U.S. Legislators Including AOC Come Down Hard on

Three Congresspersons and two Senators, in a letter to Activision-Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick, got here down onerous on the corporate’s determination to ban and withdraw prize winnings of Hong Kong gamer Ng Wai Chung aka “Blitzchung.” In the letter, the legislators unleashed scathing criticism of the corporate’s determination to position its market-access to China above its expectations as an American enterprise to unfold the core American values of freedom and liberty around the globe. Among these legislators are Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Congressmen Mike Gallagher and Tom Malinowski; and Senators Marco Rubio and Ron Wyden.

“Your company benefits from China’s growing market for e-sports, along with an investment from Tencent, one of China’s largest technology firms. As you and your company are no doubt aware, the Chinese government uses the size and strength of its economy to suppress opinion with which it disagrees. Last week alone, the Chinese government targeted Apple for hosting an app to help peaceful demonstrators evade repression and the NBA because one team’s general manager tweeted in support of Hong Kong protests,” the letter reads.

“Your company claims to stand by ‘one’s right to express individual thoughts and opinions,’ yet many of your own employees believe that Activision-Blizzard’s decision to punish Mr. Chung runs counter to those values,” the letter continues, referencing the silent protest by Blizzard staff by overlaying up a flooring decal within the firm’s Stateside workplace. “Indeed many gamers around the world have taken notice of your company’s actions, understandably calling for boycotts of Activision-Blizzard gaming sites,” the letter continues, referring to the current wave of established avid gamers both downright deleting their accounts, or cancelling their subscriptions to Activision-Blizzard MMOs.

Buckling below intense stress in its dwelling market, Blizzard final week diminished its ban. Bliizzard introduced that it could be returning Blitzchung his prize cash and decreasing his ban from 1 12 months to six months. “Anger is still bubbling in the Blizzard communities, and with BlizzCon just around the corner, things are only going to continue to heat up,” feedback E-Sports Talk.

“As China amplifies its campaign of intimidation, you and your company must decide whether to look beyond the bottom line and promote American values – like freedom of speech and thought – or to give in to Beijing’s demands in order to preserve market access. We urge you in the strongest terms to reconsider your decision with respect to Mr. Chung. You have the opportunity to reverse course. We urge you to take it,” the letter concludes.