Popular Switch Game Goes Offline In China

A viral Nintendo Switch game, Animal Crossing, has apparently been pulled from all online and physical stores on mainland China on Friday.

Players of the popular game have been displaying slogans linked to the ongoing anti-government protests in Hong Kong, while people also put up images of President Xi Jinping to poke fun at the Chinese leader, as well as the World Health Organisation's chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

There was no official announcement for the game's removal, and its reasons unknown.

Players on the mainland are upset about the decision, with some apparently pointing fingers at Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong.

The Demosisto leader had posted pictures of himself on social media, holding the Switch console with the game on. The console's displaying the protest slogan "liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times".

"These angry gamers are blaming me everywhere instead of blaming their own government" for the ban, Wong wrote on social media.