The mobile game Diablo Immortal was supposed to be released in China last week. But a critical post on social media apparently prevented that. A poster from the USA asked, “When will the bear finally resign?” – the Communist Party apparently did not find this funny at all. This statement could have far-reaching consequences for Blizzard in China. They are already talking about a “China ban” for Diablo Immortal.
This is the situation:
- To publish a game in China, you need a license issued by a state authority. Diablo Immortal has had this license since February 2021.
- It was actually supposed to be released on Thursday, June 23. However, the release was unexpectedly postponed by Blizzard’s partner in China, NetEase, indefinitely. Allegedly, Diablo Immortal still needs to be revised.
- The postponement was preceded by a ban on the Diablo Immortal social media account on Weibo.
We show you the 6 classes of Diablo Immortal – in our tier list for Diablo Immortal, you can see who is currently in the lead:
Why was the social media account banned? On May 22, a single post appeared on the social media account stating:
Why is the bear still not resigning?
A user on reddit explained that this statement caused a political uproar in a short time because it was read as a call for China’s head of state, Xi Jinping, to resign.
It is said that Chinese internet users immediately relied on this post to see what would happen next.
Because it was clear to everyone: This was a highly sensitive point, and internet censorship would react.
Statement came from the USA – caused the ban of the account and deletion
Who made this statement? The statement likely comes from someone in the marketing team of Diablo Immortal, as the poster on reddit points out.
Normally, postings on Weibo are made from Guangdong, China. However, the problematic statement is said to have originated from the USA.
“Bear” and “resignation” both taboo topics in China
Why is this statement so problematic? In China, “the bear” is associated with the head of state, Xi Jinping. This is due to a meme suggesting that Xi Jinping resembles the cartoon bear “Winnie the Pooh.”
The reporter Huang Chunmei Taipei for “Radio Free Asia” explains why the statement from the Weibo account of Diablo Immortal is considered highly problematic and why Xi Jinping rejects the comparison to the bear so vehemently (via rfa):
- The word “bear” is associated in China with values like “incompetence, cowardice, inefficiency, and frequent mistakes.”
- “Resigning” is, moreover, an absolute taboo in China: this applies to any political leader, from local politicians to the head of state. The subject is forbidden. It is known that internet censorship specifically searches for this keyword.
No official China ban, but marketing should be completely halted
What should happen now? At the moment, the post on Weibo has been deleted, and the social media account of Diablo Immortal has been suspended.
Officially, the release of Diablo Immortal is not banned, there is no official “China ban on Diablo Immortal.” Unofficially, however, such a thing could very well be in force.
The poster on reddit says: The marketing for Diablo Immortal has been completely halted. There are now rumors saying that Blizzard’s partner NetEase should be severely punished for the statement. It is said that they will not receive new licenses for 3 years. This also means: no WoW Dragonflight, no Diablo 4, no Overwatch 2 in China.
The seriousness of the situation is evident in the fact that NetEase has lost 10% in stock value due to the postponement.
The Twitch streamer Asmongold looks in shock at what is happening in China:
How much could this cost Blizzard? It was assumed that China would become the largest market for Diablo Immortal. In the long term, the loss of the “China” market for Diablo Immortal could cost Blizzard tens of millions of US dollars.
If WoW: Dragonflight, Overwatch 2, and Diablo 4 are really not allowed to be released in China anymore, there would be a loss of revenue worth several million US dollars.
More about Diablo Immortal:
What impact does the success of Diablo Immortal have on Diablo 4 and the future of Blizzard?
We addressed Diablo Immortal in a MeinMMO podcast:
Diablo Immortal will now always be associated with the post in China
Will Diablo Immortal still make it to China? An expert from Japan, Wu Yue Sanren, analyzes (via rfa): It is very unlikely that Diablo Immortal will still be released. Because if it were to be released now, it would always remind people of this particular incident.
It is said: There is a very pessimistic view on the release of Diablo Immortal in China. It has a “very small chance” of being listed again. But in itself, it seems doomed.
The Twitch streamer Asmongold looks in shock at what is happening in China:
How much could this cost Blizzard? It was assumed that China would become the largest market for Diablo Immortal. In the long term, the loss of the “China” market for Diablo Immortal could cost Blizzard tens of millions of US dollars.
If WoW: Dragonflight, Overwatch 2, and Diablo 4 are really not allowed to be released in China anymore, there would be a loss of revenue worth several million US dollars.
More about Diablo Immortal:
What impact does the success of Diablo Immortal have on Diablo 4 and the future of Blizzard?
