10 Popular Video Games That Are Banned in China

From gritty, action-packed adventures to seemingly innocuous titles, prepare to be surprised by the games that have been deemed unfit.

Alliance of Valiant Arms

Alliance of Valiant Arms, for example, is prohibited due to its graphic content, including blood, gore, and vulgar elements.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The game’s custom pattern tool allowed players to create and share anti-government messages, leading to its prohibition.

Battlefield 4

Chinese authorities banned this game, citing reasons such as discrediting the nation’s image and promoting a “cultural invasion.”

Command & Conquer: Generals

Generals was banned for allegedly “smearing the image of China and the Chinese army”.

Football Manager 2005

Football Manager 2005, was prohibited due to its recognition of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Tibet as independent countries.

Free Fire

The Chinese authorities deemed the game inappropriate for its inclusion of overly-revealing female characters

Hearts of Iron

Hearts of Iron, a popular video game, is banned in China due to its controversial representation of disputed territories.

I.G.I.-2: Covert Strike

The game’s portrayal of China and the Chinese army has led to its prohibition.

Paladins

Game was banned entirely for featuring scantily-clad female characters, blood, gore, and vulgar content, all of which violated China’s strict censorship guidelines.

Plague Inc./Plague Inc. Evolved

This decision came in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as the game’s premise revolves around creating and evolving a deadly pathogen.