As the world goes into lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, many are having to come up with creative ways to go about their business. This has caused many pro-democracy Hong Kong advocates to take their movement into the world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, due to the uncensored nature of the imported title.
According to an article by Bloomberg, China has banned the import of Animal Crossing: New Horizon, most likely due to these protest images being shared in the game. News site PingWest also reports that the ban order, sent through Alibaba’s e-commerce platform Taobao, also applies to Animal Crossing merchandise and limited edition consoles.
Noted Hong Kong pro-democracy advocate Joshua Wong shared images of his town, covered in messages such as “Free Hong Kong.” Viral images and videos like this are thought the be the reason for the ban, though no official confirmation has been made.
Animal Crossing is Fast Becoming a New Way for Hong Kong Protesters to Fight for Democracy! The #Covid_19 pandemic has halted public demonstrations, so protesters are taking their cause to #AnimalCrossing.https://t.co/A599kjlYsV
(This is my island!) pic.twitter.com/vjBhzw1nUa
— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) April 2, 2020
The ban does not affect the import of other games, or regular Nintendo Switch consoles. In China, a special Switch unit made just for the country is officially sold, though only three titles are available for it: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.
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Written by Bryan Finch
A video editor by trade, Bryan Finch is a lifetime Nintendo fan, and he loves writing about his passions. He also spends too much time playing and watching fighting games. Bryan enjoys movies, comics, cooking with his wife, and the idea of Elite Beat Agents 2.
