Mitsubishi no longer Blizzard sponsor after blitzchung controversy

Olivia Richman Published 30/10/2019

It’s been no secret that Blizzard’s actions in response to Ng “blitzchung” Wai Chung’s call for the liberation of Hong Kong in a Hearthstone Grandmasters interview has garnered a lot of criticism from the gaming community.

One group of activists have even declared that they will be protesting at BlizzCon this weekend over the developer’s decision to silence esports competitors and employees to seemingly please China. But it seems that gamers aren’t the only ones unhappy with Blizzard’s actions. 

Mitsubishi Motors has announced that they are no longer commercial sponsors for Blizzard. Before the blitzchung incident, the Taiwanese branch of the Japanese auto company had sponsored all of Blizzard’s esports events and tournaments. They withdrew their support two days after blitzchung was banned from Hearthstone Grandmasters. 

Mitsubishi Motors Taiwan spokesperson Erica Rasch confirmed the decision earlier today, although no further comment was given. Blizzard has also not responded to Mitsubishi’s withdrawal. 

Hearthstone fans had started speculating this was the case earlier in the month. One Reddit user noticed that Mitsubishi’s symbol was no longer being used in the background of an Hearthstone tournament in the Asia-Pacific region. Many called it a good decision on Mitsubishi’s part, saying it’s smart for the company to not want their name associated with the ongoing controversy. 

Blizzard has attempted to speak out about their decision to ban blitzchung in the past, even lightening his punishment after the backlash. But it seems that gamers are still not satisfied with how the big developer has been dealing with the backlash. 

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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