We hear stories of revolution in a good light which is an inspiration to many and over time, these stories have become etched into the pages of history. However, it isn’t common to see a revolution that is fought with the help of a mobile game. Confused? Let us look into the chilling story of Myanmar where a mobile adventure titled War of Heroes – The PDF Game, inspired by actual events happening in the country, is funding the anti-military resistance.
War of Heroes – The PDF Game features characters based on real people fighting the military
It is no new news that there has been an Anti-Military Resistance Movement in Myanmar that has been making headlines since 2021 as a response to the military’s seizure of power. These efforts are no new, and various methods of protests would be employed. But if someone told you that a mobile game could contribute to the movement’s objective, you wouldn’t believe it. But here we are.
The person behind this revolution, communicated with the BBC with the pseudonym Ko Toot through text messages on an encrypted application, where the media opted not to disclose his whereabouts, for his own safety. Hailing from an IT background, Ko Toot introduced his game, initially named The PDF Game, inspired by the People’s Defence Force that was formed in 2021, in the early months of 2022.
In this game, players assume the roles of PDF soldiers, based on real-life characters engaged in battles against military forces, embarking on missions reminiscent of real-life scenarios in Myanmar. The objective behind this was to generate financial resources for both weaponry and humanitarian assistance for PDFs and spread awareness surrounding the circumstances within the nation.
Speaking to BBC about his game, Ko Toot stated: “I don’t care what they say. They have already tried to stop this several times, but we will just keep going – there’s no way of stopping the digital strike.”
The earnings generated from the game are contributed to the PDFs
While the game can be downloaded at no cost, players are exposed to in-game advertisements, the revenue from which is utilized to generate funds. According to Ko Toot’s estimates, the cumulative earnings from these efforts have surpassed $508,000 (£403,000) at the very least. Ko Toot approximates the revenue to fall within the range of $70,000 to $80,000.
The earnings generated from War of Heroes – The PDF Game are channeled towards local PDFs, contributing to the procurement of essential resources such as food and weaponry for resistance factions in Myanmar. Furthermore, these funds support humanitarian efforts, including aid for children who have been displaced due to the conflict and individuals wounded while opposing the military.
After the game was removed from the App Store, even after renaming the title, it got reinstated after Ko Toot made amendments like the artwork and missions. It stands strong on the Google Play Store, where it has amassed 500K+ downloads currently. It is truly an amazing feat from Ko Toot, given his remarkable task of getting help from whatever means possible and using his IT background to ensure the best for his people.
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