Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, June 12: Hong Kong authorities have banned a Taiwan-developed mobile game, Reversed Front: Bonfire, accusing it of promoting “secessionist” ideology and encouraging “armed revolution” against the Chinese Communist Party. The unprecedented move marks the first time a video game has been banned under the city’s sweeping ‘National Security Law’.
The game, developed by ESC Taiwan, invites players to assume the roles of factions representing Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, and other groups in simulated uprisings against communist regimes. According to the website for Reversed Front: Bonfire, players can “pledge allegiance” to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Tibet, or Uyghurs, among other options, “to overthrow the Communist regime”. Released in April 2025, the game was removed from Hong Kong’s Apple App Store and Google Play following warnings issued by the city’s police that its content may violate national security laws.
Police claimed the game advocated “armed revolution” and “incited hatred against the central government,” adding that its narrative of resisting Chinese rule and pushing for independence in regions like Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Tibet posed a serious threat to national unity. Authorities cautioned that even downloading or sharing the game, or making in-app purchases, could face criminal offenses under charges of secession, subversion, or sedition.
The creators, ESC Taiwan, also known as the Taiwan Overseas Strategic Communication Working Group denied the allegations and asserted that their game is a work of political commentary rather than a call to violence. In a public statement, the developers said, “This is not a fantasy. It is non-fiction, wrapped in a game. The CCP saw the reflection and couldn’t handle the truth.”
The controversy has only amplified the game’s popularity. Before it was taken down, Reversed Front: Bonfire surged to the top of the download charts in Hong Kong. The developers claimed that thousands of new users downloaded the game globally after news of the ban spread, calling the backlash “free publicity.”
The game’s prohibition has drawn criticism from press freedom and human rights advocates, who view it as another example of Hong Kong’s eroding civil liberties under the National Security Law, which Beijing imposed on dissent in 2020. Critics argue that the ban extends the reach of censorship from traditional media and literature to digital entertainment and satire.
The NSL on Hong Kong which criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces came in response to massive pro-democracy protests that broke out in Hong Kong in 2019. Media mogul Jimmy Lai and activist Joshua Wong are among the pro-democracy activists who have been charged or jailed under the infamous NSL which observers say is influenced by Beijing.
