China Bans ANOTHER PC Game

[SoulBlazer]

Just pulled this off Yahoo:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040529/tc_afp/china_internet_game_040529170749

A little background -- I own this game. :)

Hearts of Iron is a strategy/war game made by Paradox, who have made some other great historical simulation/strategy games like Europa Univeralis, Victoria, and Crusader Kings. Hearts of Iron depicts the world during the period of World War II, from 1936 to 1947.

Of COURSE the game shows Taiwan as being part of Japan -- because it WAS in 1936! x_x

Just like Manchuria had been invaded and taken over by Japan in 1931 and set up a puppet state.

And the Chinese government, fighting a civil war and THEN war with Japan starting in 1937, did'nt have ANY control over Tibet or the outlying regions.

Good God! I understand the victors writing history, but EVERYTHING that is shown in this game is ACCURATE. Anyone can see this. I'm amazed at how stupid the Chinese government is sometimes. O_O

[Half Japanese]

So they like to disillusion themselves a little? Sounds like another government I know...

[Great Hierophant]

Even if China was not under the control of the freedom hating Communists, the game would strike a raw nerve with many Chinese. They have not been quick to forget Japan's unilateral acts of aggression towards their country, Taiwan became a part of Japan in 1895 after the Japanese defeated China in a war and only reverted to "Chinese" control at the end of WWII. Manchuria in 1931 became a nominally independent state under Japanese control which lasted the war. Xinjiang is the large, remote eastern province of China that was not under the effective control of the central government until after the Communist victory in 1949. Tibet declared its indepencence from China in 1913 and was able to rule itself without Chinese interefence until 1950. A wargame would not be accurate unless it depicted those regions at least as autonomous or controlled by non-Chinese. China's official policy is that Manchuria and Taiwan were failed conquests, Tibet and Xinjiang had been annexed by the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty.

It is not unlike the United States objecting to a global strategy game set in 1860 that depicted the Confederacy as a sovereign state. However, China must concede that these regions of what is now "China" were not under the effective control of either the KMT or CCP during the time period the game covers. By banning the game, China is "distorting history". Of course, historical rewritting is a favorite tool of the Communists.

[SoulBlazer]

Ah, there are MANY games that depict the CSA as being a soveign nation in 1860 and 1861 -- Victoria being just one of them. :)

At least we don't over react as much as the Chinese do. :D

Hell, EA SOLD Medal of Honor: Rising Sun in Japan! Do you think THAT game shows Japan during their brightest moment?

I can't think of any other country that reacted this way to games the way China did -- not even Russia when under the full control of the commies.

[GaijinPunch]

There's very few things I'm right about... and this is one of them.

China has issues - plain and simple. China isn't the only one, but I think they're one of the leaders of Asian Countries with Issues. After living in Asia for.... maybe too long... you tend to see how Asian issues totally differ from those in the west.

The wests involve world domination and obesity, and fucked up priorities, where the Asian stuff is usually more subtle, but psychopathic or just flat out WEIRD. Here's some examples:

-A building falls down b/c the constructions crew didn't put metal beams in (Korea)
-Kids taking guns to school and shooting other kids (America - many times over)
-The answer to obesity is to take the bun off of a 30 grams-of-fat hamburger (America -- millions of times over)
-Country A kidnaps citizens of Country B. To reconcile, Country B admits this, and "let's them go home for 1 month". (30 years after their initial kidnapping mind you). Once abductees return to Country B, Prime Minister of Country B tells Country A not only to go fuck themselves, but that they'll be demanding the families that were made in Country A, quite soon. (N. Korea and Japan - ongoing)
-All major football/soccer events turn into an international incident (UK)
-Mushrooms legal until 2001, Birth Control illegal until 2000 (Japan)
-North Korean-sized quagmeyers (North Korean)
-Citizens elect the biggest dipshit in the 2nd largest state to lead them down the tubes (US)
-Major tourist attraction is bombed by Al Qaeda, and the government does dick (Bali)
-Death penalty for drugs (Singapore)
-Blood, guts, guns, and knives all over TV. One nipple and the country is torn apart (US).

Boy... that got a little out of hand. :) The point isn't to bash one country, but to point out the different styles of defects various countries have. If I missed your country -- feel free to add to it!

[Half Japanese]

No, you pretty much hit the (US) nail on the head. I'm waiting for one of these "If'n you don't like it, get the fuck out" type of people to come along. It all comes down to culture I suppose, which is something that you can't really judge effectively as an outsider in most cases.

[thegreatescape]

I suppose its not as bad as that time greece banned video games completely coz they were too stupid to tell the difference between online gambling and tetris x_x


-The answer to obesity is to take the bun off of a 30 grams-of-fat hamburger (America -- millions of times over)

Are you for real? people do that ? O_O

[GaijinPunch]

Yeah, I'm harsh but fair I'd say. I think on the whole, the Asian side of things is just more like "how on Earth can these people sit there straight faced and do something like that?!" and the western side is, "Man, that's just plain ole' sad and fucked up." Definintely not fact, just my extremely biased opinions.


-The answer to obesity is to take the bun off of a 30 grams-of-fat hamburger (America -- millions of times over)


Are you for real? people do that ? O_O

I weap for my nation (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3957636/).
More living in the dark (http://www.carbwire.com/2004/03/09/mcdonalds)

That Salad the mention in the 2nd link -- apparently has more fat than a McDonald's cheeseburger.