Last week saw the release of Coronavirus Attack, a Steam game that prompts players to prevent “selfish zombie virus carriers from escaping and infecting the world.” Further inspection reveals the seemingly simple gameplay is actually laced with racial and political themes suspected to be targeted at China.
The primary color scheme is identical to the Chinese flag, and it can be inferred the “selfish zombies” are meant to represent the nation’s citizens. A few of the badges available for players to earn include titles such as “Free Tibet” and “Release Xinjiang”, which are all prominent regions in China.
While the Chinese government promptly banned Coronavirus Attack in their country, it still remains largely available to the rest of the world.
In just over a week since release, a thousand players have already swarmed the game’s Steam page with reviews. Of the 1,097 total, only 14% of them are negative, leaving it with an overall 86% approval rating. One reviewer called it “inhumane and irresponsible to publish this game.” Another named it the “best game under quarantine.”
Some of the upgrades available in Coronavirus Attack
Current affairs have thrown the world into chaos, and the COVID-19 scare has proven to be a terrifying experience for all involved. Amidst the fear, many have found video games to be a sanctuary, shielding them from the stress of our new everyday lives. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a prime example of this phenomenon, having moved 1.88 million copies in just three days in Japan.
With a controversial release like this, it’s uncertain how much longer this long awaited peace will survive.
Coronavirus Attack is currently on sale for $1.97.
