The protests in Hong Kong continue to be prominent in the eyes of the world, and the situation shows no sign of abating soon. In fact, it seems to be escalating into new territory, if recent events in Grand Theft Auto 5 are any indication.
The protests began after the introduction of a bill that would see prisoners extradited for trial in mainland China. The bill's subsequent removal has not slowed the protests, and players have started using the customization options in GTA Online to show which side they support
Those who sympathize with the cause of the protesters have begun to mimic their dress code in GTA 5, sporting black clothes, sometimes including riot gear, as well as gas masks and yellow hardhats. The weapons of choice for these players also mimic real life protesters, primarily using molotov cocktails. Protesters have been attacking police in game, which is not exactly a departure from the norm, but have also explicitly been vandalizing train stations, again in imitation of the real life protests. While this is not the craziest thing a GTA player has done, it is one of the most political and widespread statements to date.
This was quickly mirrored and countered by players from the Chinese mainland, who began dressing as riot police and using tear gas and firearms. There was a confrontation between the two groups which ultimately saw the protester players defeated by superior numbers. With a conflict that has divided so many, it's no surprise to see the anger spread into a game like GTA 5, where self expression through in-game stunts and violence is a constant.
Before this, the most prominent point where the protests overlapped with gaming culture was the controversial decision of Blizzard to ban pro Hearthstone player Blitzchung when he made a statement supporting the protesters on a live stream. The decision sent waves across the industry, with multiple protests against Blizzard both from within and without. This led to protests being staged at Blizzcon 2019 and, more recently, to Blizzard losing one of its long-time sponsors, the Taiwanese branch of Mitsubishi.
It is safe to say that this will not be the last time that the Hong Kong protests spill into the gaming scene, as companies like Valve face controversy surrounding possible political decisions regarding the banning of protest-related games. Blizzard is also still in the spotlight, as one of the most beloved characters from Overwatch, Mei, has become a pro-Hong Kong symbol. While Blizzard has since struggled to make amends for its action, it is unclear what Rockstar, the company behind GTA 5, will do in response to the conflict on its servers.
Grand Theft Auto 5 is available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Source: IGN