Blizzard Suspends Grandmaster for Domestic Abuse Charges

Blizzard is back to banning Hearthstone Grandmasters, but at least in the case of Paul “Zalae” Nemeth, it appears justified. Rather than getting a year-long ban for speaking unfavorably of Blizzard’s favorite authoritarian regime, Paul is getting his for… systemic domestic abuse of his former partner! How fun that those two are considered equally bad by the folks at Blizzard.

...and in case you were wondering, yes, I will let the Blitzchung thing go, the moment Blizzard actually apologizes for it.

Anyway, back to the case at hand, back in January, Paul “Zalae” Nemeth’s former partner posted a Twitlonger which detailed a history of physical and mental abuse they experienced with Paul. These allegations were denied, but Blizzard committed to investigating these claims, and it seems that the result of that investigation shows there’s at least some credibility to them. Thus, the year-long ban.

Blizzard didn’t have much to say on the subject, except this tweet, which pretty much just affirms what we already know:
 

“Hearthstone Esports is aware of allegations made against America Grandmaster Paul ‘Zalae’ Nemeth. Upon further review, we have suspended Zalae from competing in all Hearthstone Esports events,”

A year-long ban seems like a pretty small punishment for something like this, particularly when it sounds like it should be, I don’t know, arrest-worthy, but I’m assured that a year-long ban functionally ends most people’s esports careers, which means ol’ Paul will just have to keep making his money on Twitch, like most esports professionals.

That’s justice for ya.