During BlizzCon's opening ceremony today in Anaheim, company president J. Allen Brack offered an apology for how Blizzard handled its banning (then measured unbanning) of Hearthstone pro player Blitzchung after his on-stream support for the Hong Kong protests.
Brack's apology began as follows: "Blizzard had the opportunity to bring the world together in a tough Hearthstone esports moment a month ago. We did not. We moved too quickly in our decision-making, and then to make matters worse, we were too slow to talk to all of you."
"When I think about what I'm most unhappy about, it's two things. The first is, we didn't live up to the high standards we set for ourselves. The second is we failed in our purpose. And for that, I am sorry, and I accept accountability."
Brack moved on to praise BlizzCon attendees' broad geographic diversity and made statements supporting the right to free speech and free expression at the show, a possible allusion to the protestors that have already lined up outside the BlizzCon gates.