Blizzard apologises post-HK protest row

San Francisco, Nov 2 (IANS) American video game developer and publisher Blizzard has apologised following a controversy after it banned virtual card game Hearthstone player Ng “Blitzchung” Wai Chung for voicing support for Hong Kong protesters during a competition live stream, the media has reported.

“We moved too quickly in our decision and then to make matters worse, we were too slow to talk with all of you. I am sorry and I accept accountability,” Brack was quoted as saying by CNN Business.

The firm showcased a handful of new video game titles, including the “Overwatch 2” and “Diablo IV,” at its annual gaming convention in California on Friday where its President J. Allen Brack apologised.

California-headquartered Blizzard had banned Hearthstone pro Ng Wai “Blitzchung” Chung for saying “liberate Hong Kong — revolution of our age” during a post-match interview and faced a massive backlash.

The firm said the act violated its competition rules and Wai was stripped of his potential winnings and banned from competing next year.

“We will do better going forward. But our actions are going to matter more than any of these words. As you walk around this weekend, I hope it’s clear how committed we are to people expressing themselves,” Brack said.