Finland’s leading daily newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, has turned to Counter-Strike to bypass Russia’s media censorship amidst the ongoing Ukraine war.
The newspaper has created a map for the popular game which features a hidden room only accessible via the spectator camera. Inside the room are news stories written by Helsingin Sanomat, which players can access to learn more about Russia’s actions amidst the ongoing conflict.
The publication has built a map of a Slavic city devastated by war called “de_voyna”, which translates to “war,” a term outlawed in Russia. The map includes access to photos and videos of the war through the kill cam, which the publication claims ordinary Russians know little about. One of the stories in the map tells the tragic tale of a Russian man who found his family dead after a missile strike.
Helsingin Sanomat’s editor-in-chief, Antero Mukka, told GamesRadar+ that Russians have limited access to independent information about the invasion of Ukraine. However, the gaming world and gamers themselves are still unchecked, making Counter-Strike the perfect vehicle for delivering news.
The map can be downloaded as a Steam Community mod and added to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It is not known whether Russia is aware of the mod, but there is a possibility of action being taken against it or the game itself in an attempt to censor the news about the war.
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