Yes, they aren't legally obliged to provide a platform that allows freedom of speech. Yet they also have to expect a backlash if they don't provide it,as freed

Yes, they aren't legally obliged to provide a platform that allows freedom of speech. Yet they also have to expect a backlash if they don't provide it,as freedom of speech is integral part of our culture. People expect that, and any defence of type 'but by law we aren't required to provide that!' will just piss their western customers off. EDIT: not to mention that in this case the punishment was severe. They could try to stay apolitical by just giving him a slap on the wrist and a temporary ban on tournaments. It would both send a message and work as a deterrent. Strangely enough Activision-Blizzard soon after that announced their Call of Duty Mobile - designed by Chinese company team responsible for Diablo Immortal.. which was subsidized by CCP. It was stone cold calculation of: profit loss from hearthstone backlash vs earnings from Chinese mobile market