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Hearthstone caster Nathan 'ThatsAdmirable' Zamora steps down over Blitzchung controversy | | Deadly Verdict Online Gaming Community

Blizzard has taken another hit on the Hearthstone esports front as Nathan "ThatsAdmirable" Zamora, one of the main casters of the Grandmasters league, has announced that he is withdrawing fr

www.dvclan.org

Admirable also stepped down from casting hearthstone.







This is one of the casters that hid behind the desk and got fired. According to the video description he is mainly an OW casters but also casts HS and WoW.

In the video he said that he prepared a ton for this weekend's Overwatch Pacific Showdown (as well as the Hearthstone Grandmasters Playoffs, needless to say) but it seems like he will not be casting Overwatch anymore either. He finds the situation very sad; years of cultivating his passion and hard work may just be gone in vain.

 

[lyan]

Oh so I REALLY need someone to explain to me how this makes business sense for Blizzard then.

Because the China portion could drop straight to 0 through administrative means and the portion of the cake could only drop from voluntary boycott. Hence the only way things could change is if every single person that care about the implications this incident have do their part (and not just while this is trending), and hope the numbers are enough.

 

[Blade2.0]

My point was that you don't ONLY get what you came for. If you go grocery shopping, you may also have to stand in line to checkout. If you go to a movie theater, you get commercials too. The examples are endless so when someone says 'I don't come here for this' it's pretty meaningless.

Exactly, and what they want doesn't trump the person's freedom of speech. Who gives a shit if you don't want politics. he's the winner and wanted to do it and he has that right (for now anyways which is what he's fighting for...)

 

[iconmaster]

Adopting Mei as a symbol of the Hong Kong movement is genius. I hope it gets Overwatch banned in China. It happened to Pooh.

 

[FMXVII]

Adopting Mei as a symbol of the Hong Kong movement is genius. I hope it gets Overwatch banned in China. It happened to Pooh.

Because Whiney Xi Poo.

 

[ManaByte]

Regarding Last Weekend’s Hearthstone Grandmasters Tournament

An update on the Hearthstone Grandmasters APAC competitive ruling.

news.blizzard.com

Reduced the suspensions to six months, restored the prize money.

 

[Harlock]

This is one of most dishonest and hypocritical thing I ever see.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

This is one of most dishonest and hypocritical thing I ever see.

Do they really think people outside of China can't see what happens on the Chinese Internet?

 

[Harlock]

Huhuhu.

 

[FMXVII]

This is one of most dishonest and hypocritical thing I ever see.

It takes bollocks to spout off such a load of bollocks, with his head so far up his own buttocks, that his tongue is within such easy reach of China's [buttocks].

 

[Azzurri]

I mean, on one hand it's sad about what's happening in HK and the Chinese Government is horrible, BUT if you're a Multi Billion Dollar Company who's has a lot of Revenue coming from China, who also has the power to literally kick you out of the country like that, have to understand it's how these multi billion dollar corporations are ran as sad as it is.

I mean you can say Blizzard needs to do the right thing, but I don't think people know how these international companies work. This isn't some Hollywood movie were in the end everything works out, unfourtantly.

 

[Jsisto]

This response just strikes me as incredibly hollow. They don't want controversial political speech in their official streams. While I don't think standing up for personal liberties(especially from the perspective of an AMERICAN based company) is controversial, I GET it. They are a global company and have to pander to their chinese market to some degree as much as I don't like it. The way they handled this is just entirely fucked, though. From a business standpoint, I feel the appropriate thing to have done would be to put out a statement after this incident showing some solidarity with blitzchung, while acknowledging the sensitivity of the issue and establishing then and there that no political statements will be allowed going forward. Thats it, no ban or penalty for the first offense and they've made their position clear for the future. The way they just shot from the hip on this is incredibly troubling and a horrible look, making one wonder who is really making the decisions and what their motives are. This whole situation is incredibly disappointing. I was really excited for Overwatch on Switch but I just can't bring myself to support Blizzard any longer. I'm not one to normally overreact or boycott things, but this was just a line too far for me.

 

[Hargate]

This is one of most dishonest and hypocritical thing I ever see.

 

[Yoboman]

I mean, on one hand it's sad about what's happening in HK and the Chinese Government is horrible, BUT if you're a Multi Billion Dollar Company who's has a lot of Revenue coming from China, who also has the power to literally kick you out of the country like that, have to understand it's how these multi billion dollar corporations are ran as sad as it is.

I mean you can say Blizzard needs to do the right thing, but I don't think people know how these international companies work. This isn't some Hollywood movie were in the end everything works out, unfourtantly.

People know how companies work. They rely on customers. Which is why hitting their bottom line matters

 

[Azzurri]

People know how companies work. They rely on customers. Which is why hitting their bottom line matters

Yea, but wanting Blizzard to pull outta China for what some HS player said is assinine and people know it.

So no, they don't know how it works, because if they did they wouldn't be so stupid to think Blizzard is going to drop out of a market that makes them Billions of dollars a year because of some Political statement made at an eSports tournament.

Listen, I don't agree with what Blizzard is doing, but I'm not stupid to believe that they're going to piss of the government of China which could literally be financial suicide for them.

You can disagree with me all you want, but sometimes this shit isn't fair or right, and you can say Blizzard for just do the right thing, but if you believe they're gonna make a statement against China, I don't know what to tell ya.

 

[danielberg]

Listen, I don't agree with what Blizzard is doing, but I'm not stupid to believe that they're going to piss of the government of China which could literally be financial suicide for them

Its not up to blizzard its up to the fans and the internet easiest shit ever to put hong kong stuff all over blizzards ip until they are banned or at least removed characters/ips that have been coopted.
On another more fun note... if you thought the diablo immortal blizzcon was crazy just wait for blizzcon 2019

 

[Yoboman]

Yea, but wanting Blizzard to pull outta China for what some HS player said is assinine and people know it.

So no, they don't know how it works, because if they did they wouldn't be so stupid to think Blizzard is going to drop out of a market that makes them Billions of dollars a year because of some Political statement made at an eSports tournament.

Listen, I don't agree with what Blizzard is doing, but I'm not stupid to believe that they're going to piss of the government of China which could literally be financial suicide for them.

You can disagree with me all you want, but sometimes this shit isn't fair or right, and you can say Blizzard for just do the right thing, but if you believe they're gonna make a statement against China, I don't know what to tell ya.

Nothing you are saying is wrong

But it doesn’t stop people who disagree with them from bringing it up, boycotting, protesting or what they like. Fortunately we are in a free country

Do you defend all billion dollar companies doing abhorrent things because it might affect their commercial interest? Where do you draw the line?

 

[Azzurri]

Nothing you are saying is wrong

But it doesn’t stop people who disagree with them from bringing it up, boycotting, protesting or what they like. Fortunately we are in a free country

Do you defend all billion dollar companies doing abhorrent things because it might affect their commercial interest? Where do you draw the line?

Oh no I agree on that part, I'm just saying Blizzard themselves are bending at the knee to China and what they release isn't going to make people happy.

I don't agree what Blizzard is doing, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that they're just gonna pull out of China, but like you said we the consumer can boycott them since we have that power.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Blizzard is finished in the West but they made their bed with China awhile ago anyway.

Fun fact: the Warcraft movie was one of the first (if not the first) movies by Legendary Pictures after they were acquired by Chinese conglomerate Wanda Group. This deal is the largest acquisition of an American media company by any Chinese firm.

Really makes you think.

 

[Kittehkraken]

It appears the Mei Statue Blizzard just put up for preorder has been mysteriously pulled.







Perhaps the protestors using Mei in Hong Kong struck a nerve?

 

[Azzurri]

Blizzard is finished in the West but they made their bed with China awhile ago anyway.

Fun fact: the Warcraft movie was one of the first (if not the first) movies by Legendary Pictures after they were acquired by Chinese conglomerate Wanda Group. This deal is the largest acquisition of an American media company by any Chinese firm.

Really makes you think.

I don't think they're finished in the West, it's just a loud minority. Yea, they're stock to a hit, but it'll be back again soon enough.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I don't think they're finished in the West, it's just a loud minority. Yea, they're stock to a hit, but it'll be back again soon enough.

Nah. It's not as though this cowardly behavior is the only thing their fanbase is pissed about. Do not underestimate gamers who feel like they've "had enough". Excluding the Overwatch crowd, who are the core Blizzard fans? Adults with jobs. It ain't the upcoming younger generation. It is the die-hard fans in their late 20s to early 40s who've played Blizzard titles since the 90s. These are the sort who attend BlizzCon and stream Blizzard's games on Twitch.

BlizzCon later this year will be the canary in the coalmine. We'll see how she sings.

 

[Caffeine]

 

[Kittehkraken]

The crazy thing is, not many people would have taken notice to what was said if Blizzard hadn't banned him. Nothing he said was offensive or controversial that the internet would have jumped on. Perhaps a few comments here and there, but it would have gone largely ignored.

Blizzard overreacted to something that wasn't even in violation of the rules. He wasn't offensive towards anyone or damaging towards Blizzards image unless your from China and despise whats happening in Hong Kong, which Blizzard says had no influence on the decision. Like if he dropped a "Fuck China" or "I despise people from China" that's in CLEAR violation of the rules. At most what he said could have perhaps gotten a warning in an email.

They stepped in a massive pile of shit voluntarily.

 

[Spukc]

This kid using their platform to make that message is ofc against the rules.
And he should be punished. Etc
They should never have taken his money
And just made a statement. That he got a 2 month ban for doing this.
But is had nothing to do with his personal believes.

They just don't want people to use blizzards platform for that.

Who ever made that call in blizz prolly lost his job

 

[BKK]

Wow! Haven't posted here in years, just saw this story on mainstream news. Fuck Activision Blizzard for promoting communist China censorship worldwide. It's really disturbing the number of international companies kow-towing to Chinese censorship. Boycott them all and free Hong Kong!

 

[Kittehkraken]

This kid using their platform to make that message is ofc against the rules.
And he should be punished. Etc
They should never have taken his money
And just made a statement. That he got a 2 month ban for doing this.
But is had nothing to do with his personal believes.

They just don't want people to use blizzards platform for that.

Who ever made that call in blizz prolly lost his job

The section of rules Blizzard quoted him for breaking are specifically about being offensive towards others. He was not. Not even close.

If you look at this from the China perspective and the comments they made, that rules he broke fit the crime. Blizzard is now trying to back track away from that because they couldn't possibly defend it.

 

[danielberg]

I dont think blizzard are finished in the west lol but they fucked up thats for sure

 

[Spukc]

The section of rules Blizzard quoted him for breaking are specifically about being offensive towards others. He was not. Not even close.

Lets just say its a sensitive subject and it has no place in an esport cardgame.

Blizzard fucked itself so bad.
As clearly this is the complete opposite of what they wanted .

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

Who ever made that call in blizz prolly lost his job

The fact that you assume Blizzard made that call is the error on your part.

Hint; no one at Blizzard made that call. The one who made the call is more powerful than any game studio executive.

 

[BKK]

Lets just say its a sensitive subject and it has no place in an esport cardgame.

Blizzard fucked itself so bad.
As clearly this is the complete opposite of what they wanted .

Only a "sensitive" subject in Hong Kong, as it's completely censored in China, and freedom of expression isn't considered "sensitive" anywhere else in the free world.

 

[Dr. Claus]

This kid using their platform to make that message is ofc against the rules.
And he should be punished. Etc
They should never have taken his money
And just made a statement. That he got a 2 month ban for doing this.
But is had nothing to do with his personal believes.

They just don't want people to use blizzards platform for that.

Who ever made that call in blizz prolly lost his job

I am all for politics not being a thing in these situations. If blizzard (or any company) wanted to reprimand the user for using their platform for political purposes then I would be fine with it. As you kindly pointed out, the punishment is not at all equal to the "crime" done. Not to mention the hypocritical actions Blizzard has shown so shortly after (not punishing US college team doing similar actions).

 

[Kittehkraken]

Lets just say its a sensitive subject and it has no place in an esport cardgame.

Blizzard fucked itself so bad.
As clearly this is the complete opposite of what they wanted .

I agree, not the best place for that kind of statement. But i don't see where he broke that section of rules unless you come from communist China.

That section of rules does have some vaguery written in it where you could honestly fit in anything between the lines. But why would you? That section is clearly about punishing those who have been offensive.

 

[Corrik]

It seems like you're deliberately confusing things to muddle the issue.

Blizzard is not generally being accused of violating any human rights, but kowtowing to China to the detriment of their Western fans.

Concerning Hong Kong, you are narrowly focusing on the immediate cause and disregarding the underlying causes.

Concerning China, you could show more concern for its history of human rights abuses in Hong Kong and what that would mean for them in that "28 years" from now. Oh but "sorry, that's gonna happen."

Btw, at least one lawyer thinks Blitzchung may have a route toward forcing Blizzard to settle over this.

This post is literally just dumb.

1. Okay so now you agree Blizzard is not putting money over "basic human rights". Thanks for agreeing to the hyperbole and embellishment.

2. Nothing here concerns "Hong Kong" other than Blizzard doesn't want controversial and political messaging on their platform in which they give to tournament players. The underlying causes don't matter because it is extraneous to why they issued the ban and took the prize money. They want none of any kind no matter the issue.

3. China being a totalitarian government full of censorship isn't a debate. It's that Blizzard is not saying we support China with their ban. It's that they literally don't want any messaging of controversial nature or political on their platform they provide as a privilege and not as a right. They did not choose "money over basic human rights". They chose wanting no controversy over controversy. It is not a basic human right issue.

4. Hey, at least one lawyer thinks if I sue Donald Trump and say I am his son from a girl he raped in the 80s that he MAY settle. Literally the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

 

[Dr. Claus]

2. Nothing here concerns "Hong Kong" other than Blizzard doesn't want controversial and political messaging on their platform in which they give to tournament players. The underlying causes don't matter because it is extraneous to why they issued the ban and took the prize money. They want none of any kind no matter the issue.

Y'know, except for the fact that they were perfectly fine when Americans very recently were using them as a platform to openly talk about Hong Kong and China, leading another team to forfeit a match and quit the season because of the sheer hypocrisy (that thing that happened in the past day or two? That thing? Remember?).

Not to mention Number 3 where Blizzard openly stated they wanted to defend the "pride of China".

This is an open and shut case, I am not sure why you are so desperate to make it something it isn't.

 

[Nobody_Important]

Does Blizzard think it's fans are stupid? Because that statement reads like they think all their fans are incredibly naive and ignorant of the world.

 

[FMXVII]

Lets just say its a sensitive subject and it has no place in an esport cardgame.

Blizzard fucked itself so bad.
As clearly this is the complete opposite of what they wanted .

It isn't a matter of what they wanted.

It is a matter of what they expected of the rest of us, re: that we'd just take it, like good little mainland serfs.

 

[LegendOfKage]

Regarding Last Weekend’s Hearthstone Grandmasters Tournament

An update on the Hearthstone Grandmasters APAC competitive ruling.

news.blizzard.com

Reduced the suspensions to six months, restored the prize money.

Somebody really wants to have their cake and eat it too.

 

[FMXVII]

Does Blizzard think it's fans are stupid? Because that statement reads like they think all their fans are incredibly naive and ignorant of the world.

Precisely this. Yes. Yes, they did.

 

[Spukc]

It isn't a matter of what they wanted.

It is a matter of what they expected of the rest of us, re: that we'd just take it, like good little mainland serfs.

Ofc blizz would not react to any of this.
If people didn't react so bad to this.

Why would they dig it up again.
After trying clearly to stomp it down?

You are just stating the obvious.

 

[FMXVII]

Ofc blizz would not react to any of this.
If people didn't react so bad to this.

Why would they dig it up again.
After trying clearly to stomp it down?

You are just stating the obvious.

You did, actually.

I am more reiterating it.

It bears repeating.

Memories are short.

 

[EviLore]

Does Blizzard think it's fans are stupid?

Yes.

 

[LegendOfKage]

Blizzard truly believes every voice should be heard, guys. In fact, they believe it so much that I wouldn't be surprised to see special free speech zones setup specifically for Blizz-con.

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Does Blizzard think it's fans are stupid? Because that statement reads like they think all their fans are incredibly naive and ignorant of the world.

Yeah that's what I find incredibly infuriating about it. This has only made them look even worse.

 

[Kusanagi2086]

I am just wondering what a shitshow Blizzcon will turn out to be November 1st.

This ain't going away and players are reportedly planning protests I would be very surprised if the whole damn event wasn't cancelled.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Huhuhu.

Hahaha, wow. It was October 11th in the US when this was posted. I didn't even notice until you brought this up.
This statement was written in China and then somewhat awkwardly translated into English (as seen in a post above) and then posted with the Chinese date stamp.
In fact, right now as of this post it is still October 11th on the West Coast US where Blizzard is located in LA.
Blizzard doesn't even control it's own international PR anymore.

 

[Hawking Radiation]

Fuck Blizzard. We need to highlight this shit amongst gamers of all kind. Professional and casual.

 

[Barakov]

This is one of most dishonest and hypocritical thing I ever see.

This has to be dumpster fire of the year. The Hearthstone official statement reads like "We don't like political comments we don't agree with and Also China is number 1." What a shit show.

 

[Ar¢tos]

There is no shortage of Overwatch characters to use as symbols, I think it would be better to use more than one of them as a Free HK symbol, if it is just one they might remove that character from the Chinese version as if it never existed.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

So who's still playing WoW classic bros?