This hurts. But until Blizzard reverses their decision on @blitzchungHS I am giving up playing Classic WoW, which I helped make and helped convince Blizzard to relaunch. There will be no Mark of Kern guild after all.
— Mark Kern (@Grummz) October 9, 2019
Let me explain why I am #BoycottBlizzard
I have watched China slowly take over as the dominant investing force in gaming and movies over the years. It’s a shame US companies never believed as strongly as China and Asia in investing in games, but this allowed China to have unprecedented influence over our media.
— Mark Kern (@Grummz) October 9, 2019
I’ve seen firsthand the corruption of Chinese gaming companies, and I was removed from a company I founded (after Blizzard) for refusing to take a 2 million dollar kickback bribe to take an investment from China. This is the first time I’ve ever spoken pubically about it.
— Mark Kern (@Grummz) October 9, 2019
Chinese companies tried to ruin my career with planted press stories. Money is often paid for favorable press in China and some of that money flows here to the US as well.
— Mark Kern (@Grummz) October 9, 2019
Unfortunately, money talks. China has succeeded in infiltrating all levels of tech, gaming and more.
But now we are in a situation where unlimited Communist money dictates our American values. We censor our games for China, we censor our movies for China.
— Mark Kern (@Grummz) October 9, 2019
Now, game companies are silencing voices for freedom and democracy.
China is dictating that the world be authoritarian.
It’s one thing to keep politics out of games, which I am still a proponent of doing. It’s another to unfairly and harshly punish voices that speak out against corruption, against abuses of human rights, and freedom.
— Mark Kern (@Grummz) October 9, 2019
But enough is enough. I stand with Hong Kong, and I oppose Blizzard’s obvious and laughably transparent fear of China.
— Mark Kern (@Grummz) October 9, 2019
It’s time for Blizzard to grow the spine it used to have, and to do what’s right for gamers once again.
Gamers, rise up.
And yes, this means I will be refusing any deal for Epic exclusivity. The money comes from Tencent. Em8ER will never be an Epic game store exclusive.
— Mark Kern (@Grummz) October 9, 2019
This might mean we never make a dime, but more is at stake now than just games. A line has to be drawn, and I’m drawing it now.