Counter Strike is being used to inform about the conflict in Ukraine thanks to a map that has been created using real images and recordings.
The War in Ukraine continues to offer completely bleak scenes. The last few months have been especially complicated, the information is becoming increasingly less reliable and anyone living in Russia cannot access what is happening in this conflict, or at least that is what was believed since Counter Strike has come into play.
Yes, this shooter that has accompanied several generations of people is absurdly popular in Russia. This has been the reason why it has been chosen to serve as a means of information about what is happening in Ukraine. Yes, they are using the Valve game to inform Russian citizens of the war.
The measure was born from the hand of the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat which, due to the World Day of the Freedom of Prey, decided to launch a map within Counter Strike called “_voyna”. This map shows what has happened in Ukraine and, in fact, it is so crude that it integrates images, recordings and different elements of the reality of Ukraine.
This map is made so that the Russian population has an overview of what is happening, the meaning of the war and, above all, to have a small window on the disaster that is occurring in Ukraine. In fact, so much effort has been made at a visual level that what happened has been recreated too realistically.
Get informed through Counter Strike: this is how the map that shows the war in Ukraine works
The use of video games to report on events in a country where traditional press freedoms are restricted is a new and potentially controversial development. But it is completely interesting to see that, even with prohibited means, there is always a way to inform.
The fact that gamers are using a video game to learn about a real-world conflict highlights the importance of understanding the role technology plays in shaping our perceptions of the world. It will be necessary to see if, now that the information has come to light, the Russian government also blocks this means of information.
For the moment, the map is still active and players who wish can access it to play games with their friends and also find out about the situation in Ukraine. Leaving this aside, we hope that the conflict ends as soon as possible so that the situation ceases to be what it is.
