Online Games Turn Delhi Protests Into Interactive Simulations

Several free online games are turning recent demonstrations in Delhi into interactive simulations, allowing players to take the role of protesters or police and recreate attempts to reach Jantar Mantar. The games draw on protest scenes and political developments, but their mechanics present them as satirical entertainment rather than accounts of the demonstrations’ underlying allegations. The most detailed of the games, Jantar Mantar Chalo, was created by Suraj Kushwah, a 27-year-old Bareilly resident who works in the technology sector. Players can choose to be protesters, gathering people and marching toward Jantar Mantar, or Delhi Police personnel, trying to detain demonstrators. Tear gas slows protesters, while water cannons and other obstacles complicate their progress. Kushwah said he developed the game in about a day and a half after watching news coverage, using artificial intelligence and his knowledge of gaming. He said around 2,000 people played simultaneously on one day, while an average of 500 logged in regularly. Those figures describe a reported peak and a regular average, respectively. Kushwah said he was considering further updates as the game attracted...