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[Omnipunctual Godot]

Blizzard technical artist Kyle Hickey recently made a post on Facebook that included the following:

After gaining some attention with his post, Hickey appears to have deleted all social media accounts. This also comes at a time when federal pressure has been placed on Reddit for allowing and enabling death threats against federal employees associated with the Department of Government Efficiency.

Even though the post was made on January 21st, Blizzard has yet to respond to the incident.

I'm generally a big proponent of free speech, but calling for your followers to "kill" political opposition is beyond the pale.

At this time, Activision-Blizzard does not appear to have taken any action against the employee, nor have they issued a statement about their employee and his call for political violence.

I think Activision-Blizzard needs to answer for this. If the politics were reversed, this artist would've been out on his ass weeks ago. They should not be allowed to just sweep it under the rug.

 

[LectureMaster]

The western gaming industry is full of sociopaths.

"We are the party of love and tolerance, that is until you have different opinions than ours and now we are gonna kill you."

 

[Fake]

We don't do political in gaming.

Also.

 

[Hudo]

I am not familiar with US law but isn't this illegal? Like inciting the public to violence or something?

 

[Hookshot]

They just can't help themselves. Remember to be tolerant of whatever fucked up shit they are peddling though.

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

We don't do political in gaming.

Also.

It's directly related to gaming.

 

[Fake]

It's directly related to gaming.

I'm talking about the deniers.

 

[Unknown?]

He's just upset that their money laundering is being diminished, nothing to see here.

 

[Embearded]

Their new social media accounts will have the stupid "views are my own" moto to protect their job.
The same kind of people who are trying to get people fired and cancelled right and left.

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

I'm talking about the deniers.

Oh, my bad. Because I was thinking this is infinitely worse than what the Avowed guy did, and we definitely talked about that.

 

[duck_sauce]

I am not familiar with US law but isn't this illegal? Like inciting the public to violence or something?

I have a strong deja vu right now…

 

[Pasta la Vista]

Huh, missed this one. I was considering getting Diablo 4 after some more updates but guess Ill.just stick with the fantastic PoE 2.

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

I am not familiar with US law but isn't this illegal? Like inciting the public to violence or something?

I think there needs to be a tangible impact and a clearly established connection to the call for violence, but incitement laws can be pretty murky.

 

[kiphalfton]

"Politics" is serious business.

 

[Grizzled Ghost]

Why would Blizzard care? He didn't mention Hong Kong.

 

[ssringo]

More calls for violence from a bitch that has never even been in a fight.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

we have all that trans stuff going to other countries but won't deal with the mental health issues here.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

and some people in NeoGaf cry about making fun of these people.

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

we have all that trans stuff going to other countries but won't deal with the mental health issues here.

If you look at the recent DOGE USAID reports, it looks like we've been exporting "all that trans stuff" across the globe through a CIA soft-power slush fund with taxpayers footing the bill. It was literal propaganda.

 

[LectureMaster]

and some people in NeoGaf cry about making fun of these people.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

They shouldn't get off scot free. If anyone said "go kill your local homo" or something like that, you'd have every fucking activist group you've never heard of up your ass in a heartbeat.

As someone who works in games, it's fucking embarrassing how many people embody the absolute worst on both sides of the spectrum.

 

[intbal]

Sorry, my man. It's officially the law of the land now.

 

[DeVeAn]

Everyone being found out are the ones crying the loudest it seems. Disgusting and disappointing.

 

[Saber]

Don't worry, sooner or later Blizzard will post an official apology to the artist who sent the death threats(not to the ones who were threaten though) and some people(includes some Gaf residents) will call it a nothing burger.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

unhinged

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Do Nintendo and Capcom do stuff like this?

No, didn’t think so.

Another reason to boycott these shit companies

 

[Cornbread78]

I have a strong deja vu right now…

Yes, it has been proven in the highest courts that it's completely acceptable right now

 

[Trilobit]

There seems to have been discussions about it on Blizzard forums, but they have nuked anything about that topic.

Found this on google:

But they all were removed when I clicked on them:

I think this in combination with Blizzard's silence speaks volumes of what they think about their employees calling for murder.

 

[LimanimaPT]

I am not familiar with US law but isn't this illegal? Like inciting the public to violence or something?

It's seems not. Trump isn't in jail after that capitol invasion fiasco.

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

It's seems not. Trump isn't in jail after that capitol invasion fiasco.

I don't remember him calling for anyone to murder anyone else or break any laws. Can you show me where that happened? Where's the quote?

 

[RetroGamingUK]

I think this in combination with Blizzard's silence speaks volumes of what they think about their employees calling for murder.

These companies employ these people knowing full well what they’re like.

Activision-Blizzard bosses probably share the same fucked up opinions.

 

[Coloress_Kafka]

What’s the issue? He basically said kill the MAGA concept in your area. He didn’t specify or direct it towards a person. It’s no different than someone saying kill DEI.

 

[Killer8]

Stuff like this always gets memory holed and people carry on buying their products regardless. Same thing happened when some of the higher ups at Nightdive supported Trump getting domed. As long as what they're selling is appealing enough, people's desire to buying the thing (in Nightdive's case literally The Thing Remastered) will override all of their principles.

 

[Interfectum]

I always love it when the supposed "good guys" end up being the raving psychopaths.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

What’s the issue? He basically said kill the MAGA concept in your area. He didn’t specify or direct it towards a person. It’s no different than someone saying kill DEI.

MAGA is commonly used as a noun to describe people.

In this content he’s likely referring to Republican representatives.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Us MAGA love guns and I always am carrying so I will take my chances vs these blue haired freaks

Also

 

[Trilobit]

These companies employ these people knowing full well what they’re like.

Activision-Blizzard bosses probably share the same fucked up opinions.

It really makes me wonder what the conversation climate is there amongst the rest of the employees if he felt brazen enough to put something like that online. Like, we've seen what kind of discourse has become normalized on Reddit. Scary times.

Edit:

MAGA is commonly used as a noun to describe people.

In this content he’s likely referring to Republican representatives.

Also, if he only meant it in an abstract way he probably would have come out and clarified it instead of bunkering down and nuking himself from social media.

 

[fastest finger]

I am not familiar with US law but isn't this illegal? Like inciting the public to violence or something?

Unless it’s early January. Then it’s all good, apparently.

 

[Killjoy-NL]

He's just upset that their money laundering is being diminished, nothing to see here.

And you think Trump's plans for Gaza aren't money laundering?

Or Israel laundering money from USAID to bribe US Congress?