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Blizzards Policy on Sexual Orientation - The Final Say
sleepyguyftl
Member Posts: 648
"Thank you for your letter dated February 6, 2006 concerning Sara Andrews and World of Warcraft (WoW). This letter is intended to clarify Blizzards anti-harassment and guild recruitment policies, and to address the specific issues you raised in your letter.
Blizzard strives for a game environment in which everyone can feel welcome. With that goal in mind, Blizzards in-game policies prohibit harassment of other players in general, and specifically prohibit harassment of other players based on their sexual orientation.
As a massively multiplayer online game, WoW provides a social environment for players to interact with each other. It is expected and accepted that players will discuss a wide variety of topics, based on both the game world and the real world. Players are free to discuss personal characteristics if they wish, to include their sexual orientations and gender identities.
The initial reaction to Ms. Andrews in-game announcement of a LGBT-friendly guild was, quite frankly, an unfortunate mistake. The game master received a report that Ms. Andrews had posted disruptive comments, and failed to properly analyze her message before issuing a warning. As you rightly pointed out in your letter, Ms. Andrewss announcement was not disruptive, and the warning should not have been issued. When Blizzards heard of service became aware of the issue, he contacted Ms. Andrews, acknowledged the mistake, and expunged the warning from her account.
Blizzard has provided additional training to its game masters in order to give them a greater level of sensitivity when responding to similar situations in the future. Blizzard has specifically instructed its game masters that mentioning or discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in a non-insulting fashion is not a violation of the anti-harassment policy and does not constitute grounds for a warning or any other disciplinary action.
On the general topic of guild recruitment, Blizzard has added a guild-recruitment chat channel. While many players have an interest in guilds, many others do not, and are annoyed by the number of guild advertisements. The new guild recruitment channel will allow all guilds to recruit members with similar interests in-game with advertisements that include attributes of particular guilds. It has always been, and will remain Blizzards policy that LGBT-friendly guilds are allowed to announce their existence, and to recruit members in the same manner as any other guilds.
I hope I have addressed your concerns regarding Blizzards policies and practices. Should you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Very truly yours,
Paul Sams
Chief Operating Officer
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
"
Comments
yeah I dont care either
yeh logic 12 year olds dont care.
But good to hear about this:)
Hope to build full AMD system RYZEN/VEGA/AM4!!!
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CPU:Intell Icore7 3770k
GPU: AMD Fury X(waiting for BIG VEGA 10 or 11 HBM2?(bit unclear now))
MEMORY:Corsair PLAT.DDR3 1866MHZ 16GB
PSU:Corsair AX1200i
OS:Windows 10 64bit
It's good to hear Blizzard owned up to their mistake.
When people will pay others to play a game for them it might be a sign the game isn't all that fun.
I play games to excape RL for a few hours, I don't want to know if you're gay when I'm doing quests with you. Some (not all I'm sure) gays like to flaunt their sexuality while playing MMO's and I for one am sick of it. Who F*cking cares what you and your gay friends do in RL, I don't want to hear about it while I'm playing a game.
The best thing and the worst thing about playing MMOs is the other people.
Flame away, it's not going to change my opionion one bit.
I care. This is awesome that Blizzard is owning up to the mistake of a few that made them as a whole look awful. I'm not gay but I think GLBT-friendly guilds have the right to exist.
V
Since you ended that with a ?, I can answer that yes some people do care. And it's those people that I posted this for. Besides if you don't care why bother replying, why not just ignore the post?
People generally like to hang out with people that believe similar things that they do, or think certain things that they do. And gay people of course would want to hang out, play and talk with people that did not have a serious problem with their sexual orientation. And if you don't want to hear, don't listen! I mean what do you do when people start talking about the latest movie that you don't care about? Do you whine incessantly about who cares about the movie, and that what happens in the movie doesn't matter to what happens in the game?
Do you show up to work and JUST talk about work? Or when working alongside a co-worker do you sometimes talk about YOUR life, and what YOU do. Imagine how those people feel when they have to listen to YOUR boring life, and YOUR boring stories while they work.
I agree. Only that I don't like the idea of real world politics being mixed with pretend fantasy games. I could care less of your sexual orientation. Maybe you also like to group with people who collect spores moulds and fungus in real but what point does it serve to announce it?
Some issues shouldn't be brought to a video game world, and this is definatley one of them.
If this is the type of BS ppl have to deal with when games go "main stream" then keep me out of main stream games.
Happy WoW'ing. /sigh.
People generally like to hang out with people that believe similar things that they do, or think certain things that they do. And gay people of course would want to hang out, play and talk with people that did not have a serious problem with their sexual orientation. And if you don't want to hear, don't listen! I mean what do you do when people start talking about the latest movie that you don't care about? Do you whine incessantly about who cares about the movie, and that what happens in the movie doesn't matter to what happens in the game?
Do you show up to work and JUST talk about work? Or when working alongside a co-worker do you sometimes talk about YOUR life, and what YOU do. Imagine how those people feel when they have to listen to YOUR boring life, and YOUR boring stories while they work.
Ok let me think about it again............................................
nope, I still don't want to know if you're a homo or not.
While I really don't give a rat's ass about the sexual orientation of the people I'm playing with I do think Blizzard screwed up by dsciplining the people of this giuld recruitment fiasco.
I'm guessing the people starting this guild only wanted a safe haven from all the people who call their enemies fags at every opportunity. They are rather common in WoW.
When people will pay others to play a game for them it might be a sign the game isn't all that fun.
They were probably just trying to keep the issue out of their game period. If i owned one I'd want to do the same thing. Video games shouldn't be some social reflection of the real world in which they are hosted. They should focus on being a melting pot where the focus is on the ingame world. To do otherwise treads on issues, and moral ground that has no place in a @#$#@$ video game.
People who want to debate the merits of sexuality, the war in Iraq, and whether or not George Bush is an alien have all kinds of places to do this. People who play video games should be concerned with getting item X or quest Y done.
having said that I totally see the point, I just dont care. What I do care about is the risk of video games becoming some banner waving, protest chanting arena of free speech instead of a place to chill and pk some noobs.
So, with this logic I should be able to make all the gay jokes I want. And if anyone complains, I will just tell them that no one is forcing them to listen.
I think this about sums everything up.I don't want to hear that your mother is yelling at you. Or that you have a sister. Or that you're even a human being. In fact, it's better that you don't talk at all.
If you say you don't care about a certain detail, it's just silly. GBLT guilds have just as much right to exist as any other type of focused guild.
36 year old don't care either.
I could care less about that and race, culture or religion.
http://www.greycouncil.org/
Amazing! Nobody cares. In fact, they care so little that they become pissy if you bring it up. So deep is the public apathy, that if you mention race, religion, or sexuality, you'll get flamed to "shut the fuck up" because no one cares.
Hmmmm..... People don't usually avoid things that they don't care about.
Excuse me? I'm actually an adult. I just don't care about some useless attempt to draw attention to oneselves for solving a pathetic mystery about what a GM perferes on sexual orientation. Neither should you for that matter.
So does saying I don't care about what goes on inside of World of Warcraft about a guild tag, message, that involved sexual orientation make me a 12 year old child? If so, then I expect you to be in your mothers womb, and not to come out for another 7 months since your fetus has just barely hatched from the mentally challenged sperm whence you were created.
Thanks.
My thoughts exactly. I know if I don't care about a topic, I don't bother even reading it. Let along take the time to post that I don't care.
"I don't want to hear about your sexuality in game... but I don't care if Blizzard changed it's rules to say you are allowed to talk about your sexuality in game."
Great logic.
People generally like to hang out with people that believe similar things that they do, or think certain things that they do. And gay people of course would want to hang out, play and talk with people that did not have a serious problem with their sexual orientation. And if you don't want to hear, don't listen! I mean what do you do when people start talking about the latest movie that you don't care about? Do you whine incessantly about who cares about the movie, and that what happens in the movie doesn't matter to what happens in the game?
Do you show up to work and JUST talk about work? Or when working alongside a co-worker do you sometimes talk about YOUR life, and what YOU do. Imagine how those people feel when they have to listen to YOUR boring life, and YOUR boring stories while they work.
Ok let me think about it again............................................
nope, I still don't want to know if you're a homo or not.
Sheesh , your such a frickin bigot and you probably dont even know it.
Let me ask you, would it upset you if someone mentioned they were married in game? If someone in your group said 1 sec my wife just got home... would you throw a hissy fit cause you found out he's straight? If not why are you so bothered if someone mentions they are gay?
By the way you do know that people who feel bothered by homosexuals are usually a bit confused about their own sexuality themselves deep down. People secure in their sexuality usually dont get bothered at all. Something for you to think about...
If people are being vulgar and explicit about sexual practices...whether they are straigth or gay is one thing , but why it bothers you that someone mentions they are gay is beyond me. But they shouldnt have to hide just because it bothers you, your the one with the problem. Maybe your just not mature or emotionally strong enough to play online games...
So, with this logic I should be able to make all the gay jokes I want. And if anyone complains, I will just tell them that no one is forcing them to listen.
I think this about sums everything up.Why does it bother you so much? Do I also have to hide the fact I'm engaged. Do others have to hide because it bothers you.
What Century are you guys from .
Being bothered and not caring are two different things. If I play an MMORPG then I want to interact with the character and not the player. Since I am an RP "fan" I want to talk where the character comes from what he lived through and not the player's story. If I play long enough with somebody then I will communicate with him ooc or by other means than in-game. And then I couldn't care less what sexual orientation, gender, age, race or whatever else we deem as "important" the player is, as long as I have fun playing with him/her. I have no problem talking about private RL problems/matters/attitudes, au contraire, I'm glad if I can help somebody, but even with all the social interaction happening in an MMORPG it is very important to "probe" beforehand how much the other want's to talk about RL. And running around in a town and advertising the "women players only", "Nudist players only", Gay players only", "<insert country/race> players only" Guild is not something that enhances my personal game experience - I would say it even disturbs it significantly. Not, because I am an intolerant person, but because it does not belong there (in-game, open channel). Those people talking about such matters in an open chatchannel are the ones that would need a lesson, a lesson in considerateness.
@ topic: It's very rare to see a large company make a public apology. This is close to a historic moment. As much as I don't like Blizzard, I am pleased to see that such things are possible. Cudos for that.
------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Mandolin
Designers need to move away from the old D&D level-based model which was never designed for player vs player combat in the first place.
As an individual, I'd link to think separating oneself into groups based on race, nationality or sexual orientation wasn't necessary. We can all get along and play the game. Sadly, this isn't the case.
The people saying they don't want to see people shouting about their sexual orientation in game have it sort of the wrong way around. The issue in question wasn't a guild being gay/bi friendly, or whatever, because they wanted to shout it from the hills, but because they were sick of experiencing what they thought was casual abuse: the most common one being the constant use of the word gay as an insult.
Now, you could say, why announce your guild as gay/bi friendly (or whatver) to avoid that, just have it as a rule it's not allowed? You could do that, it's what our guild does, but the issue then is plenty of guilds exist that are spanish guilds, or norwegian guilds, so you can't really say you can't have a gay/bi guild friendly guild as long as that guild isn't exlusionary (which is more than can be said for the national guilds as they speak their own tongue in guild chat probably).
So, in an ideal world it wouldn't ne needed, but it seems that it is. Sadly.
This is another reason why I think WoW will do more harm then good to the gaming community. Don't get me wrong, if it wasn't WoW it would be another game. I am not homophobic I really don't care (which is my main point).
But before MMORPG games went vastly mainstream I bet you there tons of players who were gay. Hell, its probable I even had some friends in game that were gay. I probably had some friends who liked to eat french fries on Saturday afternoon in their underwear too. But, it wasn't until a game went mainstream that anyone decided it was necessary to start drawing on those 'external' social lines.
It equates to trolling and its just asking for attention. There's places to stand up and parade around that you're gay and get a reaction/defend your rights (which I applaud) However, making a video game a place where you make policical statments or choose social bonds based on such profound external elements.....this shows me that "you" and "I" truly are not in agreement on what a video game world is suposed to be.
Being bothered and not caring are two different things. If I play an MMORPG then I want to interact with the character and not the player. Since I am an RP "fan" I want to talk where the character comes from what he lived through and not the player's story. If I play long enough with somebody then I will communicate with him ooc or by other means than in-game. And then I couldn't care less what sexual orientation, gender, age, race or whatever else we deem as "important" the player is, as long as I have fun playing with him/her. I have no problem talking about private RL problems/matters/attitudes, au contraire, I'm glad if I can help somebody, but even with all the social interaction happening in an MMORPG it is very important to "probe" beforehand how much the other want's to talk about RL. And running around in a town and advertising the "women players only", "Nudist players only", Gay players only", "<insert country/race> players only" Guild is not something that enhances my personal game experience - I would say it even disturbs it significantly. Not, because I am an intolerant person, but because it does not belong there (in-game, open channel). Those people talking about such matters in an open chatchannel are the ones that would need a lesson, a lesson in considerateness.
@ topic: It's very rare to see a large company make a public apology. This is close to a historic moment. As much as I don't like Blizzard, I am pleased to see that such things are possible. Cudos for that.
Sadly you do care and you are bothered by it ...and you just dont know it
If its occ talk that bothers you, then you are in the wrong thread. This incident didnt happen in a rp server.
its a weak excuse anyway, in RP servers there is 100 to 1 more occ talk about wives/girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/work/school/weather etc etc then homosexual talk ...yet you single out that out as what is ruining your RP experience.
Stupid time machine... I set you for 2050, not 1950... wait a moment, they didn't HAVE the internet in the 1950s! What's going on?
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