China's Ministry of Culture has declared the latest expansion of Battlefield 4, "China Rising" illegal in an attempt to protect national security.
Electronic Arts announced the next iteration of its popular first-person shooter game, "Battlefield 4: China Rising," for Chinese gamers but even before the game became officially available, the Chinese government imposed a nation-wide ban on it. Local blogs have indicated that the game's publisher is using it as a form of cultural invasion and could pose a threat to national security, according to Wall Street Journal.
Chinese gamers have been asked to get rid of the game. Access to the online content has also been denied.
China Rising is the continuation of Battlefield 4's future plot, where the rogue Admiral Chang seeks to conquer the national government by striking a Russia-supported war with the United States. The game features mainland China as the expansion ground, with four new map sets and upgraded vehicles and equipments.
Wedbush Securities' Michael Pachter said that the impact of the ban on EA's business is very little. Moreover, this is not the first time that China has issued a ban on a game. Pachter noted that the country has repeatedly censored content from games, including the Internet.
Publishers go through a tough process of removing banned images from the game, which usually takes six to twelve months.
EA's Battlefield has repeatedly received heat in different countries, besides China. Two years ago, a portion of "Battlefield 3" in Tehran sparked a series of complaints. EA also received national attention after including Taliban fighters in its "Medal of Honor" game.
EA continues to offer versions of other game titles in China, such as the "Plants Vs. Zombies 2."
