wraggster
April 14th, 2020, 11:08
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been removed from sale on various Chinese websites.
Nintendo's latest best-seller is not officially available in China yet, but has been sold to the region by importers on online marketplaces such as Taobao.
However, listings on such sites have now been removed, the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52269671) reports.
Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad noted via Twitter (https://twitter.com/zhugeex/status/1248495070933684225) that the order "comes from China's regulators" and enforces "an old policy from 2017."
This policy saw Taobao ban the sale of imported games but "hasn't really been enforced all that much, only on select games."
While no official reason appears to have been given, it is most likely Animal Crossing was selected in this case because of the growing number of players using the game as part of the ongoing Hong Kong protests.
Images have been shared around social media of in-game creations and events sharing the protestors' message, such as banners reading "Free Hong Kong - Revolution Now" or adding face masks to characters.
In one tweet (https://twitter.com/studioincendo/status/1245414753058426881), several users are seen hitting pictures of Hong Kong governor Carrie Lam with fishing nets.
Earlier this month, leader of the Hong Kong youth activist group Demosisto Joshua Wong tweeted (https://twitter.com/joshuawongcf/status/1245639425331056640) that Animal Crossing was "fast becoming a new way for Hong Kong protestors to fight for democracy."
Restrictions around the spread of COVID-19 have prevented public rallies, so players have been using Animal Crossing as a platform. Our sister site USGamer has more information on this (https://www.usgamer.net/articles/animal-crossing-new-horizons-is-fast-becoming-a-new-way-for-hong-kong-protesters-to-fight-for-democracy).
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-14-chinese-retailers-pull-animal-crossing-from-sale-over-hong-kong-protests
Nintendo's latest best-seller is not officially available in China yet, but has been sold to the region by importers on online marketplaces such as Taobao.
However, listings on such sites have now been removed, the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52269671) reports.
Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad noted via Twitter (https://twitter.com/zhugeex/status/1248495070933684225) that the order "comes from China's regulators" and enforces "an old policy from 2017."
This policy saw Taobao ban the sale of imported games but "hasn't really been enforced all that much, only on select games."
While no official reason appears to have been given, it is most likely Animal Crossing was selected in this case because of the growing number of players using the game as part of the ongoing Hong Kong protests.
Images have been shared around social media of in-game creations and events sharing the protestors' message, such as banners reading "Free Hong Kong - Revolution Now" or adding face masks to characters.
In one tweet (https://twitter.com/studioincendo/status/1245414753058426881), several users are seen hitting pictures of Hong Kong governor Carrie Lam with fishing nets.
Earlier this month, leader of the Hong Kong youth activist group Demosisto Joshua Wong tweeted (https://twitter.com/joshuawongcf/status/1245639425331056640) that Animal Crossing was "fast becoming a new way for Hong Kong protestors to fight for democracy."
Restrictions around the spread of COVID-19 have prevented public rallies, so players have been using Animal Crossing as a platform. Our sister site USGamer has more information on this (https://www.usgamer.net/articles/animal-crossing-new-horizons-is-fast-becoming-a-new-way-for-hong-kong-protesters-to-fight-for-democracy).
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-14-chinese-retailers-pull-animal-crossing-from-sale-over-hong-kong-protests