking umbrage with any of the stuff on that list, but a significant amount of that is about how they market their products, which mostly impacts the company alone and our perceptions of them. The stuff that goes beyond that categorization and has direct consumer impacts is where to focus the most attention, as people are doing here.

Bufbaf · Oct 10, 2019

Nora said:
People should probably look at this list and see if they've supported any of these companies before grandstanding about how moral they are for boycotting blizzard over this and how everyone else is a literal monster https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/...d_espn_forbids_discussion_of_chinese/f32iio0/

It's not that easy. Sorry.

That said the people going "lol yeah i don't give a fuck" are definitely pieces of shit

Steam/Valve missing on that list (and I'm sure more as well).

Deleted member 203 · Oct 10, 2019

Terrell said:
It's also not quite the same. While many of those decisions are bad, most of them aren't directly penalizing their consumers for their political beliefs, either. I couldn't fault anyone for taking umbrage with any of the stuff on that list, but a significant amount of that is about how they market their product. The stuff that goes beyond that fairly benign categorization and has direct consumer impacts is where to focus the most attention, as people are doing here.

How are consumers being penalized here?

Also why does that matter? Isn't the point that people don't want to support an authoritarian regime? China I mean, not the US. All these companies do that.

SwitchedOff · Oct 10, 2019

Already done - all Blizzard games deleted and I've no intention of buying any others unless Blizzard do a complete 180 on this recent issue (which seems highly unlikely). I also no longer watch anyone streaming any Blizzard games and won't watch any streamers who support Blizzard's decision.

legendofjelda · Oct 10, 2019

They have me by the balls - I love their products too much. I'm impressed with the boycott though. Hadn't expected it to amount to much, but it has escalated very quickly. Hope that the message is received loud and clear at Blizzard and that they make amends. Somehow.

Blizzcon is going to be interesting...

Terrell · Oct 10, 2019

Nora said:
How are consumers being penalized here?

Also why does that matter? Isn't the point that people don't want to support an authoritarian regime? China I mean, not the US. All these companies do that.

This line of questioning borders REAL close to the "no ethical capitalism" argument that people wave about in discussions like these to suppress dissent by labeling anyone who does so as some form of hypocrite, so I'm just gonna put the breaks on responding further beyond this:

I'm pretty sure that the guy they banned is a consumer, as would anyone else who behaves as that consumer had and might receive the same treatment would be. Therefore, this action has a direct consumer impact. Not hard to puzzle that out, just have to read the OP.

Deleted member 203 · Oct 10, 2019

Terrell said:
This line of questioning borders REAL close to the "no ethical capitalism" argument that people wave about in discussions like these to suppress dissent by labeling anyone who does so as some form of hypocrite, so I'm just gonna put the breaks on responding further beyond this:

I'm pretty sure that the guy they banned is a consumer, as would anyone else who behaves as that consumer had and might receive the same treatment would be. Therefore, this action has a direct consumer impact. Not hard to puzzle that out, just have to read the OP.

I mean, there is no ethical consumption. That doesn't mean people shouldn't protest this. It's just kinda funny that people seem to only care when it directly affects them, and supporting murderous regimes is a secondary concern.

MadMod · Oct 10, 2019

Voted No as I dont plan to buy any of their stuff anyway. So I can't really boycott when im not in the pool to begin with haha.

Chaos2Frozen · Oct 10, 2019

MadMod said:
Voted No as I dont plan to buy any of their stuff anyway. So I can't really boycott when im not in the pool to begin with haha.

Alternatively you could say that your default state is boycotting Blizzard, and therefore you are.

Are you willing to boycott ActiBlizzard after the recent actions taken against those who support Hong Kong?

Are you willing to boycott ActiBlizzard?

Yes

No

Undecided

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