Popular Nintendo game Animal Crossing ‘gets removed’ in China after activists use it to protest

ACTIVISTS have been using popular Nintendo game Animal Crossing to stage virtual protests.

This has resulted in claims that the game is being removed from online Chinese stores as some players were protesting for a Hong Kong revolution.

Some of the virtual protests looked like this

The game has become increasingly popular as people are in lockdown all over the world

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is currently Nintendo Switch’s best-selling game.

Players customise and conduct activities on their own island.

They can also visit the virtual islands of others.

Players in mainland China were previously able to buy foreign versions of the game online.

China hadn’t actually approved it for official release in the country yet because they have strict regulations for video games.

However, according to the BBC, now even imported copies cannot be bought online by those in China.

Joshua Wong, leader of the Hong Kong youth activist group Demosisto, recently wrote on Twitter: “Animal Crossing is fast becoming a new way for Hong Kong protesters to fight for democracy!”

Before lockdowns and isolating was imposed in countries all over the world, mass protests had been happening in Hong Kong in real life.

One virtual Animal Crossing protest featured a banner that said: “”Free Hong Kong – Revolution Now”.

Another showed virtual characters seemingly protesting against images of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam.

We don’t yet know whether online retailers are proactively removing the game for sale themselves or whether the authorities have intervened.

We have reached out to Nintendo for comment.

In other news, Gamers across the globe can now play Google Stadia for free.

The PS5 and Xbox Series X could cost a hefty £500 at launch.

And, Sony has already sent the official PS5 website live.

What are your thoughts on the Animal Crossing ban? Let us know in the comments…