“Run, Hasina, Run”: The game taking over social media

It’s hard to forget the internet shutdown during the student protests in July and August, which left the entire country offline. 

Many people who hadn’t downloaded offline games found themselves turning to the classic Google Chrome Dinosaur game to pass the time.

Now, in a twist on that iconic game, a new satirical game has hit the scene, featuring a well-known political figure from Bangladesh as the main character. 

The twist? The opponent is a Nobel laureate, holding a thorn, ready to strike!

The game, titled "Run, Hasina, Run," took social media by storm, attracting over 340,000 players within just a few hours of its release.

 Created by Tasrif Bin Mizan, a student from Daffodil International University’s Multimedia and Creative Technology Department, the game has quickly gained attention.

Tasrif explained that he was experimenting with a new game engine when he came up with the idea for a political satire game. 

He said, “If you make a game about political figures, it will never be commercially successful. I made it primarily for fun, but I knew it had enough elements to spread on social media.” In just 8 to 10 hours, "Run, Hasina, Run" was ready for the world to play.

In the game, players control the character of Sheikh Hasina, guiding her as she avoids attacks from an opponent holding a thorn. 

As the game begins, a voice clip of Sheikh Hasina recites a line from a Rabindranath Tagore poem: “I am destitute, I am empty, I have nothing to give; I only have love, which I offer.” 

Along the way, players must collect special coins featuring the image of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Meanwhile, in the background, the Indian flag flies as Hasina races after Narendra Modi, with Yunus (the opponent) standing in her way, threatening her with a thorn.

The real fun of the game, however, comes when players lose. If they trip while running or collecting coins, they’ll hear a familiar line: “What crime have I committed?”

Within hours of its release, the game became a viral hit. With over 340,000 players, the game quickly sparked debate. 

Some see it as a harmless piece of satire, while others feel it is disrespectful.

Since the game’s release, Tasrif has been bombarded with threats, with some saying they will shut down his social media accounts and others threatening to hack the game’s website. 

However, Tasrif remains unfazed, explaining that he knew the game would go viral. He said, “I anticipated something like this would happen. It was inevitable.”

Despite the controversy, Tasrif is already thinking about his next project. 

He is considering creating a new game where players take on a new role instead of just having Hasina run. 

Tasrif believes the game isn’t intended as a message of hostility but as a reflection of the political frustration and disillusionment in Bangladesh.

“I think this kind of game will continue to be popular because it reflects the current political climate,” he added. 

The game has already raised $26 (approximately 3,147 Taka) in support, which might inspire Tasrif to pursue even bigger projects in the future.

When asked whether he plans to create more such games, Tasrif mentioned that many people have suggested new ideas, like including counterattacks in the game. 

For now, however, he wants to focus on creating more traditional games for platforms like Steam and Nintendo Switch.

“Going viral and getting social media engagement won’t help my career. My focus is to work in the mainstream gaming market,” he concluded.

Source: The Business Standard