The backlash against Blizzard for cracking down on esports professionals who have issued statements defending the embattled Hong Kong, continues apace and Blizzard has clapped back in a bizarre fashion. It appears to have started disabling authenticators when people attempt to delete their accounts, making it impossible for them to do so. For those in the EU, this could be impeding their rights as stated by the GDPR.
So far Blizzard has claimed that it's a technical issue and that it's working on the problem, but the timing seems incredibly suspect. As others have pointed out, too, Blizzard has also instigated a process of requiring a government ID in order to suspend or delete your Battle.net account. This is another step that needs to be taken, making the process even more convoluted and difficult for those looking to distance themselves from Blizzard's actions in recent weeks.
This has caused an even greater backlash towards Blizzard, which seems to be compounding its problems rather than stopping them with its actions.
Even Blizzard employees are taking notice. Many have already made anonymous public statements condemning the company's actions, even though they claim it wasn't surprising. Others, however, are walking out and striking in protest. At the company's HQ, a number of employees protested around the iconic Orc statue that dominates the grounds outside. Some even took steps to cover some of the written phrases on the floor with paper, claiming that they are no longer represented at the company.
If you want to delete your account or request information from Blizzard, here's some more information to get you started.
If you want to help the people of Hong Kong, here are some things you can do.
Image source: StandingwithHK/Reddit
