Tropico 5 city-building game considered a threat to national security

[laocowboy2]

Just did a Google search - the ban is going viral. It is in a slew of gamers magazines and websites - and in TIME and Hindustan Times. I hope that the correct parties get the credit from Haemimont Games for their marketing assistance - perhaps they could be given cameo roles?.

 

 

I had never heard of this game - and I would guess the same would apply to 99.9% of the population in Thailand.

 

Now because of the publicity, this is likely to become the most pirated software in the Kingdom - and that is saying something.

 

Action against any software (magazine article, game, film) usually has the effect of magnifying the harmful effect - as many Hollywood celebs and politicians have found out.

 

Ignoring it would have been the better (non)move.

 

Thai junta bans computer game simulating dictatorship

BANGKOK, August 5, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's junta has banned a computer game which allows players to craft their own military dictatorship in a fictional paradise where "sunny beaches and political corruption" co-exist, authorities said Tuesday.

The simulation game Tropico 5 gives players the chance to build their own forms of government on a remote island.

It is sold under the tagline: "Imagine a place where the people never go hungry, all work has a decent wage and the weather is forever bright and sunny -- just make sure you always vote El Presidente."

"Tropico 5 has been banned but I cannot give the reason unless you ask permission from our Director-General," an unnamed official at the Video and Film Office, part of the Ministry of Culture, told AFP.

Thai game distributor New Era Interactive Media said it received a letter from the Ministry of Culture on Monday banning its sale in the kingdom.

The company's marketing manager Nonglak Sahavattanapong told AFP late Monday it was "disappointed" by the move to ban the game, made by Bulgarian game developer Haemimont.

She said it had been blocked "because some parts of stories within the game affect Thailand's situation".

She did not give further details of the offending storylines, but said "players can play roles as a leader of a country -- they can choose systems of how to run the country".

The Ministry of Culture now falls under the remit of the Thai Navy Chief -- a deputy leader of the junta -- following the fall of the battered civilian administration to a May 22 army coup.

On the Tropico5.com website, the game is trailed as giving players a "land of opportunity: a blank slate where any political ideal or mad inspiration can be made possible".

Since seizing power, Thai Army Chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha has suspended democracy, muzzled dissent and imposed sweeping curbs on media freedoms as he bids to end years of bitter political divisions.

He has launched a "return happiness" to the people public relations campaign in parallel with the crackdown on dissent.

A newly-appointed national assembly will meet for the first time this week.

It is charged with forging a binding constitution which analysts say is likely to target the influence of billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinawtara, who is accused by the Bangkok-based establishment of fomenting widespread corruption.

He was ousted in a 2006 coup and lives in self-exile, but still occupies centre-stage in Thailand's political drama.

Parties led by a Shinawatra, or linked to them, have won every election since 2001.

[afp]2014-08-05[/afp]

 

 

[alocacoc]

I played Tropico 3 and 4. It was a lot of fun. These games contains several missions to solve. The job in the most missions are to build up the tourism sector, create a strong economy, generate a stable relationship with the US, make the people happy and so on. It is a lot of ironic and humor in the game. Hard to believe that someone could take it to serious.

 

 

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Must be worth downloading then!

Another hour and I can see what all the fuss is about.
(I doubt it will trump Civilization) Edited August 5, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[simon43]

I don't see the problem.  Neither of the two fellows in that promo poster look anything like the good General...

 

... nor do they bear even a passing resemblance to Khun Thaksin

 

 

 

[simon43]

The job in the most missions are to build up the tourism sector, create a strong economy, generate a stable relationship with the US, make the people happy and so on. .... Hard to believe that someone could take it to serious.

 

Uh... now I see where the controversy might be....

[LuckyLew]

Tomorrow taxi drivers will be banned from playing the game "CRAZY TAXI" by sega

[klauskunkel]

Good grief. It's just so typical, working hard to fight corruption, slowly building up recognition and then here it comes, the fell swoop into ridicule, again. There just is no foresight, strategic planning or analytical thinking. Someone comes up with an idea, presents it, and nobody can even conceive of any negative results, or too scared to criticize.

A game is a threat to national security...no, being too bloody uptight is a threat to national security.

I have seen so many similar scenarios over the years, it used to be funny at first, now I don't even want to admit I live in Thailand when somebody asks me.

[Just1Voice]

Is someone's paranoia showing?

[CanInBKK]

What about Battefield 4 which just released a map called "Lumphini Garden" which the developers themselves have said is based on Bangkok's Lumpini Park - a battleground of the conflict between red and yellow shirts not more than a few months ago?

[canuckamuck]

One banana, two banana

[bronco10250]

And please ban tic-tac-toe either, its such political :-) Prathet Thai sanook mak mak!

[tartempion]

Isn't Monopoly also banned in Thailand?


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Just1Voice]

God forbid they bring Pac Man back!

[sundrenched]

This is a godsend for the game developer.  They'll get tons of international publicity out of this, and they would have sold only 1 copy in Thailand anyway.  I had never heard of the game but it seems like a good laugh.  Will check it out now.  

[razorramone]

Note that it is still available to buy and download from Steam...

[joecoolfrog]

In the circumstances I shall simply applaud another example of the Juntas brave stance against evil forces in the Kingdom. The future certainly looks bright !

[GentlemanJim]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

 

So, I should abandon this Cookie Jar Run game that I'm developing.

 

Dam_n , and I was developing a game where you have to steal as much money from your population as you can by corruption and/or inventing crazy schemes to syphon off money that nobody would really believe, like for example paying a countries farmers twice the global market rate for rice but then not really paying them but inventing ways to pay.........yourself. The extension package was going to be complete with a money laundering upgrade. Oh well, I thought the game was safe because nobody in reality would ever try doing all that stuff would they 

[KhnomKhnom]

Video games are educational tools.  What is done in them and by the users is what they learn.

If it is car theft, then they learn stealing cars.  Very simple.

[MZurf]

 

I hope the international media, including Jon Stewart and John Oliver pick up on this story, we all need a laugh.

 

They could first look to Europe.....in German are tons of games, music, books banned and no one speaks about it. Sure other countries have similar lists.

 

Yes, but don't you think the reason some books or games are banned in the West is of interest (like excessive violence, racism etc)? Compare that to the likely reasons this game is banned in Thailand.

[MZurf]

I don't see the problem.  Neither of the two fellows in that promo poster look anything like the good General...

 

... nor do they bear even a passing resemblance to Khun Thaksin

 

 

 

No, but the guys on the left could be an undercover Chalerm after taking some ear medicine...

[rhythmworx]

It won't affect the game developers or the shareholders of the company as most people in Thailand buy counterfeit software anyway.

 

Therefore it won't affect anyone who wants to play it, they will just download it for free and laugh behind the backs of the Junta while snacking on wasabi flavoured pumpkin seeds and sipping on Sangsom.

[TerraPosse]

Dear Department of Cultural Promotion (DCP) meet Mrs Streisand, Mrs Streisand may I introduce the Department of Cultural Promotion (DCP)....

 

 

    

 

 

[pistachios]

Video games are educational tools.  What is done in them and by the users is what they learn.
If it is car theft, then they learn stealing cars.  Very simple.

Haha. Seems quite obvious you have never played a video game in your life.

[JoeThePoster]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

 

So, I should abandon this Cookie Jar Run game that I'm developing.

 

Dam_n , and I was developing a game where you have to steal as much money from your population as you can by corruption and/or inventing crazy schemes to syphon off money that nobody would really believe, like for example paying a countries farmers twice the global market rate for rice but then not really paying them but inventing ways to pay.........yourself. The extension package was going to be complete with a money laundering upgrade. Oh well, I thought the game was safe because nobody in reality would ever try doing all that stuff would they 

 

Heyyyyy, that is my Cookie Jar Run game! Gotta go check my patent before your file yours.

[noahvail]

I always wondered whether the Red Bull heir had played too much GTA 4. Banning that series might help improve the level of driving/road rage problems in the country.

[Dah fahrang]

if i were them, i would ban the game : CHESS

 

because we all know what the purpose of that game is, right ?

 

 

Followed by Monopoly

While they're at it, "Happy Families" should be promoted as the national game.