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Protesters and law enforcement continue to clash in Hong Kong, and US companies are finding themselves caught up in the political strife.  Getty Images Blizzard, the developer of Diablo and World of Warcraft among other notable games, has faced a growing backlash since it removed pro player Chung “Blitzchung” Ng Wai from a Hearthstone tournament and future events. His ban came two days after he showed support for the Hong Kong protests in a postgame interview on Oct. 6. The company has since walked back the length of his banning.  In response to the ban, gamers began boycotting the developer. On Oct. 9, #BoycottBlizzard started trending on Twitter, and the company’s action has even been called out by two US senators.  Blizzard isn’t the only business tangled up in the Hong Kong protests. Apple, Google and the NBA have all found themselves in the middle of political tensions between Hong Kong and China. What are the protests in Hong Kong about? In June, mass protests began in Hong Kong over a controversial proposed law, now suspended, that would’ve allowed for the extradition of residents to countries around the world, including China. People feared this would let the Chinese government apprehend people in Hong Kong and send them to mainland China to be subjected to a far stricter legal system.  Protesters have taken to the streets, as well as the Hong Kong International Airport, and demonstrations have grown to include demands for democracy. This has led to multiple clashes with law enforcement, including one teenager getting shot in the chest by police on Oct. 1 Why are gamers protesting Blizzard? Following his win during the Asia-Pacific Grandmasters broadcast on Oct. 6, the gas mask-wearing pro gamer Blitzchung voiced a phrase used by Hong Kong protesters: “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our age!” On Oct. 8, Blizzard said that Blitzchung violated the competition’s official rules, resulting in his removal from the Grandmasters tournament and a 12-month ban from other events.  “While we stand by one’s right to express individual thoughts and opinions,” the statement continued, “players and other participants that elect to participate in our esports competitions must abide by the official competition rules.” This statement, however, appears to be different from the official statement from the company made on the Chinese social media platform Weibo on Oct. 8. Multiple translations of the Chinese statement show a much harsher tone from the company. Here’s IGN’s translation: “We express our strong indignation [or resentment] and condemnation of the events that occurred in the Hearthstone Asia Pacific competition last weekend and absolutely oppose the dissemination of personal political ideas during any events [or games]. The players involved will be banned, and the commentators involved will be immediately terminated from any official business. Also, we will protect [or safeguard] our national dignity [or honor].” just as the NBA’s original Chinese Weibo statement was pretty harsh on Daryl Morey compared to the English statement, Blizzard’s official Hearthstone Weibo post made an additional comment condemning blitzchung and defending
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