BlizzCon opened on a more restrained note than usual this year. Rather than opening with a sizzle-real of teasers or epic announcements, Blizzard President J. Allen Brack appeared onstage to deliver an apology for the company's handling of Blitzchung's suspension.
In the first official apology for the company's actions, Brack told the audience,
What I think about — what I'm most unhappy about — is really two things. The first one is we didn't live up to the high standards that we really set for ourselves, and the second is we failed in our purpose. And for that, I am sorry and I accept accountability.
So what exactly is our purpose? Blizzcon is demonstrating it even as we speak. We aspire to bring the world together in epic entertainment. And I truly believe in the positive power of video games.
When we get it right, we create a common ground where the community comes together, to compete, connect, and play, irrespective of the things that divide us. [...]
We will do better going forward. But our actions are gonna matter more than any of these words. As you walk around this weekend, I hope it's clear how committed we are to everyone's right to express themselves in all kinds of ways in all kinds of places.
Brack also made note of the presence of protesters stationed outside of BlizzCon, a protest that includes Hong Kong flags, "Mei Stands With Hong Kong" T-shirts, and Winnie the Pooh cosplayers. Blizzard's president acknowledged the validity of their outrage, but spoke optimistically about gaming's ability to bring people together, citing that BlizzCon features guests from 59 different countries.
Stay tuned to TechRaptor for more coverage from BlizzCon 2019.
Is Blizzard's apology enough? Will the company actually take tangible steps to prevent this in the future? Was that sick Diablo IV trailer enough to make you forget about everything? Let us know what you think down below.
