Protests in Hong Kong don't wait for the Coronavirus, but even so the citizens' attempt at being heard is being severely hindered by the pandemic. Not only is the government attempting to shut them up, but now gathering in large groups needed to protest is a public health issue as well. Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers a place free of both censorship and sickness.
Though there have still been some attempts to gather in protest of the Hong Kong government, these are understandably ill advised. Hong Kong's gamer population has found a unique recourse, and have taken their protests to the many islands of Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Though the bill that would introduce extradition of Hong Kong residents to the mainland of China has been indefinitely suspended, the protests against it and what it means for the citizens of Hong Kong have not died down. These events have made clear the importance of democracy in Hong Kong.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a place where the people of Hong Kong can share their opinions with the world. Since the pandemic has halted public demonstrations, Animal Crossing islands all over Hong Kong can be seen filled with protest material including signs, images, and custom designs. The game offers a platform to create and share these ideas in a way that isn't really possible given the restrictions that citizens of Hong Kong face on a regular basis.
The ability to create and share design IDs in Animal Crossing: New Horizons has proved extremely useful in this endeavor, as players are making Coronavirus themed outfits to represent their struggle and paintings with images of Hong Kong leaders and text describing their plight and sharing them online. Just as developers use video games to share their voice, it is amazing to see players able to use video games as a platform to speak up when doing so is otherwise difficult or even impossible.
It is important to remember that while the Coronavirus pandemic is a huge problem, other problems don't simply go away because of it. Political unrest still runs rampant in the streets of Hong Kong even as its citizens stay home to avoid spreading the virus, and people wishing to show their support for the protesters in Hong Kong can do so by joining in their Animal Crossing: New Horizons based campaign for full democracy and freedom.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
Source: Kotaku