Apology from Mike Morhaime

[AdamSavage]

In regards to the Video shown at BlizzCon that created quite the uproar. Not very often the President of Blizzard says anything in regards to anything that goes on in the forums.

Dear members of the Blizzard community,

I have read your feedback and comments about this year’s BlizzCon, and I have also read the feedback to the apology from Level 90 Elite Tauren Chieftain. I’d like to respond to some of your feedback here.

As president of Blizzard, I take full responsibility for everything that occurs at BlizzCon.

It was shortsighted and insensitive to use the video at all, even in censored form. The language used in the original version, including the slurs and use of sexual orientation as an insult, is not acceptable, period. We realize now that having even an edited version at the show was counter to the standards we try to maintain in our forums and in our games. Doing so was an error in judgment, and we regret it.

The bottom line is we deeply apologize for our mistakes and for hurting or offending anyone. We want you to have fun at our events, and we want everyone to feel welcome. We’re proud to be part of a huge and diverse community, and I am proud that so many aspects of the community are represented within Blizzard itself.

As a leader of Blizzard, and a member of the band, I truly hope you will accept my humblest apology.

– Mike Morhaime
President, Blizzard Entertainment

[Chimera]

What video o_O

and wow lol thats pretty awesome, hes part of the ETC band

[cowmuflage]

what video?

[Lisaara]

What video? I....didn't see anything offensive at all.

[Teigan]

Huhwha? Who said what about what where?

[Vephriel]

During the L90ETC concert they showed a clip from an old interview with George Corpsegrinder (lead singer of Cannibal Corpse):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keJ8SDVyYn0

[Kaswryn]

I was wondering what the apology was for as well so I went poking around...

"Basically, Samwise of the famous band which plays at Blizzcon (which is not only vocally pro Horde but also severely anti Alliance) played a video in which a celebrity (introduced as an 'unofficial spokesman') went on a rant in which he called Alliance players whiny and emo, called them a number of homophobic slurs and said that they should die IRL - I don't want to repost the exact stuff here...but it was utterly insane."

From~ http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic ... 168?page=1




Edit- @the video Veph just posted ....

[cowmuflage]

That really? But it was all bleeped out and stuff. really? I've heard worse stuff in trade chat of all things!

[Wain]

That really? But it was all bleeped out and stuff. really? I've heard worse stuff in trade chat of all things!

Yeah, but I don't think trade chat is really a benchmark for an official company presentation

I'm really glad he posted that apology. Regardless of the swearing, homophobic slurs are never ok. If they were racial slurs used in the video there would have been even more of an uproar. Good on Mike for posting the apology

[Teigan]

Yikes. Well, at least he apologized. Swearing is one thing. Hateful language is another.

[Lisaara]

Yeowch. They might wanna be careful next time. Hehe....or pick a better spokesperson. that was pretty awful.

[CrystalKitten]

Was.. more bleeped in the youtube video than live? Maybe I'm just really not up to date on the slurs. Either way, if you have to bleep more than 50% of the audio in ANYTHING, I think it's safe to say that it's not appropriate to play for a public audience.

It is kind of disturbing that they'd play something like that though :/ At least he appologized...

[Worba]

(In re: the video)

"When it comes to World of Warcraft, I'm a ... nerd"

Actually just going by the visual? That's not limited to WoW.

NERDROCK YEEEAAARRRGGHHHH!!!!

[AdamSavage]

Made an edit in my post to put the video link in.

For the comments in the video, yes it was bleeped out, however I still think that was a little extreme on Buddie's attitude towards Alliance players. We (Alliance) of course are not crazy about the Horde faction, but I don't think I've seen them be that verbal about them in that form. Think the worse I've heard is that they (Horde) smell, and minor stuff like that.

[cowmuflage]

No I've seen alliance players say worse things than that Adam. Maybe its that fact 99% of alliance players on my server are little kids. XD

[AdamSavage]

No I've seen alliance players say worse things than that Adam. Maybe its that fact 99% of alliance players on my server are little kids. XD

That's the biggest joke by far from the horde, that 90% of the alliance are 10 year olds.

[cowmuflage]

well its basicly true on my server trsut me.

[Silivren]

No I've seen alliance players say worse things than that Adam. Maybe its that fact 99% of alliance players on my server are little kids. XD

That's the biggest joke by far from the horde, that 90% of the alliance are 10 year olds.

^This^ hes right though its a myth and you wont ever know for sure unless you know them all personally. They can be mid twenties and act like immature brats but bottom line is nobody is better horde or alliance. Both sides have their good seeds and their very extremely, eww lookit that wrinkly thing, OH MY GOD IS THAT A WORM I THINK I-, eh well you get the point "apples".

[cowmuflage]

Oh I know most could be in there 20's but I play both sides on my server and I'm not saying anysides better but on my server the alliance are the more immature side thats all lol

[Novikova]

Sorry, I'll have to disagree. The yutzes are about even on both sides, be they younger acting or LOL I AM A HORDE JACKASS WOO HORDE LOL types. Even numbers, different flavors of dingbat.

The video that was censored is just a small sample of a really homophobic, obnoxious sort of thing. Blizzard is a company and what happened was really unprofessional.