Ghost of Tsushima’s Mongol invaders spark nationalist debate over PlayStation 4 game in China
- New exclusive title for Sony’s PlayStation 4 depicts Japanese warriors defending against Mongol invaders in the 13th century
- Chinese gamers debate whether the portrayal of the Mongol Empire is disrespectful to China
In Ghost of Tsushima, the Mongols are the bad guys.
That may seem like a harmless premise for an action game set in the 13th century, but it has kicked off a lively online debate that pitches Chinese nationalists against supporters of Sony’s new PlayStation 4 title.
Taking place during the first Mongol invasion of Japan, the game portrays Japanese warriors as heroes defending their home, the island of Tsushima, against ruthless foreign invaders.
Gamers play the role of Jin Sakai, a lone samurai who moves through Mongol forces like a mysterious ghost, hunting them from the shadows or engaging in face-to-face combat to liberate his home.
While this conflict takes place far from China, the Mongols were also major players in a turbulent period in Chinese history.
At the time, the Mongols were already in control of northern China. They eventually became the first ethnic group other than Han Chinese to take over the entire country for nearly a century.