Application manufacturers call it a “war saga” where players can choose a rebellious faction of Hong Kong, Taiwan and even Tibet, then play the fight against Chinese Communist forces – or if they choose, fight for the communist side instead.
But that seems to be the side you choose, it could cause you to trouble in Hong Kong.
This week, the city police have issued a striking warning against the download of the “Vervened Front: Jetfire” mobile application on the grounds that the game “advocates the armed revolution and the overthrow of the fundamental system of the People's Republic of China”.
The Department of National Security of Police Forces, or NSD, said in a statement on Tuesday that anyone who shares or recommend the application, or made integrated purchases, could violate the articles of the City National Security Draconian Act which punishes the incentive to secession and subversion. A person who downloads the application would be in possession of a publication with a “seditious intention”.
The press release concluded that such acts are “extremely serious offenses” and that the police would strictly apply the law.
“Public members should not download the application or provide funding by any means to the developer concerned. Those who downloaded the request should uninstall it immediately and should not try to challenge the law, “he said.
Welcome to Hong Kong in 2025, where even the game applications are in reticle from the authorities.
Until a few years ago, the city was famous for its civic society and its dynamic freedoms which had persisted since the territory was under Chinese control in 1997.
“It is absurd that the government fears this game, especially when players are free to choose any faction, including the Red Army,” a player who applies to the alias Fu Tong at Radio Free Asia. “Their reaction simply reflects the deep fear of the freedom of an authoritarian regime and how much the system is really fragile.”
Expression widening
The warning, apparently the first issued to Hong Kong against a game application, was the last sign of a broad -scale repression of basic freedoms that have followed by massive antigan demonstrations that broke out six years ago. This movement was followed by the adoption of the 2020 National Security Act imposed by Beijing and a law adopted by the legislative assembly of Hong Kong 2024.
The application developer, ESC Taiwan, did not immediately respond to a request for RFA comments in the police press release on Tuesday.
The ESC described itself as a group of civilian volunteers which was created in 2017 to “coordinate with anti-communist organizations abroad and help foreign allies to raise awareness and organization of efforts”. He does not reveal who his members are, but says that they are mainly Taiwanese, with a few Hongkongés and Mongols.
The first online version of the game was published in 2020 and a board game version was launched the same year. At the time, the state of China Global times published a critical editorial accusing the game of promotion of “Taiwanese independence” and “Hong Kong separatism”.
According to a person familiar with ESC operations, which requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the problem, the developers had collected more than $ 6 million HK (US $ 760,000) via crowdfunding in Taiwan and Hong Kong in 2019 to develop the game, and part of the revenues of the game is donated to anti-china community organizations.
Players of “overthrows of” Jetfire “can assume the role of rebels in places such as Hong Kong, Tibet, Mongolia, Manchuria, Taiwan and the Uighur region trying to overthrow the Communist regime.
“Or you can choose to lead the Communists to defeat all enemies and take over the march of the Communist Revolution on the other side of the land and the sea!” ESC says in its promotion for the application.
For the Hong Kong option, many play characters are inspired by the city's previous culture of protest. For example, a character, “Ka Yan”, is from Yuen Long – a city from the Western territories of Hong Kong – and wears a blue and white striped ribbon often used by the Hong Kong police. Another, “Sylvia”, wears a gas mask and a uniform printed with the slogan, “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our time”.
The dialogue of the game is also imbued with the culture of Hong Kong and includes an instrumental version of “Glory to Hong Kong”, a prohibited hymn which was popular during pro-democracy demonstrations.
While the police declaration seemed to be in order on Tuesday to arouse interest in the game, the Associated Press in Hong Kong reported that the application was not available in Apple App Story on Wednesday morning. It remains available in the United States.
A player, Andy, said that after the publication of players on the theme of Hong Kong in the game, he quickly erased his discussion newspapers by fearing that they were betrayed by the authorities.
He congratulated the game as reflecting current geopolitical realities, including the approach of China towards Taiwan – the self -strict island that Beijing claims in the framework of China.
Supporting this game, added Andy, also allows players to “symbolically defend the Hong Kong territory”.
Edited by Mat Pennington.