Blizzard bans College Hearthstone team for Hong Kong sign

Blizzard has banned a College Hearthstone team from competitive play for six months. The American University Hearthstone team was holding up a Free Hong Kong, Boycott Blizz sign during an official stream. This incident was a week ago, but Blizzard decided until now to wait with a fitting punishment. The American University team isn’t that upset, since they say they expected to be banned for their actions.

The team consists of Casey Chambers, Corwin Dark and a third member under the name of TJammer. The first in the list shared an email from Blizzard in which they explain the ban. You can read the entire statement in the tweet down below.

Happy to announce the AU Hearthstone team received a six month ban from competition. While delayed I appreciate all players being treated equally and no one being above the rules. pic.twitter.com/mZStoF0e0t

— Casey Chambers (@Xcelsior_hs) October 16, 2019

The statement goes as follows: “This is a notification that your conduct on the official broadcast for the Collegiate Hearthstone Championship on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, violated rule 7.1B… We expect all players to follow the Hearthstone Collegiate Championship rules.” Rule 7.1B refers to how “Participants may not take any action or perform any gesture directed at another Participant, Tespa Admin, or any other party or incite others to do the same which is abusive, insulting, mocking, or disruptive.”

After the six month ban the team is free to join the competitive Hearthstone team again, if they wish to do so.

If you are not up to speed with this incident, here is a summary. On October 8th the team held up a Free Hong Kong sign during a competitive Hearthstone live stream to protest against the ban Blizzard ensued for Hearthstone pro Blitzchung, whom got banned for screaming “Liberation for Hong Kong” During a post-game interview.

Blizzard is at least consistent with their ruling, or trying to be. In a statement regarding the ruling, which was ill received by the public, Blizzard claimed their relationship with China had nothing to do with the initial punishment, and reverted some of it. Blitchung got his prize money of $10.000 and will be banned from competitive play for 6 months.