Government-Sponsored Chinese Anti-Corruption Game Proves Too Popular

Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews

Well, I couldn’t have played it anyway, seeing as it was all in Chinese. “Incorruptible Warrior Online,” sponsored in part by the Communist Party Discipline Inspection Commission of Haishu District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, is a game set in ancient China. The idea is to combat graft by killing corrupt officials, all the while avoiding attacks by their henchmen and bikini-clad mistresses.

Obviously, though this game is set in ancient times, corruption is a big problem today in China. Much as America’s Army is designed to encourage people to - well, join the Army - this game is designed to promote anti-graft measures.

The problem is, it’s been too popular. Servers were designed to handle up to 600 players, but in the first week alone the game attracted 10,000! As with any video game that has some manner of violence, there has been some criticism over using violence in a game that’s supposed to teach a lesson. Let’s be honest though - this game wouldn’t get such a big following if there wasn’t some violence - despite the bikinis.