任天堂的《集合啦！動物森友會》（Animal Crossing: New Horizons）在中國大陸主要電商平台遭到禁售與下架，並非單一原因造成，而是制度性問題與突發政治爭議相互疊加的結果。這起事件也成為中國遊戲監管環境與玩家文化之間衝突的代表案例之一。

從制度層面來看，《集合啦！動物森友會》本身屬於未經中國官方審批的境外電子遊戲產品，並未取得中國所謂的「遊戲版號」。依照中國現行法規，所有在境內公開販售的遊戲，不論是手機、PC或主機平台，都必須通過內容審查並取得批准後才能合法上架。因此，該作自2020年全球發售以來，在中國大陸的電商平台銷售，實際上一直處於灰色甚至違規狀態，只是長期以來監管並未嚴格執行，平台與商家也選擇低調處理。

真正促使情勢急轉直下的關鍵，在於隨後爆發的政治敏感內容爭議。《動物森友會》以高度自由著稱，玩家可以自行設計服裝、旗幟、標語與島嶼佈置，這種創作自由在多數市場被視為遊戲魅力的一部分，但在高度審查的環境中卻存在風險。部分玩家利用這套系統，在遊戲內製作諷刺或惡搞中國領導人習近平的圖樣，甚至展示支持香港反修例運動與抗議活動的標語，例如「光復香港 時代革命」。這些畫面被截圖後迅速在社交平台與海外社群流傳，引發輿論擴散。

隨著相關圖片在網路上廣泛傳播，中國主管部門開始注意到該遊戲可能成為政治表達的載體，並向電商平台發出警示與壓力。在此情況下，各大電商為了規避風險，迅速將《集合啦！動物森友會》全面下架，相關搜尋結果與商品頁面也被清空。這次行動並未伴隨公開的官方公告，但在實務上已形成事實上的禁售。

這起事件同時也凸顯中國遊戲審查制度的核心邏輯。監管單位不僅關注遊戲原始內容是否合規，也會評估玩家能否在遊戲系統中「二次創作」出政治或意識形態相關的表達。一旦被認定存在不可控風險，即便遊戲本身並非以政治為主題，也可能被迅速處理甚至全面封禁。對於像《動物森友會》這類沙盒型、社交導向、創作自由度極高的作品而言，這種風險尤其明顯。

儘管如此，遊戲在中國大陸的實際玩家基礎並未因此消失。許多玩家仍然透過非官方途徑取得遊戲，包括購買海外版本的實體卡帶，或使用香港、日本等地區的Nintendo eShop帳號下載數位版。為了避開關鍵字審查與搜尋封鎖，玩家社群還發展出各種替代稱呼，例如以戲稱方式將遊戲稱為「猛男撿樹枝」，用以在社交平台與論壇中討論遊戲內容與交流心得。

整體而言，《集合啦！動物森友會》在中國大陸遭下架，不只是一次單純的商品移除事件，而是反映出全球化遊戲設計理念，與高度管控的本地監管體系之間的深層衝突。這款原本以溫和、療癒與日常生活為賣點的作品，最終卻因玩家創作自由而觸及政治紅線，成為中國遊戲市場中一個極具象徵意義的案例，也讓外界更清楚地看見制度、平台與玩家三者之間的緊張關係。

Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been banned from sale and removed from major e-commerce platforms in mainland China. This outcome was not caused by a single factor, but rather by a combination of regulatory issues and subsequent political sensitivity controversies. The incident has since become one of the most representative cases illustrating the tension between China’s game regulatory environment and player-driven creative culture.

From a regulatory perspective, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was never officially approved for release in mainland China. As an imported foreign video game, it did not obtain a government-issued publishing license, commonly referred to as a “game approval number.” Under China’s existing regulations, all games sold publicly within the country—whether on mobile devices, PCs, or home consoles—must pass content review and receive official approval before they can be legally distributed. As a result, sales of the game on mainland e-commerce platforms since its global launch in 2020 had technically existed in a legal gray area, if not outright violation. For a considerable period, however, enforcement was relatively lax, and platforms and sellers maintained a low-profile approach that allowed the game to remain available.

The situation changed dramatically following the emergence of political sensitivity controversies. One of Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ defining features is its exceptionally high degree of creative freedom. Players can design clothing, flags, slogans, and island layouts, a feature that is widely celebrated in most markets but poses inherent risks in a tightly regulated environment. Some players used these customization tools to create satirical or mocking content targeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping, as well as imagery and slogans expressing support for the Hong Kong protest movement, including phrases such as “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times.” Screenshots of these in-game creations quickly spread across social media platforms and overseas communities, amplifying their visibility.

As these images circulated widely online, Chinese authorities began to view the game as a potential vehicle for political expression and issued warnings or pressure to domestic e-commerce platforms. In response, major platforms moved swiftly to remove Animal Crossing: New Horizons from sale in order to mitigate regulatory risk. Product listings and related search results were erased, effectively resulting in a de facto nationwide ban. Notably, this action was not accompanied by a formal public announcement, but in practice it amounted to a comprehensive takedown.

The incident also highlighted the core logic of China’s game censorship system. Regulators do not evaluate games solely based on their original, developer-created content, but also consider whether players can use in-game systems to generate secondary content that touches on political or ideological issues. Once a game is deemed to carry uncontrollable risks, it may be swiftly restricted or removed, even if it is not inherently political in nature. Sandbox-style and socially driven games like Animal Crossing, which emphasize creativity and user-generated content, are particularly vulnerable under this framework.

Despite its removal from official platforms, the game’s player base in mainland China did not disappear. Many players continued to access the game through unofficial channels, such as purchasing imported physical cartridges or downloading the digital version via overseas Nintendo eShop accounts in regions like Hong Kong or Japan. To avoid keyword filtering and censorship on social media and forums, players also adopted coded or humorous alternative names for the game, most famously referring to it as “Manly Men Picking Up Sticks,” allowing discussions and information sharing to persist under the radar.

In a broader sense, the removal of Animal Crossing: New Horizons from mainland Chinese e-commerce platforms was not merely a commercial or technical decision. It reflected a deeper structural conflict between globally oriented game design philosophies that emphasize freedom and player expression, and a highly controlled domestic regulatory system. A title originally celebrated for its warmth, relaxation, and everyday charm ultimately crossed political red lines through player-created content, becoming a highly symbolic case in China’s gaming landscape and offering a clearer view of the ongoing tension among regulatory authorities, digital platforms, and player communities.