Google Removes Hizbullah Computer Game "Holy Defense" from App Store, Developers Say Removal Is Politically Motivated

On February 19, 2019, Al-Manar TV (Lebanon) aired a report about Google’s removal of the Hizbullah video game “Holy Defense” from its app store. The game, which is “aimed at simulating the heroic acts of the mujahideen of the Islamic resistance against the takfiri movement in Lebanon and in Syria,” was reportedly removed without a warning or explanation to the publishers. Muhammad Kasrawani from “Holy Defense” media relations said in the report that Google has many inferior games in its store that are more violent and that contain inappropriate subliminal messages. He claimed that the game must have been removed for political reasons as a result of complaints from an influential group or person that wanted to stop the game. The game was released approximately one year ago. For more about “Holy Defense,” see MEMRI TV Clip No. 6454.

Anchor: Google has removed the game "Holy Defense" from its store for political reasons.

Reporter: Time and again, the Google store is taking on a game. It removed from its Play Store the game "Holy Defense," which documents the fight against terror in Syria, without any warning, explanation, or message to the publishers.

Muhammad Kasrawani: Google wants to have as many games as possible. The technical aspects of the game – particularly the violent ones, according to some of the complaints – are not like those of other games. We see on Google games that are less technically advanced, that have inferior graphics, and that are more violent, and they often contain [subliminal] messages that are not appropriate for the age of the players. The removal of "Holy Defense" from Google is for purely political reasons. It is the result of complaints from certain groups or an influential person that want to stop this game.