China has shown the red card to Electronic Arts by banning popular game title "Battlefield 4," which features a new DLC "China Rising" map. The government said the game is a threat to its national security.
The new expansion pack rolled out to premium Battlefield gamers on December 3. "China Rising" is about a power-hungry Chinese military leader who decides to attack American forces. The setting of the story is in mainland China and features advanced military equipment and weaponry.
The trailer of the game shows Chinese army battling U.S. forces and in the background, this is what the Chinese military rants (and we must say that it's quite provocative):
Confucius said: Never give a sword to a man who can't dance. We've spent decades making their toys, their shoes and even their flags. All the while enduring their condescension, and biding our time. Ane finally the moment has come. Now they will know our greatness. Let's dance.
Not surprisingly, the Chinese government wasn't too happy and the local Ministry of Culture has labeled "Battlefield 4" as part and parcel of efforts to intrude into the Chinese culture. A report on China.com quotes the decision of the government agency, which translates to:
"Today, the Ministry of Culture issued a notice that "Battlefield 4" is an illegal game featuring content that endangers national security. It is one form of cultural invasion. All relevant contents such as downloads, patches, news, and other items about 'Battlefield 4' will be deleted within 24 hours."
The first person shooter game was also criticized in an editorial published in the Chinese military newspaper Zhongguo Guofangbao.
"When western countries would make war games in the past, they would settle on Russia if they needed an imaginary enemy," South China Morning Post cited the editorial as saying. "But in recent years, with the boosting of China's national strength, China threat theories run rampant, and foreign companies are increasingly keen to put the Sino-US conflict in their games as a gimmick to attract attention."
"The use of video games...to discredit one country's image in the eyes of other countries is a new form of cultural penetration and aggression," it said.
It appears the ban has extended to Chinese search engines and social networks as well. According to reports, local gamers cannot find anything on the Internet using the search term "Battlefield 4" and instead have to use "BF4" to find information about EA's latest offering. However, the move by the Chinese government won't hurt EA because it neither markets nor sells Battlefield 4 in China.
