SearchBlizzard VS. Kespa, the Ultimate fight
Posted by Simon "Go0g3n" 2 years ago
As you know Starcraft, as a game, evolves. It happened over the course of the game's 11 year life. The evolution has taken a bit of an unexpected turn, as StarCraft battles evolved into the real world.Blizzard Entertainment, the creator of all this magnificence is currently in a wedge fight with Korean Kespa. Cause? You guessed it, Starcraft II and all the copyright to it, including possible leagues, broadcasts and even player unions. We present to you a recap of all what has been going so far.
As you know, Kespa is running all of the Korean e-sports, hence the name: Korean e-Sports Players Association. The word Players is no stranger here, as it basically controls the activities of Kespa licensed players on television Networks. Kespa is functioning within the two broadcasting networks: OGN and MBC. Both are represented within Kespa ruling body and are in fact a broadcasting platform for all the events. Since Blizzard lost all control over StarCraft, they are now trying to take control and collect royalties from every possible future application of StarCraft II, which includes promotion, players, tournaments, leagues and broadcasts.
The first stone was thrown by Blizzard, by denying the broadcast of their games on ESWC Cheonan, Kespa answered with e-Stars Seoul StarCraft II show-matches broadcast ban, then came China and basically swiped the game altogether, labeling it too violent.
In order to get things moving again, Blizzard is attempting to deal with MBC and OGN directly, avoiding Kespa; that is yet to resolute. Korean government's response on a copyright infringement claim in Blizzard vs. Kespa case was plain simple: as Kespa is the official Korean e-sports coordinator, a ruling body similar to European auto sport FIA, all the decisions must go through them, and just like that we are at a stalemate.
Now, before taking any side, you must know, that Kespa is the one who is responsible for the immense growth of e-sports in Korea in the past couple of years, not only within Blizzard games, but every single other one. Kespa is also taking part in creating similar organizations in Japan and United Kingdom. After all don't forget, both parties are fighting for money and for money only.
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| Enough of this crap, settle it in a bo3 melee match between blizzard and kespa :) |
| blizzard makes enough money of dumb wow kids now they trying to get it from real gamers aint gunu happen :D i support kespa |
| #52 you only support kespa because you dont know that kespa, in reality, hasnt done shit to make sc what it is, especially compared to blizzard. |
| gosu news, thx goog3n! |
| KeSPA should be able to keep up the great work! I think it's better for eSports not to lay all the Power in the hands of the Developing Companys..  |
| checks and balances through division of powers pls |
| To #50 (btw, thank you for using the pie) I think that you have to take under consideration the fact that organizing Esport is a completely different line of work than the production marketing and retailing of a video game. Blizzard did not want to get involved in this in the first place, i assume, because it was too different, uncertain and located in korea. Kespa has taken this opportunity to organize esport, develop it, and make the link between Broadcasting channels, Teams, Players and Spectators. They are responsible for the evolution of esport into a real sport, because it really only ever was a very artisanal entertainment before that. Now it can be watched regularly on TV without having to see players with cosmonaut suits on. Players usually play several televised games a week which is very different from what used to be. The map turnover is very fast paced which makes it even more interesting. It is obvious to me the main reason StarCraft is still popular today is because of that evolution and i believe the value added by Kespa to be real and unquestionable. Still... i'm not saying they did everything right and i admit i don't have a perfect grasp on the situation to say the least. I don't have a clue on the full extent of their work and maybe it wasn't that hard to do. But i think esport in korea is doing very well and i don't believe in luck or accident when it comes to it. Now to make it more interesting let's talk pies : Kespa has made a sweet pie that people like a lot, people might question some the ingridients of the pie but still they love it. Blizzard which is not in the buisness of pies wants to jump in and get into that line of work ... i question their ability to do it or even the need for it in korea. I don't even think they are very good at toppings, you see... So what i think would be fair as i said in my previous post is some cooperation between them with the prospect of expansion to the korean regular channels first and then the frightening foreign world. PS : I'd really like some people living in korea to give us their insight on this matter PPS : Let's make this Pie Olympic ! |
| Honestly, KeSPA are the douchebags who enforce stupid rulings and not essentially are trying to blackmail Blizz into givin them rights or they will hurt Blizz's sales with that +18 thing.. That's dishonourable and plain out stupid. PIE is a lie! |
| Don't blame the pie ! come on... The pie is beautiful and tasty, love the pie ! I don't know how much of the blackmail part is true but if it is, first i wouldn't be surpised because Kespa has indeed been known to make stupid decisions in the past. But i think that in the end it would be bad for everybody and since starcraft is so important in korea i doubt very much that they would go through with it. So basically if the whole story is true then i agree that they are really stupid to be acting like that but i also think that they have valid reasons to be pissed at ActivisionBlizzard / Vivendi |
| What most of you don't seem to understand is, that like all corporations, Blizzard and KeSPA need to flex their muscles now and then, I really don't think that this is anything more serious than a petty scwable with lawyers involved. Also, like it or not, Blizzard is holding all the chips. They are the ones with the copyright, and that means they have the final say in matter more or less. Everything comes down to Blizzards decision, the question is does KeSPA think it has enough power to change Blizzards mind. Their whole threat that they will lobby the Korean Gov. for an 18+ rating on the game won't change the fact that Blizzard will still release the game in Asia, albeit with lesser sales profit, and I think that would be one of the worst decisions that KeSPA could make. Blizzard though, I don't think has the right to all the royalties they are asking for, like the players for example, how would that work take a small percentage of their winnings?, that would be unreasonable and unfair to the gamers. But to say that they are not entitled to any royalties is also unfair, I think that Blizzard if they want to actively be a part of the SCII gaming scene are completely entitled to royalties. For example, someone said earlier that Blizzard hadn't kept up with SC, and that's true, they stopped making maps, stopped bug fixes, so on, but why?, because all those things take money, and Blizzard wasn't making any money of SC besides sales, which as the game's life progressed dramatically decreased because of the age of the game, pirated copies, etc., and it would be a seriously bad business plan to throw away manhours, resources, and talent at something you get no profit or even breaking even for. So if it is Blizzard intention this time around to take an active role in the E-Sports domain, such as keeping up map creation, constantly releasing update patches, routinely holding tournaments, maybe even content patches in the likeness of WoW, then they are entitled to royalties I believe, if this is not however their intentions then they do not without a doubt. It may seem that I am throwing praise at Blizzard, but I'm not I think that we haven't heard the full story, I'm neutral in this, it's just I do not know much about KeSPA's workings. KeSPA, I think they have the right to the control and privileges of everything they have worked for, the creation of tournaments, support of player, broadcasting rights, so on. However it would be wrong of them to refuse to let Blizzard want to take part in the "Pie" that is SCII, if Blizzard wants be a part KeSPA should let them in somewhat, basically both parties really need to compromise. TLDR : I still think it's a corporate pissing contest, I don't think we have the full story, and yeah it's probably all about the money. Both Blizzard and KeSPA need to shape up, or else SCII will probably be reverted to what SC was before KeSPA, until someone can man up and make an international e-sport organization. PS: The blackout on SCII exhibition games needs to come to and end, just so the fans can watch videos that aren't god awful youtube cams.  |
| FREAKIN ACTIVISION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! why did Blizzard have to go and merge itself with them... BTW, many korean gamers hate KeSPA too, because it's essentially owned by SKT |
| Since there's no LAN, soon blizzard will start to charge 24.99USD monthly for each account to play on Bnet 2.0 F you blizzard, you greedy bastard. Go Kespa, f the shit out of Blizzard. BTW, SC2 sucks, looks like WC3 to me, games for everyone, no competition, everyone more or less the same level after 3 months of practice. |
| ahzz, thanks. |
| #62 Is one of the lucky bastards who played the game already. And got owned apparently. On Topic, I support blizzard |
| Kespa is crap I hope they crash and burn. |
The Pie is a lie ..  |
| i love blizz but i really wish they'd think of the starcraft community as well... a community and not just another way to make millions... you'd think that they'd be content with WoW without having to over-exploit starcraft... its a shame but i guess if they didnt have this mind set they'd proabably have been bought out by another company years ago... A balance needs to be formed... the 18+ threat by KESPA is a nice twist but i hope they dont have to resort to it... |
| For all you nuthuggers @ kespa.....They are not benefitting american or the european community/esport... So if you like kespa that much, why not move to korea?. Blizzard OWNS SC which mean they can piss on kespas beds and just laugh about it, since they are in the whole right to do so. kespa isint really doing anything as #50 states, he has explained this very nicely, so every stfu and listen to him :) |
| #66 epic fail ... why ? ... cuz it should be "the cake is a lie" wow |
| Whatever you say, still between Kespa and Blizzard, 1 of these 2 companies totally depends on the other. Guess who ... |
| The Asians want it all! |
| #69 Omg of course he knows it, he just twisted it so it fitted in the context. U best be trollin'! I agree with the ones saying kespa is a fat kid who just gorges on the money other ppl have worked hard for. Would it be so bad if SC2 truly went to time without kespa? Other organisations, maybe more culturally refined and international ones (i hope) would take its place anyways sooner or later. Kespa has done at least as much damage as it has done good to esports as of late. I think Kespa is just trying to bully Blizzard as much as it dares, but wont actually do anything.. they know blizz would win anyways |
| Man if blizzard took over the job of Kespa it would be horrible i personally think Kespa did a good job making starcraft HUGE, hope blizzard backs off otherwise in the future no Koreans or chinese players :D (me <----------- Chinese born moved to the U.S.) |
| money money money. we have a Korean/US future market liquidity crisis on our hands. lets all run to our Govts for a Stimulus package for the poor to big to fail Blizzard & Kespa while we're at it. One big LOL for both parties, greed will kill e-Sports as we know it. |
| I love blizz, but im with Koreans on this one, its bad enaugh they removed Lan is the game, but now trying to score cash where cash is to low to be shared is just $#$#, go make another wow expo and you'll be fine |
| does 18+ really affect anything? just wondering, since in china, we are allowed to get games regardless of age rating ever since i was 10 D:, don't know about korea though. Oh also regarding blizzard's money greed, i prefer to have them charge us good money so that they can make a perfect game rather than making no money so they'll have an excuse to create a shitpiece of a game. SC2 production is entirely funded by the immense profit blizzard made from WoW(disregard whether is a good game or not), and i think it had a pretty big effect on how good SC2 turned out to be =) Edit: OH BTW>.< if you're wondering who's gonna win this "battle", you should take a look at their corporate size and capital authority between the two companies/organizations. Blizzard is more than goliath in this case while Kespa is not even up to the pinky toe of david in terms of international gaming credibility + money in their pocket. Google and many other internet surfing giant decided to "block off" all Korean e-sport sites as of late, most/all of the esport/kespa sites i try to access were either blocked off due to some unknown safety reason is it is warned for virus attacks, and i highly doubt that these sites are all that dangerous with virus and etc... maybe it has something to do with this little feud?? =P just contemplating, it could just be a coincidence, who knows lawl |
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