A Finnish newspaper is the use of a secret room in a Counter-Strike: World Offensive map to offer uncensored information reviews in regards to the Ukraine conflict to folks in Russia.
In a tactic designed to focus on International Press Freedom Day, Helsingin Sanomat – Finland’s biggest day by day newspaper – has opted to make use of Counter-Strike so to bypass Russian media restrictions. The group has created a new map for the FPS that incorporates a hidden room which will simplest be discovered the use of the spectator cam. Inside of is a number of Russian-language tales from Helsingin Sanomat that element the movements of Russia’s army all over their invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to GamesRadar+, Helsingin Sanomat editor-in-chief Antero Mukka mentioned “Russians have little or no likelihood to obtain impartial details about Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.” That is because of the heavy restrictions put on Russian media within the wake of the conflict via the rustic’s government, which bans what the state considers “false knowledge” in regards to the operations in Ukraine. However with Counter-Strike being probably the most in style video games in Russia (it’s performed via round 4 million folks within the nation) this used to be a possibility for journalists to inform uncensored tales to these throughout the nation.
Noting that video games are nonetheless left unchecked via Russian government, Mukka mentioned “We constructed a map of a Slavic town devastated via a conflict, within the recreation, with a secret room that provides Russian players an uncensored get entry to to the horrors of the conflict in Ukraine of their local language.”
“The name of the game room constructed into the sport is supposed to drive Russian players to stand what is actually occurring within the conflict in Ukraine,” he added.
The map, titled “de_vonya” (the Russian time period for ‘conflict’, which is lately censored via Russian government) depicts a the city devastated via combat. Whilst it’s meant to succeed in the folks of Russia, any person who performs Counter-Strike: World Offensive can get entry to it, and so in the event you’re a participant of Valve’s large FPS then you’ll move have a look your self.
For extra odd tales in regards to the intersection between the Ukraine conflict and video games, check out how the Steam Deck is being used on the frontlines.
Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK Information and Options Editor.
