Africana55 Radio 
English
Afrikaans
Albanian
Amharic
Arabic
Armenian
Azerbaijani
Basque
Belarusian
Bengali
Bosnian
Bulgarian
Catalan
Cebuano
Chichewa
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Corsican
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
Esperanto
Estonian
Filipino
Finnish
French
Frisian
Galician
Georgian
German
Greek
Gujarati
Haitian Creole
Hausa
Hawaiian
Hebrew
Hindi
Hmong
Hungarian
Icelandic
Igbo
Indonesian
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Javanese
Kannada
Kazakh
Khmer
Korean
Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Kyrgyz
Lao
Latin
Latvian
Lithuanian
Luxembourgish
Macedonian
Malagasy
Malay
Malayalam
Maltese
Maori
Marathi
Mongolian
Myanmar (Burmese)
Nepali
Norwegian
Pashto
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Romanian
Russian
Samoan
Scottish Gaelic
Serbian
Sesotho
Shona
Sindhi
Sinhala
Slovak
Slovenian
Somali
Spanish
Sudanese
Swahili
Swedish
Tajik
Tamil
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
Urdu
Uzbek
Vietnamese
Welsh
Xhosa
Yiddish
Yoruba
Zulu
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
The World Health Organisation has urged the world to stay at home and play video games.
The UN agency, which is helping lead the fight against coronavirus across the world, joined up with developers to urge people to stay indoors and play together online, rather than in real life.
The move is part of an attempt to encourage people not to spread the virus and help limit the impact of covid-19.
It comes after the WHO named "gaming disorder" as a specific disease, in a decision that caused some upset to some gamers. It warned then that while the disorder only affects a small number of gamers, everyone "should be alert to the amount of time they spend on gaming activities", especially if it was happening to the exclusion of other activities.
Now Raymond Chambers, the WHO's ambassador for global strategy, said that games could be an important way for people to follow public health guidelines. He also thanked the gaming industry for their part in the new project.
"The games sector will launch #PlayApartTogether, an initiative to inform and encourage their vast network of users to follow the WHO's important health guidelines-including physical distancing, hand hygiene and other powerful preventive actions to slow the spread of COVID-19," he said. "Through this unifying hashtag, companies will encourage conversation within their games and on social media."
The initiative has been supported by companies from across the gaming industry, which together represent many of the world's biggest games.
“It’s never been more critical to ensure people stay safely connected to one another," said Activision's chief executive, Bobby Kotick. "Games are the perfect platform because they connect people through the lens of joy, purpose and meaning. We are proud to participate in such a worthwhile and necessary initiative.”
Created with Sketch.
Created with Sketch.
1/20 Death Race (1976)
One of the earliest games to cause a stir for its violent content, this black-and-white arcade game saw players score points by running over crudely-rendered pedestrians.
Exidy
2/20 Custer's Revenge (1982)
This infamously horrible Atari 2600 game was criticised for its depiction of sexual violence and racism, with the gameplay focusing on the rape of a Native American woman.
Mystique
3/20 Mortal Kombat (1992)
Although it was praised for its slick fighting gameplay, Mortal Kombat scandalised the general public in 1992 with its excessively gruesome violence. The game was directly responsible for the introduction of an age-rating system for video games.
Midway
4/20 Night Trap (1992)
In Night Trap, players had to protect teenage girls from sexual violence using a series of traps. Blending live-action film footage and interactive game elements, the game was pulled from shelves by publishers Sega, after people objected to its tawdry B-movie sexism.
Sega
5/20 Doom (1993)
Seminal shooting game Doom made headlines when it was released because of its gory violence and hellish imagery. It is now considered one of the most important video games of all time.
List
6/20 Grand Theft Auto (1997)
The game that launched a multi-billion pound franchise, Grand Theft Auto attracted controversy in Europe when it was released for its cavalier attitude to crime and violence. Looking back, the original game now looks rather tame compared to any of the series' more recent releases.
BMG Interactive
7/20 Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
Released on 22 October 2001, this lauded but controversial sequel underwent significant revisions after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The adjusted version still had plenty of edge, however, and ramped up the violence and excess seen in the previous Grand Theft Auto releases.
Rockstar Games
8/20 Ethnic Cleansing (2002)
Created by the US white supremacist organisation National Alliance, this despicable FPS let players control a member of the Ku Klux Klan and commit a spree of racially motivated murders.
Resistance Records
9/20 Postal 2 (2003)
In 1997, schlocky PC game Postal courted scandal with its over-the-top violence and obnoxious tastelessness. This sequel was even more outrageous, and was slated by reviewers for its cheap, amateurish quality.
Running With Scissors
10/20 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
One of the most infamous scandals in video game history concerns San Andreas' so-called "Hot Coffee" mod. Embedded in the game's original code and accessed by curious-minded modders, "Hot Coffee" consisted of a fully animated, (and quite explicit) sex-based minigame in which the player gets intimate with one of several female NPCs.
Rockstar Games
11/20 Bully (2006)
Made by the creators of Grand Theft Auto, this schoolyard simulator was showered with critical praise – but was condemned in the build-up to its release for its apparent endorsement of bullying.
Rockstar Games
12/20 Manhunt 2 (2007)
Before it was even released, Manhunt 2 was (erroneously) cited as a factor in a real-life murder case. The very violent game was denied a rating by the BBFC and was made to undergo substantial cuts before it could secure a British release.
Rockstar Games
13/20 Bioshock (2007)
A landmark in video games, underwater sci-fi shooter Bioshock was still controversial when it was released, largely due to the gameplay aspect that let players murder beings that resembled young children – called the "little sisters" – to gain power-ups.
2K Games
14/20 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
Still shocking to this day, Modern Warfare 2 opens with a deeply upsetting sequence where the player massacres dozens of civilians at a Russian airport. After a public outcry, the game was amended to give players the option to skip the tasteless sequence altogether.
Activision
15/20 MadWorld (2009)
Released on the Nintendo Wii, a console mostly sold to families and children, this cartoonishly violent hack and slash game stuck out like a sore (severed) thumb. Its reception was mixed, but many were shocked at the gratuitousness of the violence on show.
Sega
16/20 Bulletstorm (2011)
With a puerile sense of humour and a penchant for extreme violence, first-person shooter Bulletstorm seemed almost custom-designed to generate outrage. Fox News duly took the bait and started a contentious debate over the game's dubious moral influence.
Electronic Arts
17/20 South Park: The Stick of Truth (2014)
True to the TV series' provocative spirit, this South Park game adaptation featured a sequence containing anal probing and an abortion, which was removed from the European release altogether.
Ubisoft
18/20 No Man's Sky (2016)
Synonymous with the idea of 'false advertising' in gaming, No Man's Sky sparked a furious response on its release, as it failed to deliver many of the exciting features early trailers had promised. Subsequent updates have greatly improved the game, but the widely publicised damage to its reputation was already done.
Hello Games
19/20 Pokémon Go (2016)
This augmented reality mobile game was briefly a worldwide sensation, but it attracted considerable backlash when it was reported that the game's geo-positioning technology was being used by creative-minded criminals to orchestrate real-world muggings.
The Pokémon Company
20/20 Rape Day (2019)
Reviled for its grotesque depiction – and apparent promotion – of sexual assaults, this game was removed from game distribution platform Steam, in a break from Valve's company policy, after mass public outrage.
Desk Plant
1/20 Death Race (1976)
One of the earliest games to cause a stir for its violent content, this black-and-white arcade game saw players score points by running over crudely-rendered pedestrians.
Exidy
2/20 Custer's Revenge (1982)
This infamously horrible Atari 2600 game was criticised for its depiction of sexual violence and racism, with the gameplay focusing on the rape of a Native American woman.
Mystique
3/20 Mortal Kombat (1992)
Although it was praised for its slick fighting gameplay, Mortal Kombat scandalised the general public in 1992 with its excessively gruesome violence. The game was directly responsible for the introduction of an age-rating system for video games.
Midway
4/20 Night Trap (1992)
In Night Trap, players had to protect teenage girls from sexual violence using a series of traps. Blending live-action film footage and interactive game elements, the game was pulled from shelves by publishers Sega, after people objected to its tawdry B-movie sexism.
Sega
5/20 Doom (1993)
Seminal shooting game Doom made headlines when it was released because of its gory violence and hellish imagery. It is now considered one of the most important video games of all time.
List
6/20 Grand Theft Auto (1997)
The game that launched a multi-billion pound franchise, Grand Theft Auto attracted controversy in Europe when it was released for its cavalier attitude to crime and violence. Looking back, the original game now looks rather tame compared to any of the series' more recent releases.
BMG Interactive
7/20 Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
Released on 22 October 2001, this lauded but controversial sequel underwent significant revisions after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The adjusted version still had plenty of edge, however, and ramped up the violence and excess seen in the previous Grand Theft Auto releases.
Rockstar Games
8/20 Ethnic Cleansing (2002)
Created by the US white supremacist organisation National Alliance, this despicable FPS let players control a member of the Ku Klux Klan and commit a spree of racially motivated murders.
Resistance Records
9/20 Postal 2 (2003)
In 1997, schlocky PC game Postal courted scandal with its over-the-top violence and obnoxious tastelessness. This sequel was even more outrageous, and was slated by reviewers for its cheap, amateurish quality.
Running With Scissors
10/20 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
One of the most infamous scandals in video game history concerns San Andreas' so-called "Hot Coffee" mod. Embedded in the game's original code and accessed by curious-minded modders, "Hot Coffee" consisted of a fully animated, (and quite explicit) sex-based minigame in which the player gets intimate with one of several female NPCs.
Rockstar Games
11/20 Bully (2006)
Made by the creators of Grand Theft Auto, this schoolyard simulator was showered with critical praise – but was condemned in the build-up to its release for its apparent endorsement of bullying.
Rockstar Games
12/20 Manhunt 2 (2007)
Before it was even released, Manhunt 2 was (erroneously) cited as a factor in a real-life murder case. The very violent game was denied a rating by the BBFC and was made to undergo substantial cuts before it could secure a British release.
Rockstar Games
13/20 Bioshock (2007)
A landmark in video games, underwater sci-fi shooter Bioshock was still controversial when it was released, largely due to the gameplay aspect that let players murder beings that resembled young children – called the "little sisters" – to gain power-ups.
2K Games
14/20 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
Still shocking to this day, Modern Warfare 2 opens with a deeply upsetting sequence where the player massacres dozens of civilians at a Russian airport. After a public outcry, the game was amended to give players the option to skip the tasteless sequence altogether.
Activision
15/20 MadWorld (2009)
Released on the Nintendo Wii, a console mostly sold to families and children, this cartoonishly violent hack and slash game stuck out like a sore (severed) thumb. Its reception was mixed, but many were shocked at the gratuitousness of the violence on show.
Sega
16/20 Bulletstorm (2011)
With a puerile sense of humour and a penchant for extreme violence, first-person shooter Bulletstorm seemed almost custom-designed to generate outrage. Fox News duly took the bait and started a contentious debate over the game's dubious moral influence.
Electronic Arts
17/20 South Park: The Stick of Truth (2014)
True to the TV series' provocative spirit, this South Park game adaptation featured a sequence containing anal probing and an abortion, which was removed from the European release altogether.
Ubisoft
18/20 No Man's Sky (2016)
Synonymous with the idea of 'false advertising' in gaming, No Man's Sky sparked a furious response on its release, as it failed to deliver many of the exciting features early trailers had promised. Subsequent updates have greatly improved the game, but the widely publicised damage to its reputation was already done.
Hello Games
19/20 Pokémon Go (2016)
This augmented reality mobile game was briefly a worldwide sensation, but it attracted considerable backlash when it was reported that the game's geo-positioning technology was being used by creative-minded criminals to orchestrate real-world muggings.
The Pokémon Company
20/20 Rape Day (2019)
Reviled for its grotesque depiction – and apparent promotion – of sexual assaults, this game was removed from game distribution platform Steam, in a break from Valve's company policy, after mass public outrage.
Desk Plant
The companies have committed to integrate the messaging into their games, as well as to run special events online. Those will be collected under the #PlayApartTogether hashtag, the WHO said.