They try to use this method to convey information.
Helsinki News, an influential print media outlet in Finland, has been publishing opposition to Putin's regime since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war last year, and has even set up a dedicated news website to report the "truth about the war."
It is expected that such media will naturally be banned in Russia, and Russians will not be able to directly browse the information published by the Helsinki News, whether it is print content or websites.
But recently, the outlet has gone the other way to try to convey ideas to the Russian people through game maps, with CS:GO.
In the CS:GO Workshop on the Steam platform, a player-made map called "de_voyna" was launched on May 1, which is suitable for many modes of the game, and received a large number of player subscriptions and rewards in just a few days:
de_voyna means "war" in Russian, but in Russia the word is banned to describe news about the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and in the introduction to this map, the author writes in English and Russian: "On the surface, it looks like an ordinary Slavic city, but there may be something hidden underneath." ”
As introduced, this map is designed in the style of ordinary Eastern European architecture, which is not characteristic before, but if the player uses the cheat code to pass through a locked iron door, they will find a room that emits a strange red light:
This room has nothing to do with gameplay, the walls and tables are filled with Russian-Ukrainian war materials from newspapers, from relevant photos, casualties to newspaper articles, if a player in Russia downloads this map, it is possible to learn through the room that would otherwise not be accessible.
Although the map's author has not been identified, the editor-in-chief of Helsinki News has admitted that the Chamber of Secrets was commissioned by himself. Antero Mukka, editor-in-chief of the newspaper, said that the room was made because "Russians have little access to real information about the war in Ukraine," but that "the gaming circle and the players themselves are not bound by the state." ”
The room is furnished with photos and maps
Indeed, as the editor-in-chief said, the map still exists and is freely available for download, and no Russian agency has expressed an opinion on the matter.