VR Game Lets You Go to the Frontline of the Hong Kong Protests

Ever wondered what it must be like being a protester in Hong Kong's recent pro-democracy demonstrations? #HongKongProtests

A virtual reality game developed by a team of pro-democracy supporters in Hong Kong allows you to do just that.

The aim is to not get arrested by the police or get hit by a bullet.

Players can win extra points by throwing tear gas canisters back at the police.

The "Liberate Hong Kong" video game is an immersive simulation of frontline protests, allowing players to step into protesters' virtual shoes through a VR headset.

The small team behind the "Liberate Hong Kong" game consists of office workers, students and fresh graduates.

They decided to create the game partly to address criticism of protesters by the public, much of it on social media.

"It is also an experience available for those who are not in the front," says the team manager, Jane, who hid her face and did not give her full name for security reasons.

"We realize that there are a lot of comments or even critique the frontline protesters about their actions. For example, saying why aren't they (protesters) not running away when the police came, or why are they going this way or why are they even staying in the same location. So, I think this immersive visualization is able to provide those who are criticizing an opportunity to understand what actually are these frontline protesters facing."

Hong Kong media have live-streamed the demonstrations and clashes between police and protesters - on television and online - since protests began in June.

Jane explains that developers took reference from media and real-life experience to recreate the scenes in the game.

"It will be a mix between personal experiences and video resources from the media and press. And because some of our teammates also have been on the streets, maybe they experienced the same situations. And also we also make use of some online references to create the game," she says.

The game developers say they hope it will allow people to experience how chaotic the situation is during clashes and appreciate the difficulties protesters face with when they are making decisions on the spot.

"Liberate Hong Kong" is currently available on itch.io, an online platform for independent video games.

It has had over 130-thousand views and about 4000 downloads so far.

Players can play for free and have the option of making a voluntary donation.

Developers say they tried to submit the game to Blizzard Entertainment, one of the largest game developers in the US, but have not had a response.

Tom (not his real name) is testing the game in a green screen VR room.

He says it is harder that he expected.

"Watching on TV as a bystander, things are very obvious. Your view and the lighting are very clear. When you are at the front (in the protest), there are many uncertainties," he says.

"For example, police might fire tear gas at you and they might run towards you. You may not know exactly how things happen unless you have been at the front of the protest. After playing this game, although I won't say I have a thorough experience of the protest, the game has highly recreated the situations frontline protesters are facing."

The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, with protest tactics evolving quickly.

Jane says her team has not been able to keep up with the updates, but hopes the Hong Kong government will fulfil protester demands so the game can be updated to its final version.

Human Rights Watch said it has repeatedly urged Hong Kong police not to use excessive force to suppress peaceful protests, while also calling on protesters and those opposed to them to refrain from violence.

It has also urged the establishment of an independent commission to investigate police actions, one of the protesters' demands..

Six months of unrest have tipped Hong Kong's already weak economy into recession. The pro-democracy protests have become more violent over time as the government has refused to give ground on most of the movement's demands.

The last two weeks have been relatively quiet, as activists focused on winning district council elections that became a referendum on public support for the protests.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

QUICKTAKE ON SOCIAL:

Follow QuickTake on Twitter: twitter.com/quicktake

Like QuickTake on Facebook: facebook.com/quicktake

Follow QuickTake on Instagram: instagram.com/quicktake

Subscribe to our newsletter

Email us at quicktakenews@gmail.com

QuickTake by Bloomberg is a global news network delivering up-to-the-minute analysis on the biggest news, trends and ideas for a new generation of leaders.