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| / Screen capture from World of Tanks Blitz website |
By Lee Han-soo
World of Tanks Blitz, a smartphone multiplayer online game developed by Wargaming, is under fire for banning a user because he used "Dokdo_Kor" as an ID, according to a gaming news website Sunday.
The user was suspended indefinitely on May 12, according to Gamemeca.
The user immediately complained through an official forum.
A Wargaming official replied, "Dokdo is an island with diplomatic friction between Korea and Japan" and that the user could not use nicknames that could induce profanity and incite trouble.
Although the company lifted the ban on condition that the user had to change his ID, the incident has brought a backlash from the South Korean gaming community.
Wargaming has stood by its ban, saying it was not a problem.
"We do not engage in national, political or religious issues," an official told Gamemeca.
"We are committed to providing users with an environment that allows them to enjoy the best game-play experience."
The company added that people from various countries used the Asian server, which is available in South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Australia.
The company said it had also banned a user with the ID"Takeshima."
"We advise users to refrain from using nicknames related to national, political and religious issues that may interfere with the game-play and become a problem that starts a dispute," the official said.
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| Dokdo / Korea Times file |
Dokdo, a set of rocky islets lying closer to the Korean Peninsula in the East Sea, has long been a recurring source of tension between South Korea and Japan.
South Korea has kept a small police detachment on Dokdo since its liberation from Japan in 1945 and has made it clear that Tokyo's claim to the islets is groundless.
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