Blizzard has now commented on the sexist rules at a Hearthstone tournament and made it clear: “Not with us.”
In a statement to Polygon, Blizzard made it clear that one of their goals in esports is to create a vibrant and inclusive community around the games. Organizers of events that do not support this cannot use Blizzard’s games. They are working with partners to achieve these goals.
Apparently, this announcement immediately resonated and the organizations in question have strayed from their position that there must be a clear separation between men and women if they want to be recognized as a legitimate sport. The tournaments that were intended solely for men are now open to everyone – this applies not only to Hearthstone, but also to Starcraft and other games. Parallel to the main event, which anyone can participate in, there are still games in Starcraft 2 and Tekken Tag Tournament exclusively for female participants.
As highlighted in the article by Polygon that accompanies Blizzard’s statement, the tournament organizers are indeed sensitive to the issue. While half of the players worldwide are female, women make up only a negligible percentage of esports athletes. The IeSF (the corresponding committee) will strive in the future to provide women with more opportunities to participate in esports, in order to promote gender equality.
