Blizzard belatedly punishes college Hearthstone team for Hong Kong protest

Enlarge / The on-stream moment that eventually earned the AU Hearthstone team a six-month suspension from tournament play.

The American University Hearthstone team that held up a sign reading "Free Hong Kong Boycott Blizz" during a tournament stream last week has now received a six-month ban from competition, according to a tweet from team member Casey Chambers.

"We expect all players to follow the Hearthstone Collegiate Championship rules," the punishment letter reads, in part. "Every Voice Matters at Blizzard, and we strongly encourage everyone in our community to share their viewpoints in the many places available to express themselves. However, the official broadcast needs to be about the game and the competition, and to be a place where all are welcome."

The language in the AU punishment letter closely mirrors that found in a statement Blizzard released last Friday regarding Ng "Blitzchung" Wai Chung and an on-stream statement he made in support of Hong Kong protesters after winning a Hearthstone Grandmasters tournament last week. Blizzard's statement reduced Blitzchung's punishment to a similar six-month suspension and reinstated tournament winnings that had been denied in the immediate wake of Blitzchung's protest earlier that week.

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