During a live broadcast interview after a match, Hearthstone professional Chung Ng Wai, better known by the name of Blitzchung, took the opportunity to support the Hong Kong protests.
"Liberate Hong Kong" he called out wearing ski goggles and gas mask, often worn by protesters in Hong Kong.
The two commentators who interviewed Blitzchung appeared to be prepared for what was to come. "Say your eight words now" they say to him before handing over the word and bowing their heads to the table.
Awarded and removed prize moneyThe reaction from Blizzard, which is behind, among others, World of Warcraft, Overwatch and Hearthstone, came on Tuesday: Blitzchung is portrayed from the Grandmasters tournament, deprived of his earned prize money and is not allowed to compete in competition-focused Hearthstone for a year.
The two commentators who conducted the interview have also been fired.
The company refers to a rule that prohibits players from acting in a way that can "offend parts of the public" or "damage the confidence of Blizzard".
The company has also deleted the video of the incident.
"Spam this pong to free hong kong"Large parts of the gaming community have been upset by Blizzard's actions. During the hashtag #BoycottBlizzard, disgruntled fans gather that the US company is going China's affairs.
Some show pictures of how they deactivate their gaming accounts in protest. Others edit China's leader Xi Jinping's face on famous Blizzard figures.
At the same time, a frame containing ping pong emojis has become very popular on the streaming site Twitch. "SPAM THIS PONG TO FREE HONG KONG" users have started scanning in the chat fields with a ping pong racket between each word.
The Ramsan is a new vintage of a rhyme format that is usually used in e-sports contexts to cheer up their team.
No regretsBlitzchung himself was not surprised by Blizzard's actions, he tells AFP.
- I do not regret what I said. I hope my campaign can inspire other gamers like me to continue supporting the Hong Kong movement, he tells the news agency.