Popular PC storefront Steam[1] is inaccessible in Malaysia following its government blocking the service. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has blocked Steam for users in the country following the discovery of Fight of Gods - a fighting game where the likes of Buddha and Jesus square off against each other in hand-to-hand combat.
It features deities like Odin, Amaterasu, and Moses. The recent additions of Gautama Buddha and Jesus that have caught the attention of Malaysian religious bodies.
Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism deputy president Datuk R.S. Mohan Shan said[2] the game degrades religions and their religious leaders.
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“This is a very sensitive issue, and it is totally not acceptable. We can never agree to such games. The government must take immediate action to ban the game’s sale here,” he said.
“It is also unhealthy for children as they may idolise certain characters in the game they deem them to be more powerful due to the number of victories they score with that character.”
Fight of Gods is being developed by Taiwanese developer Digital Crafter who is currently soliciting feedback from the Steam community as to which gods to add to its roster in future updates. At the moment, barring Buddha - who is seen as an avatar[4] of Lord Vishnu in Hinduism, no gods from Hinduism are in the game at the moment.
“Your prayers have been answered! For the first time ever, gods, holy spirits and mythological characters from around the globe and throughout history will clash in an explosive 2D fighter where the entire world is at stake,”...