In respect of social distancing, Hong Kong democracy protestors have moved online. And one avenue of protest was via the popular Nintendo Switchgame Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
The game allows players to customise their own island with
political messages, and then invite others to visit. Examples of customisation include banners that read: Free Hong Kong - Revolution Now. There are also disparaging posts featuring images of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hong Kong's chief executive
Carrie Lam.
China has inevitably now banned the game and it has been expunged from online market places.
Even Hong Kong sites, which had previously advertised imported copies have now removed those listings. It is not clear, however,
whether this is because there has been an intervention by the authorities or whether the sites are self censoring in fear of Chinese reprisals.
Players in mainland China have also customised the game with coronavirus-related content, including
face masks for the characters, and islands with temperature checkpoints.
