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Blizzard’s Actionless Non-Apology Is Complete Bullshit
- Thread starter Deleted member 18944
- Start date
It actually really is.
I only saw the title of that thread but didn't have the chance to click on it and read it - and thought, ok, Blizzard did something right for once.
When in reality it was a complete non-apologetic bullshit that doesn't even make any fucking sense. This thread is more apt.
The apology started out fine, but then I was like, well where is the rest of it? The part where you say something meaningful about any future approach towards dealing with a similar incident, i.e., in other words there will be absolutely 0 change. Blizzard will do whatever it takes to appease mainland China to keep raking in the $$$ and are pretending to be more open towards free speech to make people feel less guilty about buying Diablo 4 or Overwatch 2.
I get what you're saying. I don't necessarily disagree, I guess my point was more that...people still use Amazon, people still buy Nike shoes. Jeff Bezos is still (?) the richest man in the world.
It may be tied to their name forever, but not enough people care for it to matter. Lord knows I support a lot of companies that do shitty things.
But (this is a tangent) something I think a lot of people don't get is that knowing all companies do shitty things is different from knowing one specific company is OPEN AND UNAPOLOGETIC about doing a shitty thing. THQ Nordic and Blizzard being the two most recent big gaming examples.
This is the proper thread and title. What a load of crap. It's a complete non-apology. It's basically "we reacted too quickly, but we're not going to do anything. Oh, and don't forget we are good at bringing people together with fun toy game things". It's actually gross.
I know we're not support to get too upset about other people's behavior surrounding this, but I'm actually sorely disappointed at those who are just turning a blind eye to all this in order to play a shiny new iteration of a video game.
I know we're not support to get too upset about other people's behavior surrounding this, but I'm actually sorely disappointed at those who are just turning a blind eye to all this in order to play a shiny new iteration of a video game.
It seems being disillusioned at people for not caring about this issue is not entirely generalization. They are actively supporting Blizzard knowing that they banned and suppressed the speech of a movement of people that are simply fighting for their rights instead of expressing solidarity.
Imagine if Blizzard banned people for expressing solidarity with the LGBTQ community in Uganda who are facing life imprisonment for merely existing.
I can go on with other examples but this just proves where Blizzard stands and where people's priorities are that continue to support this company.
Imagine if Blizzard banned people for expressing solidarity with the LGBTQ community in Uganda who are facing life imprisonment for merely existing.
I can go on with other examples but this just proves where Blizzard stands and where people's priorities are that continue to support this company.
If blizzard had just removed the bans outright I could buy it, because there's actions to go along with the words giving them weight. They're weightless to me. They haven't said anything on how they're moving forward should someone use their platform again. The only feelings blizzard gives a shit about is the Chinese government. They lept into action without a second thought for them.
Also it's funny in most other cases the thread title would be edited by a member of the moderation team because it would be considered inflammatory. Its 100% on point this time and I see it hasn't been touched.
Also it's funny in most other cases the thread title would be edited by a member of the moderation team because it would be considered inflammatory. Its 100% on point this time and I see it hasn't been touched.
"A tough Hearthstone esports moment"... How many PR flacks sweated over that specific term in a desperate attempt to appear apolitical?
Talk is cheap, Blizzard. Well, unless you speak out against Chinese tyranny... then it can cost you everything.
Talk is cheap, Blizzard. Well, unless you speak out against Chinese tyranny... then it can cost you everything.
They have allowed trump bashing on their live streams? Is this a thing? Have you had teams bashing our president on live tv events? Blizzard/activision would obviously prefer to just be politically agnostic like most companies I would guess.
No, they would prefer to avoid controversy. Controversy is not the same as politics, but privileged people tend to only use the word "political" when it refers to something controversial.
PCGamer got an interview with Brack about his statement yesterday and also took the chance to ask him about that Weibo post.
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Yup and it sure looks like diablo. A boring and mindless hack n' slash with zero challenge because of how ridiculously overpowered you are and where 95% of the "loot" is worthless.
At least the visuals look pretty good compare to it's predecessor.
There was actually a truck parked outside the convention center with a video screen on the side with a short animation about Hong Kong
Listed alongside Blizzard were Nike, Dior, Apple, Disney, Van's, Reddit, and Carthay Pacific
I took a picture
Listed alongside Blizzard were Nike, Dior, Apple, Disney, Van's, Reddit, and Carthay Pacific
I took a picture
They asked fantastic questions and it really shows just how by the balls China has Blizzard. Thanks for posting this I hadn't seen it.
While I understand the disappointment, those people aren't trained to deal with that sort of thing. They're not accustomed to having to deal with heavily charged political issues on stage. They're there to talk about their upcoming game.
The people that should have handled it were the people who failed to actually hold themselves accountable. The ones with the non-apologies. Brack, especially.
I can't blame developers for what their employers do.
And to be clear, I'm not saying the people chanting in the audience were in the wrong. Visibility is good. That's what protest is. But, those specific people were not the right people to respond to the protest.
Interviewer missed an obvious question by not asking why it's okay for Brack to wear a LBGTQ pin, if it's not okay to use official blizzard channels for any sort of political statement
Curious. Thanks for posting this. That freedom of expression part was a really roundabout and vague answer
AHH " keep your politics out of my stuff" , the middleclass way of putting your fingers in your ears and ignoring the world around you. The world is changing and blizzards adherence to pleasing their dictorial overlords needs to be called out again and again. Not just so people feel good about themselves but to remember that no matter how happy you are with your game, you are still indirectly supporting human rights violations.
To be honest I don't really care how people protest, or even if they protest. I guess at this point breaking peoples perception of all is well by bringing this up again and again is enough. The world is far from perfect and the avarage consumer needs to be reminded of this regardless of whether they want to hear it.
To be honest I don't really care how people protest, or even if they protest. I guess at this point breaking peoples perception of all is well by bringing this up again and again is enough. The world is far from perfect and the avarage consumer needs to be reminded of this regardless of whether they want to hear it.
Probably get deflected as the LGBTQ+ community being an issue of human rights and not one of legislation on extradition, and that because blitzchung's statement doesn't refer to the trampling of human rights through police brutality specifically it's deemed as political.
So semantics and technicalities or whatever
They knew this was going to happen, it was clear as day someone would say it. Them staying stone faced and saying nothing makes it clear they don't give a shit about human rights and support oppression.
Got to love him admitting that China had a hand in their decisions and that they STILL blame the casters.
Also I would have preferred PC gamer ask if they specifically refute the weibo statement. Saying you wouldn't have authorized the statement being said doesn't necessarily mean they refute it, just they didn't want it said out loud.
Overall it's clear Brack is a piece of shit more concerned with making money than the people being actively oppressed.
So they're basically admitting that their initial statement was a blatant lie?
I was wondering when we get an actual interview from an outlet. Not suprised that he mostly repeats what was already written in their statment back then.
As such the reasoning for firing the casters remains flimsy at best and actually somehow gets even worse here. Blizzard would have run out of casters by now, if permanent termination demands so little.
But good on Activision Blizzard that they found someone that cold blooded to put in charge of Blizzard's business. I couldn't do the shit he had done within just his first year without hating myself every waking day.
He says NetEase, but we all know who controls them.
Yeah That pause for appluase was ALMOST too long. You can see him pause and then start to go "oh is no one going to clap" and then they clap and he smiles. It's that easy.
In my section we seemed confused at that pause, so I think people clapped because it was the equivalent of the applause sign coming on (and also whoever yelled free hong kong at the time. Don't know if that was audible in the stream)
"Correct. We did not authorize it. We did not approve it. We would not have approved it had they asked."
sooooooo why didn't you address this then Blizzard? They made a pro Chinese statement in YOUR name. A statement you did not and would not have authorized. How come you did not strongly distance yourself from this statement
sooooooo why didn't you address this then Blizzard? They made a pro Chinese statement in YOUR name. A statement you did not and would not have authorized. How come you did not strongly distance yourself from this statement
I wound up doing a line by line reading of their "apology" in comparison to what they offered in that original press release. In short, it's not a very compelling statement.
So NetEase used an official Blizzard account to post a statement supportive of the Chinese government, making it seem like Blizzard was behind this statement.
And NetEase was involved with the initial decision that set off this whole thing.
Blizzard has ostensibly done nothing about this and remain partners with NetEase.
Blizzard really wants that Chinese money. Selling agency of its own management and communication, their supposed company values. It's quite pathetic.
Even in a relatively soft phone interview Brack can't help giving the game away. Repeatedly, too. Among other things already noted, it's telling how he can't bring himself to say that any political statement would have incurred the same punishment, that the swift and harsh reaction to Blitzchung wasn't directly tied to the content of his message. This tells me he's not a natural liar and, despite trying very hard over the past few weeks, doesn't have what it takes to be in a leadership position in this Activision-Blizzard world.
Of course they didn't address it, they wouldn't want to get Political. Not at all like silencing the voice of human rights.
So China are allowed to make political statements on official Blizzard channels, but players are not?
Ok Blizzard you can fuck right off. You can't even get your damn story straight.
Oh wait what am I thinking, Diablo got a new tail warmer, yay Diablo, yay, yay.
Ok Blizzard you can fuck right off. You can't even get your damn story straight.
Oh wait what am I thinking, Diablo got a new tail warmer, yay Diablo, yay, yay.
The guy wasn't acting. Give me a break. He was clearly emotional and my read was that he was being genuine and gave as much of an apology that the giant corporation he works for would allow. I think the banning of Blitz and general capitalism first attitude that started this all was abhorrent bureaucratic nonsense but I don't know what more people want from Blizzard. Additionally, when you get to the point of dictating how someone or something should apologize you've ventured into leery territory of your own.
This "discourse" has become less than constructive and most people are coming off like fascistic and angry people who before Blizzard publicly fucked up or their e-sports were involved could have given two flying flips about Hong Kong. Today's apology wasn't enough for ya? GREAT! Don't buy there products anymore and keep fighting for Hong Kong in every way possible but to continue to say/parrot the same thing over and over really becomes an exercise in patting yourself on the back and nothing more. You aren't raising awareness about the actual problem by repeating yourself within the circle jerk that is a closed entry online gaming forum.
It's funny how a MUCH lower budget Diablo phone product is announced last year and the fans rage like there is no tomorrow demanding their high res, 4k, EPIC BIG BUDGET Diablo 4 release. We have to ask ourselves then how do we end up with blockbuster products like Diablo 4? Answer: $$$$$$$. Where do you think a lot of the money that funds projects like Diablo 4 for Blizzard comes from? Answer:. It is a viscous circle I just wish we'd modulate our emotions and be more productive with our real and valid objections. At this point all I see is feckless...
No Blizzard does not make the majority of their money from China, not to the point that the products we enjoy would not be made as is, nor not be sustainable without the Chinese market. Let's also be accurate for a minute, Activision Blizzard made 328 million dollars in Q2 off of earnings of 1.4billion, you are dramatically overstating the circumstance of the company as well as China's importance as a existential pillar to its ongoing operations.
The very reason that Activision Blizzard chases and compromises itself to China in much the way that Film Studios do is pure capitalism that treats perpetual growth as antecedent.
It's hilarious to see people thing blizzards bottom line with be affected AT ALL by the events of this year
They just announced Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 and people are excited
the community largely already forgot
They just announced Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 and people are excited
the community largely already forgot
Really annoying interview. This guy is so completely full of shit.
No straw man when there are actual posts saying Blizzard should say free hong kong etc.
Treating that amount of money as negligible is a such a BS response. Blizzard is a sub group under the wing of a giant corporation. What happened to Blitz was awful no doubt but Blizzard just apologized or Brack did as representative and seemed to me emotionally shook. It made not have been the apology you wanted or delivered in the way you wanted but it was sincerely addressed by the public face and they didn't even have to do that.
What do people like you want him to do beyond that? Quit in protest? Dude has a career and life obligations as much as you and I. Things are becoming so uncomfortably fascistic re: this issue and the screaming free Hong Kong during a panel at a conference they didn't have to go to out of principal is the most group/think signaling I can think of. People need to grow the fuck up and constructively help instead of just bitching online or having weird ass protests (while dressed in Blizzard paraphernalia. hilarious) about a system that is not going to change anytime soon unless our administration and current American value priorities change.
I donated to Hong Kong Unison last week after vetting the org to the best of my ability. What have you done besides talk? I hope something. Call me a bootlicker if you want I just prefer to engage as a singular mind not part of some social issue trend involving a lot of fairly disingenuous people.
What a fantastic video! Thank you for your input and for sharing.
You are incredibly gullible if you thought he was emotionally shook or sincere. As to what people want him to do, it's quite simple they want him to undo the bans.
That was my read. Gullibility has nothing to do with. If it is corp edict that Blizzard can't undo the bans it would make Blizzard's hands tied. Do you think Brack or Ion or anyone else has loyalty to China. No. They have jobs and may not be in the position to quit. You don't know. So many people come off like they have never worked in a corp, never lived in corprate culture. I mean ffs.
Capitalism or "corporate culture" is truly the panacea to all social issues.
- Company refuses to correct for labour issues? Corporation needs to make money, they surely can't improve working conditions what do you expect.
- Company gives half assed apology because they're part of a bigger corporate entity that doesn't want to rock the boat? What do you expect, its capitalism baby.
- Multi-millionaires throw human rights protesters under the bus to protect their own endorsement deals? What do you expect, these protesters are getting in the way of people's money.
If his hands are tied(doubt) he should say so. Just saying something like "You know if it were up to me I'd undo those bans today but it's not within my control". That would at least show that he would like fix it. Instead he says sorry on stage then goes on to give an interview were he acts like they did nothing wrong and flat out refuses to undo the bans. He even gives his very weak reasons as to why.
The important thing to understand is that while they have no real allegiance to China, it is also a growth market that brings in the money. They might not like the Chinese government but money talks. I have no doubt that Blizzard's management doesn't rock the China boat because one issue pays money and the other might lose money. When push comes to shove they actually don't care about Hong Kong.
We've seen it with the NBA players, we're seeing it with Blizzard. People only take a stand - taking pot shots at Trump, supporting LGBTI rights after its become popular - if it doesn't cost them anything or brings in good PR. Even if they're already multi-millionaires who are realistically set for life. The reality of the situation is that no one in Blizzard really cares that much about this issue and would rather it just disappear.
That's why trying to spin Brack's apology as anything but insincere is wrong. Because a proper apology requires someone actually detailing the fault made and the steps required to correct it. He didn't do either of these things, he pussyfooted around both of these requirements.
We've seen it with the NBA players, we're seeing it with Blizzard. People only take a stand - taking pot shots at Trump, supporting LGBTI rights after its become popular - if it doesn't cost them anything or brings in good PR. Even if they're already multi-millionaires who are realistically set for life. The reality of the situation is that no one in Blizzard really cares that much about this issue and would rather it just disappear.
That's why trying to spin Brack's apology as anything but insincere is wrong. Because a proper apology requires someone actually detailing the fault made and the steps required to correct it. He didn't do either of these things, he pussyfooted around both of these requirements.
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