Village-building, war, tribal conflict, whats not to like? Well, apparently there is a lot to dislike for Iran, who have just chosen to block the massively popular title from esteemed studio Supercell.
There is no doubt that Clash of Clans is one of the most popular mobile games ever made, with the game this year hitting 100 million daily players. Its comical mix of humour with serious RPG elements make it an attractive game for many people, especially in Iran, with recent data showing that over half of gamers in Iran play the game.
It seems that the Iranian government aren't a fan though. A government committee recently called for restrictions on the game, using data from psychologists to suggest that the game encourages violence and tribal conflict, something which the Iranian government obviously want to avoid, especially in today's modern geopolitical climate. The same committee also warned that teenagers could easily become addicted to the popular MMORPG, thus negatively affecting family and social life. With this evidence, the decision was taken to restrict access to Clash of Clans. Iranian gamers reported trouble accessing the game due to the need for an online connection, but suggested there are already ways to circumvent this restriction, possibly through use of a VPN. It is also suggested that an age restriction might be imposed in the future, but for now, all players are blocked from playing Clash of Clans in Iran.
This isn't the first time Iran has blocked video games in their country. The mobile hit Pokemon Go was also blocked in the country because of concerns about the game's location-based system.
What do you think? Is this a sensible decision, or another case of undue censorship?
