Oddity, Redux

Yesterday I noted that a cell phone service provider in China has started a service to allow subscribers to download pictures of military weapons and war movie clips to their cell phones. Today come this little item. It seems that there is a new smash hit internet game in China. Players get to torture and kill corrupt public officials, at least virtually.

"Incorruptible Fighter", developed by the government of east China's Zhejiang province, was launched just over a week ago and is already so popular that it is being redesigned to accommodate more players, the China Daily said.

"I feel a great sense of achievement when I punish lots of evil officials," one gamer surnamed Sun was quoted as saying.

The game, which lets players get ahead by killing officials by means of "weapons, magic or torture," has been downloaded more than 100,000 times, the Southern Metropolitan Daily said.

The different game scenarios are based on well-known incidents taken from Chinese history, but the parallels in modern China of people struggling against seemingly insurmountable corruption are clear.

In order to advance to a new level, the player must enter into an "Anti-Corruption College" to be lectured in more detail about ancient cases, the Southeast Business newspaper said.

Hmmm. What does this all mean? I have no idea. It seems rather odd, though.