Hong Kong police say Reversed Front: Bonfire mobile game promotes revolution

Australia Broadcast Center

2 days ago

Hong Kong police allege a mobile game application advocates armed revolution and promotes secessionist agendas, saying those who publish it or share it with others online risk violating national security laws.
Their announcement on Tuesday was the first time they had publicly denounced a gaming app.
It also indicates authorities are widening the crackdown launched after anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019.
Authorities have crushed or silenced many dissenting voices through prosecutions under the 2020 national security law imposed by Beijing and a similar, homegrown law enacted last year.
In a statement, police warned residents against downloading the Reversed Front: Bonfire application, saying those with the app installed on their phones might be seen as possessing a publication with seditious intent.
They also warned people against providing financial assistance to the application developer, including by making in-app purchases.
"Reversed Front: Bonfire was released under the guise of a game with the aim of promoting secessionist agendas such as 'Taiwan independence' and 'Hong Kong independence', advocating armed revolution and the overthrow of the fundamental system of the People's Republic of China," police said.
The game application was developed by ESC Taiwan, which did not immediately respond to Associated Press's request for comment.
On the application's Facebook page, the developer posted about a surge in searches for the game's name and a Hong Kong broadcaster's news report about Tuesday's development.
According to the application's introduction, players can assume the role of Hong Kong, Tibet, Uyghur, Taiwan or Cathaysian Rebel factions, among others, to overthrow the communist regime. They may also choose to lead the communists to defeat all enemies.
The game's website says it "is a work of non-fiction", adding: "Any similarity to actual agencies, policies or ethnic groups of the PRC in this game is intentional."
On Tuesday night, the app was still available on Apple's App Store but not on the Google Play store. The game publisher last month said Google Play took the app down because the game did not prohibit users from adopting hateful language in naming.
Apple, Google and Meta have not immediately commented on the matter.
Kuo Hao Fu in Taiwan, who played the game for about three months, said it used a humorous approach to describe serious political issues.
He disagreed with the police accusations, saying players could also choose to be part of the force representing China.
"When even this level cannot be tolerated, it completely destroys creative freedom in gaming."
China considers Taiwan its own territory that it can bring under control by force if necessary.
Many Taiwanese in the self-ruled island expressed concerns about Hong Kong's declining freedoms under Beijing's grip.
The Beijing and Hong Kong governments insisted the city's national security laws were necessary to return stability to the city following the protests.
AP/ABC