I hope this emboldens people as they see that their protesting actually works. I'm often super pessimistic that large corporations are immune to protest because people have short attention spans and get bored of being outraged.
I wish protesting against Blizzard would have an impact on Chinese policy but there's zero chance of that happening.
I understand it's a long game (no pun intended), getting more and more companies to take a stand for free speech, but the impact on the lives of the people really affected by it is too small.
The US government has much greater means to make a really powerful impact but I don't see that ever happening.
Thanks for clarifying. I guess my brain is wired to fix root causes (China) and not symptoms, but I completely understand what you're saying. It's a more pragmatic perspective (influence what is within reach).
It just depresses me that, in the name of trade and the perspective of China being some #1 global power, governments everywhere will turn a blind eye to the human rights violations.
Protesting against Blizzard may not do enough to have an impact, but it certainly helps. Here's a short article where they claim that the way China dealt with the NBA was doing them more harm than good, so the government started trying to suppress chinese nationalism since it was making them look bad to the rest of the world. I agree that it'd be better if the government did something, but company and consumer protests can be effective as well.
I would wait to see if an actual drop in game sales occurs before claiming this as a victory. The gaming internet is an perpetual motion outrage machine but very few of their cause celebres actually translate into any kind of economic impact for developers and publishers.
Also take a look at Blizzard’s stock price to see what Wall Street actually thinks of the current mess (spoiler: it’s still within touching distance of the the YTD high).
I will never buy another product by blizzard regardless of future behavior. I will be reminding people of their feckless behavior in one star reviews a decade from now.
I doubt I'm the only one. I support the corporate death penalty.
Boycotting Blizzard will not make a difference to China, well actually it helps by not transferring money from Chinese gamers to American companies and employees.
Most of my money goes to health care, food, and housing none of which is made in China. Many other things I buy second hand. I can't say that none of my money ends up enriching China given how pervasive Chinese made goods are especially on the low end of the market but it would be inaccurate to say I am still "happily buying Chinese products".
That is you imposing a preconceived narrative on me without bothering to find out or care if its accurate.
Do you also boycott Chick-Fil-A, for their, far worse stance against basic human rights (Giving money to charities that are actively working on promoting anti-gay hate crimes)?
And the NFL, for their unwillingness to have the playing field be a soapbox for political statements about the treatment of African Americans, by police?
You must surely note that many people who have recently jumped on the anti-Blizzard bandwagon are totally OK to continue patronizing those two organizations...
The Chinese mow down protestors with tanks. They are well on their way to developing an Orwellian surveillance state where people are afraid to dissent. They are building modern day concentration camps for minorities. They are using political prisoners as living organ banks to be murdered and disassembled as soon as their parts are needed for a more desirable patient.
I don't think Chick-Fil-A is on the same level because some of their money goes to republicans but I don't give them my money either.
Furthermore sharing all of my morals isn't an apt requirement for concluding someone has morals. I and a republican can disagree on gay marriage while sharing contempt and horror or organleggers building concentration camps.
US police forces kill unarmed people of colour all the time - and this is just the most visible symptom of a very blatantly racist law enforcement and legal system.
Is the NFL on the same level for repressing speech on a protest against this behaviour? Or, like, a little bit on the same level? They are quite clearly picking a side, by silencing speech on it.
> I and a republican can disagree on gay marriage while sharing contempt and horror or organleggers building concentration camps.
So, is it fine for the NFL to support this injustice or not? It sounds like you're predicating it on whether or not a Republican considers something to be unjust - but it's hard to tell (And it would not be a charitable interpretation of your post!)
What exactly is the principled bar here, that requires companies to take a stance for one injustice, but not another? Where do you draw this line?
I merely said that I regard blizzards behavior as reprehensible because I find the Chinese government reprehensible and ergo I would not be buying their products.
This prompted a variety of whataboutism and odd segue where my moral commitment was variously questioned for buying Chinese made goods, watching football, eating at chick filet etc.
An astute observer would note I didn't bring any of this up. I don't give money to the NFL, I don't give money to chick filet, it's unrealistic to avoid all Chinese made goods as a US consumer.
There is no thing particularly wrong with trying to vote with your wallet while doing so imperfectly. It beats not giving a damn.
To quote myself for clarity.
>Furthermore sharing all of my morals isn't an apt requirement for concluding someone has morals. I and a republican can disagree on gay marriage while sharing contempt and horror of organleggers building concentration camps.
The NFL, police misconduct, chick fillet, Chinese made goods are all current affairs of note but none of the above have anything to do with boycotting blizzard.
I’m the US the two are getting very close to being the same. Maybe not hate crimes per se. but discrimination supported by faith.
Not providing employees coverage for contraceptives, or firing someone for a low cut blouse, refusing to serve a gay couple, trying to make sexual orientation not a protected class from discrimination entirely is currently on the plate, all of these are pushed by faith based organizations.
