Update: TaleWorlds has replied to us and updated us on the situation. For the moment, they are thoroughly investigating these issues before taking any definitive action.
Original story continues below
Several Asian players are alleging that Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord bans are being handed out by a Chinese administrator for people who are violating Chinese law. These alleged violations include political speech such as "Free Hong Kong" and more innocuous (but equally banned) words like "coronavirus," and the allegations only get worse from there.
These allegations were made in two separate locations that we've found thus far. The first comes from TaleWorlds own forums in a topic that is now locked. This discussion opens by alleging that any "anti-PRC" (People's Republic of China) discussion should be reported, in regards to the East Asian servers, which are allegedly moderated by Chinese administrators, although it is not believed the servers are hosted in China.
One player is said to be reported simply for saying "Coronavirus". Other mentioned incidents include using the player name "#HongKong." Furthermore, some people are reporting that players are being banned without warning.
Similarly, a submission to the /r/MB2Bannerlord subreddit warns players not to "play with china", presumably meaning to avoid playing with Chinese players. This submission further alleges that admins have the right to ban people on official servers for violating Chinese law and that these bans will last until 2029.
The Reddit submission on the Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord bans notes that one player got banned for "inappropriate behavior" for having the name 国武汉共产党肺炎, which they say translates to "China Wuhan CCP virus." The OP claims that this ban authority is in force on all servers.
What is TaleWorlds Doing About These Alleged Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord Bans?
What is TaleWorlds doing about these alleged Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord bans in light of this new information? We don't have too much information just yet, but it looks like they're aware of the situation.
"[As far as I know,] the issue is something that the team is aware [of] and we'll probably get a proper statement soon," stated TaleWorlds section moderator IceNoVa on the game's official forums. "[Either way,] thank you for bringing this to attention."
We've reached out to TaleWorlds and will update this article when we receive a reply. If you don't yet already own this game, you can buy Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord on Steam or the Humble Store for $49.99 or your regional equivalent.
Read more about how the COVID-19 novel coronavirus is affecting the gaming world at our Coronavirus Gaming Convention Cancellations and Game Delays Hub.
Disclosure: Humble Bundle works with TechRaptor for affiliate partnership, and TechRaptor earns a small commission off purchases made from some links in this article.
What do you think of these alleged bans in Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord for violating Chinese law? Would this kind of moderation put you off from playing a game? Let us know in the comments below!
