When Blizzard Entertainment forced Overwatch’s main character out of the closet to make GLAAD gay and Tumblrettes glad, there was a growing fear within the community that it was just a matter of time before everyone would be forced to walk on egg shells when it came to using certain phrases, making certain remarks, or throwing down with the typical banter most normal gamers use during a competitive match. Well, the day of reckoning has finally arrived.
E-sports player Félix “xQc” Lengyel from the Dallas Fuel learned the hard way that in today’s politically correct climate where certain people’s feelings on the Progressive Stack are worth more than others, his light banter directed toward rival Austin “Muma” Wilmot from the Houston Outlaws cost him $2,000 and any chance of playing out the rest of stage 1 for the Dallas Fuel.
Kotaku In Action user The_Directors_Cut gathered up all the details from various sources covering the matter. It turns out that Austin “Muma” Wilmot from the Houston Outlaws mocked the Dallas Fuel by saying they got “rolled” and “smoked” during the live-stream.
Lengyel retorted to Wilmot, in a post-match stream, with the following remark, as reported by PC Gamer…
“No, you didn’t smoke shit. Shut your fucking mouth,” […] “Go back there, suck a fat cock. I mean, he would like that.”
This comment is absolutely tame compared to the average kind of banter you would find on Xbox Live, but Lengyel was suspended for four games by the Overwatch League committee for the comments. Why? Because Wilmot is homosexual.
In a brief statement over on the official Overwatch League website, it reads…
“As of Friday, January 19, Dallas Fuel player Félix “xQc” Lengyel is suspended for four matches and fined $2,000 for violating the Overwatch League Code of Conduct during his individual stream on Thursday evening. The Overwatch League takes standards of player behavior seriously, whether during league play or otherwise, and is committed to responding swiftly when violations occur.”
But that wasn’t all.
The official Dallas Fuel decided to add injury to Lengyel’s insult by doubling down on what the League rolled out. They suspended Lengyel again, forcing him out of the entirety of Stage 1 competition, making a tweet on January 19th, 2018 to address the situation.
Before our match begins, we would like to issue this statement regarding @overwatchleague‘s decision to suspend @xQc. #burnblue pic.twitter.com/26ffHaPPEz
— Dallas Fuel (@DallasFuel) January 20, 2018
If you’re unable to read the statement, Dallas Fuel’s management stated…
“We support the Overwatch League’s recent decision to suspend Felix “xQc” Lengyel. In addition to the league’s four-game suspension, we will be suspending xQc for the remainder of Stage 1. We believe in working with our players to help them become the best possible competitors, professionals and teammates. That includes work both inside and outside of competition for Felix. During his suspension, we will be offering additional resources, focus coaching, physical training and support to Felix to help him improve as a professional player who is reflective of the principles of the Dallas Fuel organization, his teammates, and of the Overwatch League.
“No one wants to see Felix succeed more than we do. It is our hope that he can return to the team with the passion, competitiveness and focus that it takes to play in the Overwatch League.”
So basically the Dallas Fuel will be re-educating Lengyel to be more politically correct, whether he’s in or out of competition.
The typical banter of online gaming is no longer going to be allowed in Lengyel’s lexicon, and his vocabulary is going to shrink considerably while he’s contracted to the Dallas Fuel.
Lengyel won’t be returning to competition until February 9th.
Sites like WolfsHeadOnline warned about Blizzard’s increasing expansion of political correctness affecting the business, and even some Blizzard fans joked about the “Rules of Political Correctness” gamers must abide by when playing Overwatch.
It’s not hard to see why so many hardcore gamers see e-sports going mainstream as one of the worst things to happen to the industry, especially when it means political correctness will continue to creep into every aspect of the gaming community.
(Main image courtesy of Blueclockwork)