Blizzard Blocking Iranian WoW Players Due To US Sanctions

from the that-will-teach-them dept

Fri, Aug 31st 2012 5:31am — Timothy Geigner

A ways back I noted a rather nice story about Israeli and Iranian citizens using the internet and social media to reach out and express solidarity with one another, despite their governments' differences. I found it rather encouraging that political rhetoric from both sides could be dismissed in favor of a humanist approach, no matter the vulgar generalizations each side might hear about the other. If you weren't already aware, despite the rivalry of the two nations, United States citizens and Iranians have had ways to interact over the internet as well, such as through online gaming platforms like World Of Warcraft. That is, they were able to do so, until the US government made more noise recently about the sanctions in Iran and Blizzard finally blocked Iranian users.

"I want you!!! ...to enjoy the Mists of Pandaria Persian-free." CNN has the story of how, due to sanctions against Iran, Blizzard was forced to block gamers from Iran from playing WoW. Apparently the renewed pressure on trade with Iran resulted in this block.

Last week, a user claiming to be from Iran posted on an official World of Warcraft forum to report that the game was inaccessible. A Blizzard employee responded to the thread on Saturday, writing that "United States trade restrictions and economic sanction laws prohibit Blizzard from doing business with residents of certain nations, including Iran."

"This week, Blizzard tightened up its procedures to ensure compliance with these laws, and players connecting from the affected nations are restricted from access to Blizzard games and services," the employee said.

In a fun little addendum, the Blizzard employee also mentioned that the company is unable to refund subscriptions as well.

You can have your rials back when you pry them from our cold dead fingers...
Image source. CC BY 2.0 Now, perhaps it's just me, but color me confused as to how sanctions against Iran need to be broad enough that online gaming is caught in the mix. Perhaps more importantly, as both parties like to make a lot of noise about "internet freedom" and its application to broadening freedom and Democracy in nations that enjoy little of both, does this result from our sanctions jive with how our State Department seems to want to encourage governments around the world to allow open communication through the internet and social media? While I understand the occasional need to punish a bad government through trade sanctions, this particular result doesn't seem to do that at all. Instead, it only cuts Iranians off from those that could tell them how great freedom is.

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Filed Under: gaming, iran, sanctions, us, world of warcraft
Companies: blizzard

96 Comments

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Ninja (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 5:36am

Two moronic Governments fighting over idiocies while their people, who have nothing to do with their Federal Sized Egos, suffer the consequences. Classic.
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- Trails (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:45am
  
  Re:
  Two moronic Governments fighting over idiocies while prot specced pallies, who have nothing to do with their Federal Sized Egos, suffer the consequences. Classic.
  
  FTFY
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  - SujaOfJauhnral (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:09am
    
    Re: Re:
    rofl
    
    No, the real sufferers here are female Pandaren. They only have 1 face! No, really! You can change the markings on it but not the face. But Males Pandaren have options.
    
    I'm gonna say it was US & Iran's government's faults from now on though.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Ninja (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:27am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Tell me about that. I play with female characters and it's irritating how little attention they give them. At least the female pandas are chubby as they should be.
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  - Berenerd (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:31am
    
    Re: Re:
    *bubble-hearths*
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - SujaOfJauhnral (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:46am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Didn't they nerf bubble hearth ages ago?
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - JTP, 31 Aug 2012 @ 1:25pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        It's back as a minor glyph that cuts Hearthstone's cast time in half while the paladin is bubbled (sadly, the glyph is learned in the Pandaria tier of inscription, so no one can get it until the full expansion release).
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:09am
  
  Re:
  So true, but it applies to almost everything bilateral.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 5:40pm
  
  Re:
  How about properly targeted sanctions? Do the mad mullahs in Iran play WoW? No, they are focused on their religious doctrine. Target the actual bad guys. Leave the innocent bystanders alone. When is USA going to learn, hit your enemies, be nice to your friends. Doing it wrong gets you more enemies and less friends.
  
  This is yet another example of bureaucratic incompetence and intransigence. BTW, Blizzard refusing to refund players, whose money they have taken and who are now getting no service, is pathetic.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 5:49am

The problem here is WoW "requires" a monthly subscription. Cut the economics, you lose the game. WoW's free-to-play mode only goes up to level 20, which I understand to be not very far.

So, theoretically, the Starter Edition players should still be allowed to play. In practice, it's probably just easier to cave in to the US Government pressure and block them.

But hey, there are always plenty of other MMORPGs. Some of them are Korean, and thus not affected by US politics.
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- PaulT (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:04am
  
  Re:
  "So, theoretically, the Starter Edition players should still be allowed to play"
  
  Theoretically, but what would be in it for Blizzard? They'd eat the costs of running those free accounts with no chance of upselling them to paid accounts and potentially risk federal attacks for allowing Iranians access to American players.
  
  "But hey, there are always plenty of other MMORPGs."
  
  This is true. Just as Cuba has a roaring tourist industry despite Americans not being allowed there, so Iranians have other places to go.
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- David, 31 Aug 2012 @ 8:25am
  
  Re:
  Only small portions of economics were cut. They are detailed in the resolution. They have nothing to do with gaming.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Dark Helmet (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 8:29am
    
    Re: Re:
    I had thought the same thing, but that's actually not the case. There was an increase in sanctions in the 90's that blocked virtually all trade....
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
silverscarcat (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 5:51am

Land of the free, eh?
Such a shame.
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- SujaOfJauhnral (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 5:58am
  
  Re: Land of the free, eh?
  How long before people finally stop calling it that I wonder.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - MrWilson, 31 Aug 2012 @ 1:36pm
    
    Re: Re: Land of the free, eh?
    I propose, "Land of the Fee."
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:10pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Land of the free, eh?
      And "such a same"
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
SujaOfJauhnral (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 5:51am

In a fun little addendum, the Blizzard employee also mentioned that the company is unable to refund subscriptions as well.

I'm glad I'm "unable" to repay my subscription.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:00am

Well if you grind and level up to 98 then you run the risk of turning into a theocracy and run the danger of destroying democracy. Simple really.
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Mega1987 (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:07am

Man.... hypocrites.... The US government is becoming an hypocrites to what their constitution stands for in the first place...

they should be punished for the denial of human rights...

of course... those guys got the money and power to deny it... jeez...

leave those people, who's only means of connecting to their homeland is thru those social and gaming network alone...
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- Donnicton, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:41am
  
  Re:
  Becoming?
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- Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 9:41am
  
  Re:
  They can always go live in their homeland. If they call it their homeland then thats their home, instead of exploiting all the opportunities in America and then sending everything back "home"
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  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:49pm
    
    Re: Re:
    The comment is exclusionary and implicitly racist. Your home is where you live, no matter what your ethnicity.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Lucfer, 1 Apr 2013 @ 10:06am
  
  Re: moron
  u idiot dont even know diffrent betwin government and people and u dont even know diffrent betwin iranians and arabs those stupid arabs have mony and power if u dont know any thing about iran STOP TALKING ABOUT IRAN.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Lucfer, 1 Apr 2013 @ 10:13am
  
  Re: moron
  u idiot dont even know diffrent betwin government and people and u dont even know diffrent betwin iranians and arabs those stupid arabs have mony and power if u dont know any thing about iran STOP TALKING ABOUT IRAN.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:08am

Instead, it only cuts Iranians off from those that could tell them how great freedom is.

Or it pisses off the masses even further and creates a WoW revolution that topples a dictator.
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- Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:58am
  
  Re:
  In Libya, Egypt, and other Arab Spring countries, cutting off internet access further enraged the discontent populations against the dictator. But it was the dictator who was ordering the cut-off.
  
  Guess who pulled the plug this time? The US, as a result of trade sanctions (which rarely work and usually punish the people we claim to be helping, having little effect on the repressive governemnts they are aimed at). Add to that the American company who is not issuing refunds. Who are they going to be pissed off at?
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  - Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:59am
    
    Re: Re:
    Argh, got signed out. ^ That was me.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Ezekial Smucker, 31 Aug 2012 @ 9:43am
    
    Re: Re:
    They SHOULD be pissed at their own government for enacting policies that basically flip the bird at the rest of the world and the UN which caused the sanctions in the first place
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Berenerd (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:46am
  
  Re:
  Have you ever seen Nerd Rage?
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNOnepGHvj0
  
  That crap can be dangerous...
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:11am

Blizzard should have challenged this in court and gotten an exception to the trade rules. You are not helping Iran's government get guns, materials for weapons/computers illegally, etc.

You are just allowing people to play a game, which has no negative effect on the United States and might have some positive effects in Iran for the United States.
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- David, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:43pm
  
  Re:
  Blizzard should have challenged this in court and gotten an exception to the trade rules.
  
  Depending on what Blizzard considers probably more important for themselves in spite of what others think, spending for legal action without surefire guarantees of recouping their expenses isn't likely at the top of their list.
  
  Personally, I find it shameful that Blizzard won't reimburse those Iran-based users who paid rather than hide behind legalities and what-not.
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That One Guy (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:12am

Ummm...
So they not only block them from playing probably their biggest, most popular game, they then tell the people that can no longer play that they aren't getting a refund on their subscriptions...

Either they are of the opinion that the people that just got royally hosed are so crazy for their products that they'll continue to buy future products from them, despite the backhanded move they were just handed, or blizzard really does not care for repeat customers from that country.
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- SujaOfJauhnral (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:17am
  
  Re: Ummm...
  I don't think Blizzard cares for ANY customers now a days, Diablo 3 and Battle Net 2.0 being the atrocious messes they are despite months of complaints and feedback. Don't forget the derpchihuhua that is female Worgen and now female Pandas with their ONE. FACE. Despite two entire betas worth of people begging for options. They really don't give a fuck.
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  - Ninja (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:36am
    
    Re: Re: Ummm...
    Sad truth.
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- Ryjhan, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:18am
  
  Re: Ummm...
  except that since they aren't allowed to do business with iran, worrying about repeat business from there is a little pointless.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:22am
    
    Re: Re: Ummm...
    Doesn't that assume economic sanctions will never work, to assume they'll always exist?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - H Klang (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:43pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Ummm...
      Well put.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 10:37am
  
  Re: Ummm...
  Blizzard has ZERO to do with it. They were ordered by the US gov't to stop trade with the citizens of that country.
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  - Dark Helmet (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 12:05pm
    
    Re: Re: Ummm...
    Based on the sanction timelines, Blizzard would have been required to do this somewhere around 1997, so the timing makes one wonder....
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  - Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:31pm
    
    Re: Re: Ummm...
    So they're "just following orders". Seems I've heard that somewhere before.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:12am

Cuba?
Is this any different to the US treatment of Cuba? And we know how effective that was.
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- Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:40am
  
  Re: Cuba?
  Is Cuba enriching uranium capable of being used in nuclear weapons?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:23am
    
    Re: Re: Cuba?
    You're suggesting that without the US treating Cuba that way they would be?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - art guerrilla (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:34am
    
    Re: Re: Cuba?
    why not?
    are only corrupt superpowers 'allowed' to enrich uranium and/or make atomic weapons ?
    the question *SHOULD* be (in a sane world... i know, i know):
    why is the only country who has (unnecessarily) used nukes to murder hundreds of thousands of human beans allowed to keep said weapons ? ? ?
    (the answer: *because* we are the only country to murder hundreds of thousands with nukes...)
    that's some catch, that catch-22...
    art guerrilla
    aka ann archy
    eof
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  - Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 8:03am
    
    Re: Re: Cuba?
    Well the US is...and we are the only ones "bold" enough to drop 'em on people. So who is the real problem?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 10:45am
    
    Re: Re: Cuba?
    "Is Cuba enriching uranium capable of being used in nuclear weapons?"
    
    You miss the point. Cutting off all connections with the "people" simply alienates them and encourages them to support their government. I knew many young Iranians/Persians when I lived in London in the seventies - they're really no different from you or me... well maybe more open-minded and worldly than you.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 4:58pm
    
    Re: Re: Cuba?
    That will probably be the next thing the government will try to convince us of. Hey, here's an idea: perhaps the U.S. should try to invade Cuba. What could possibly go wrong?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
That Anonymous Coward (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:16am

This surprises people why?
From the Government that wanted to track online players to make sure they weren't recruited by Jihadists in online games, this makes total sense.
They might discover magic and portals, they could use those to launch raids into our DC instance and bring the pain against the evil Congressbeast.
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Someguy, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:17am

What is the purpose of a company
Blizzard has missed a brilliant public relations opportunity with this. Why not make the accounts free of charge for the duration of the sanctions and, if players agree to play free of charge, their character would be some how marked to show that they are under sanctions of some sort. This would encourage discussions with other characters and hopefully fulfil a greater social agenda. I have never played the game, so I may appear naive here - if it is feared that these free accounts would be too great a burdon on the servers, then place a daily/weekly/monthly restriction on the number of hours that characters can be out fighting or on campaigns. Running around in the common "safe" areas would not be limited as that is where players can chat without being interrupted.
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- Ninja (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:40am
  
  Re: What is the purpose of a company
  That's simply brilliant. One more reason why the PR department missed it.
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- Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 10:40am
  
  Re: What is the purpose of a company
  Because internet access to Blizzard has been blocked. Thay can't play, they can't pay & they can't receive refunds per the US gov't.
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Dreddsnik, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:27am

" This would encourage discussions with other characters and hopefully fulfil a greater social agenda. "

And there it is. The REAL reason behind this. Understanding and communication ends profitable 'conflicts' The last thing anyone wants is to humanize an enemy. Any one that profits from conflict , that is.
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- Ninja (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:40am
  
  Re:
  As I said, it's a fight of egos (financial or not) where the loser is always the people.
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  - SujaOfJauhnral (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:51am
    
    Re: Re:
    Sounds like the piracy-wars.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Ninja (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:56am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      +insightful for you, ma'am.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Josef Anvil (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:43am

Huh???
Maybe I'm unclear on how sanctions actually work. I thought that sanctions were supposed to be punitive in nature to the nation they are imposed upon.

How is cutting off a source of revenue to the US, punishing Iran?

I'm trying to see the downside for Iran in this. More money that isn't going into a down US economy?
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- Dark Helmet (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:55am
  
  Re: Huh???
  The idea is that trade is abolished entirely. I believe this was originally done under Clinton (as in, abolishing all trade), but it has been renewed and ramped up by every administration since...because apparently they think progress is being made...
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Ninja (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:00am
    
    Re: Re: Huh???
    Apparently, progress has a different meaning in their dictionary then..
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 4 Sep 2012 @ 5:54am
    
    Re: Re: Huh???
    Given the near success of the Green Revolution a few years back, I'd say upping the sanctions is working.
    
    A few more years and the good people of Iran will throw their overlords out.
    
    Perhaps the WoW cutoff will be the final straw.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:53am

Its because there is no security...
Not to worry though, once the TSA gets Blizzard to implement the molestation emote and setup random checkpoints throughout the world, those affect will be let back in. Until just keep paying Blizzard your month fee and everything should be alright, for Blizzard at least.
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- Ninja (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:04am
  
  Re: Its because there is no security...
  Stormwind guard: Miss, could you please step down from your dragon?
  Hot draenei shaman: Why is that, dear sir?
  Stormwind guard: I need to.. uh.. do a through body search on you for stolen intellectual property.
  Hot draenei shaman: If you do that I'll have to introduce you to a fiery death.
  Stormwind guard: Ah, ok, you may pass then.
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  - SujaOfJauhnral (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:28am
    
    Re: Re: Its because there is no security...
    You had me at "body search for stolen intellectual property"
    
    I wouldn't be surprised to see it happening for real.
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  - nospacesorspecialcharacters (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 8:42am
    
    Re: Re: Its because there is no security...
    Hot draenei shaman: Am I being detained?
    Stormwind guard: No...
    Hot draenei shaman: Then am I free to go on a raid?
    Stormwind guard: Umm...
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:57am

and as stated, please note that Blizzard waited until Iranians had paid to be able to play the game before implementing the restrictions. sounds to me like the good old entertainment industries are still gonna keep going down the road of taking money without giving the service paid for. i wonder how long the people, anywhere, can carry on being screwed like this before kicking back?
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anon, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:57am

Really America
I don't know how they think attacking the citizens directly is going to affect politics, maybe the whole world should start boycotting America, refuse to ship anything to them refuse to buy anything from them and refuse to do any business with them, I mean there market has dropped significantly over the past few years, they are trying to impose their laws and even laws that are not allowed in there country on others. I say just cut them out until they can play fair, as for this guy, very simple, pirate as many games as you want, if they want to take your money and not supply what you have paid for , whatever the reason, just play for free, i am sure that there will be more people working on hacking there servers for free play on torrented games and i would not be surprised if it is working really soon. Sanctions are crazy in my opinion. i remember living in South Africa under sanctions, more tech was developed in S.A than there ever would have been without sanctions, they developed and marketed some very advanced weapons and the unemployment level was very very low, the country was it's most prosperous during the sanctions, now if only they could have removed the crap laws that caused sanctions but kept the sanctions in place i suspect S.A would be growing very very fast and be in the top 10 world powers rather than falling back into third world territory.
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- Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:22am
  
  Re: Really America
  I would agree with you (and I am a US citizen) but the problem is that those responsible for these tactics would just pick up and move to another country. With the result being the same as what the US is doing; screw the typical citizen, do nothing the real culprits.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Ezekial Smucker, 31 Aug 2012 @ 9:50am
  
  Re: Really America
  I wish the whole world WOULD stop trading with us, then maybe all the jobs would come back home and we wouldnt have so many unemployed people plus we wouldnt be enriching the pockets of countries in what I like to call the Matrix of Evil (Iran, China, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Congo, and Damascus)
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - iambinarymind (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 9:57am
    
    Re: Re: Really America
    Global trade creates jobs & wealth. It's government "regulations/intervention" (force) that hampers economic prosperity.
    
    For a further understanding of this I highly recommend you look into the economic idea of "comparitive advantage". Here are a couple of short videos explaining the truth of the matter:
    
    "Trade Is Made of Win," Part 1: Wealth Creation
    http://youtu.be/y0gGyeA-8C4
    
    "Trade Is Made of Win," Part 2: Cooperation
    http://youtu.be/7yOHjRThM_o
    
    "Trade Is Made of Win," Part 3: Conservation
    http://youtu.be/qdcQLWGaJoM
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Syria guy, 21 Aug 2014 @ 4:09am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Really America
      God you're a fcking retard @really america. Syria and damascus! Matrix of evil! what a racist bitch you are. and FYI, people there are much more educated and civilized than dumb fucks such are yourself.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 6:40pm
    
    Re: Re: Really America
    "Syria...and Damascus". Isn't Damascus IN Syria?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 11:17pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Really America
      "Syria...and Damascus". Isn't Damascus IN Syria?"
      
      Yes... they're both part of the "Matrix of Ignorance"!
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Syrian guy, 21 Aug 2014 @ 4:19am
    
    Re: Re: Really America
    my previous comment is directed at Ezekial smucker, and I'd like to add that you such and incredibly naive idiot Ezekial. Fuck you.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:00am

Always more to the story
It really does seem like a dick move on Blizzards part, but I don't think tightening of the embargo really had much to do with it.

Read this on Ars, http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/08/no-refunds-for-iranian-world-of-warcraft-users-blocked-by-us-e mbargo/

But I'd like to point out this other bit of information.

On August 14, a week or so before gamers began experiencing difficulties logging on, a conference was held in Iran for the launch of the Islamic Revolution Game Designers Community. At the event, a brochure from the Iranian government's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance cited World of Warcraft as an "example of the means [by] which western propaganda is used to poison the mind of [the] youth population in Iran." Alongside an image of the game was a list of reasons, translated by a Tehran journalist for The Verge, including, "promotion of superstition and mythology," "promotion of violence due to too much violence," and "demonstration of inappropriate clothing and slutty outfits for female avatars."

So while there definitely is some issues that are strange, and probably undemocratic, at the same time it seems like Blizzard got the first move in, so to speak, and "remembered" about the embargo to avoid the situation with this other group.
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- Beta (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:37am
  
  Re: Always more to the story
  '...the Iranian government's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance cited World of Warcraft... [for e.g.] "promotion of superstition and mythology,"...'
  
  Christopher Hitchens would have laughed himself sick at that one.
  
  '..."promotion of violence due to too much violence,"...'
  
  Just try a Google search for "Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance stoning". Go ahead, try it.
  
  '...and "demonstration of inappropriate clothing and slutty outfits for female avatars."'
  
  Well, yeah, okay.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 8:00am
    
    Re: Re: Always more to the story
    I am not excusing their actions, and I agree with you.
    
    I am however pointing out that it was a convenient excuse to pull down the gates and get out of dodge while the getting seemed to be good. Hence why they accepted new accounts even though they knew they were going to be terminating them.
    
    Hence why they allowed pre-orders with no refund policies to continue but with the promise 'once the government lifts the ban, you'll get your accounts back' - IE don't blame them, they are just as much the victim as you all are! Just wait patiently for a policy that has been around for nearly, oh between 10 and 60 years to be cleared up and go away, then come play with us again. Check back in another decade.
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- Ninja (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 8:04am
  
  Re: Always more to the story
  Good thing they can separate laws from religious morals.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 8:42am
    
    Re: Re: Always more to the story
    Yes but are they legitimately separating them?
    
    /Todd Akin
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    - nospacesorspecialcharacters (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 8:59am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Always more to the story
      Please... they were distributing a flyer!
      
      "At the event, a brochure from the Iranian government's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance cited World of Warcraft as..."
      
      I can't think of a straight US example but it's like the Department for Culture Media and Sport in the UK denouncing the GTA series as encouraging car theft. It means they disapprove of it but if the government was going to ban access, they wouldn't have gone to a game conference to hand out flyers.
      
      There's only one theocracy in this specific case abusing their power and waving the ban hammer and for once it's not Iran.
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      - Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 9:09am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Always more to the story
        I agree with you on this.
        
        And I feel it was a misdirect. But to clarify my own post, I should have included a portion of the quoted text that appeared immediately prior to the previous block quote above.
        
        Tellingly, the post also made mention of suspicions that Iran was planning on blocking access to the Battle.net games portal anyway, saying, "Blizzard Entertainment cannot speak to any reports surrounding the Iranian government restricting games from its citizens."
        
        Sorry to have erred and not place it there to begin with.
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Aaron Williamson (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:08am

Relationship to State Department policies
[D]oes this result from our sanctions jive with how our State Department seems to want to encourage governments around the world to allow open communication through the internet and social media?

No, not really, but that's mostly because the Iran (and Cuba, etc.) sanctions are imposed not by the State Department, but by the Treasury Department, through the Office of Foreign Asset Controls. Both are executive agencies and at least nominally report to the president, but the policy priorities of executive agencies do not always align or make sense as a whole.
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Old Fool (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:18am

Problem solved
Well, that should bring the government to their knees.

As we can now expect unconditional surrender to the Americans, we can welcome back our Iranian players - well, horde players anyhoo :p
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nospacesorspecialcharacters (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:39am

They hate our freedoms, our Western lifestyles, our culture, our media; so let's punish them by economic sanctions.

Take away the very things they love -- namely our freedoms, our Western lifestyles, our culture and our media.
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Lance (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:47am

The problem
Perhaps more importantly, as both parties like to make a lot of noise about "internet freedom" and its application to broadening freedom and Democracy in nations that enjoy little of both, does this result from our sanctions jive with how our State Department seems to want to encourage governments around the world to allow open communication through the internet and social media?

Are you saying that the killing of stinking orcs is a social media experience?
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- H Klang (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:51pm
  
  Re: The problem
  Of course.
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Wally (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 7:58am

So let me get this straight....this only applies to Blizzard Entertainment's World Of Warcraft? Not Starcraft, Diablo 2 or 3, nor Starcraft II...just the one thing that pours money into their pockets due to paid subscription...lovely...
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- Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 8:02am
  
  Re:
  According to the Ars/Wired report, it applies to all battle.net accounts. So Diablo 3, Starcraft, and the new games that people already put pre-orders down for.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 8:44am

Maybe the US Government doesn't want them to know how great freedom is?!
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quawonk, 31 Aug 2012 @ 9:13am

And with this move, rates of male virginity in Iran have plummeted.
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iambinarymind (profile), 31 Aug 2012 @ 9:49am

Disturbing Statement...
"While I understand the occasional need to punish a bad government through trade sanctions..."

Please elaborate on how you "understand the occasional need" for the people calling themselves the U.S. government "to punish [initiate force] a bad government through trade sanctions [an act of war]".

Your statement is quite disturbing and I can only hope you may at some point understand that the initiation of force is immoral, no matter what label is placed on the individual initiating said force.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 10:25am

Dey took my WoW jerb!
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Aug 2012 @ 2:15pm

Ridiculous.
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Name1 Family1, 31 Aug 2012 @ 11:15pm

Now people of iran get block cuz of the government policy ?! And usa says. We have no prob with people in iran ?! Its another great policy of USA to fuk Iranian gamers and to be honest, Iran government dont give a fuk about this so whats the fukin point of this block ?!
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Sep 2012 @ 1:03pm

Oh sanctions on online gaming are older than this. The UK has had one on Lebanon for years, but I'm not quite sure what they're trying to achieve here. Maybe being constantly called a noob drives Lebanese people to terrorism I don't know.

Maybe they are keeping these sanctions and removing them because Iranian scientists will be discouraged from their bomb building endeavors by their comparative noobishness to their WOW friends, because you know, f**k logic.
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hamid, 10 Sep 2012 @ 5:45am

Hello
Hello Guys im civil Engineer and com from iran.
you must know all Nuclear Activity from iran is according with nuclear organization and under thire supervidion. Iran is big and active memeber from non proliferation treaty grp but israel is not. all iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated. why ? because your mind just follow us. and israel i think you cann= remmber 1945 us use bomb in japen !?
why israel is not NPT memer ?
LOL TAKE IT EASY.
GUYS YOUR MINCONTROLL
remmber iraq war ?! this was for nothing. where is j w bush and beler
lol
cya around gj blizz
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hamid (profile), 10 Sep 2012 @ 6:01am

alarm
Hello guys im ppl from iran.
you must all know nuclear activity from iran is according with nuclear organization and under thire supervidion. iran is active member from non porliferation treaty grp but isreal with 18.000 nuclear bomb is not why ?! almost all iranian nuclear scintists were assissinated. why ?! because isreal dont want. im sure you guys can remmber 1945 usa use nuclear bomb aginst japen why !?
human right is staff for wast to use power against developing country.
dont listen to usa news ! just open your mind.
i have shave to say you guys is mindcontroll from your goverment.
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