TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hong Kong police issued a warning this week telling people not to download a Taiwanese smartphone game because it promotes Hong Kong and Taiwan independence. 

The game, Reversed Front: Bonfire, was developed by ESC Taiwan and allows players to build a regional alliance to overthrow the Chinese Communist Party in a quasi-fantasy setting. By declaring the game illegal, Hong Kong authorities inadvertently drew attention to the app, causing online searches and downloads to increase, reported Hong Kong Free Press. 

In their June 10 announcement, the National Security Department in Hong Kong said those who have downloaded it should “uninstall it immediately” or risk being arrested for breaking the law. They also warned the public of promoting the game by making in-app purchases or sharing images or videos of gameplay online.

The police warned that even recommending the game to others might constitute “incitement to secession” and “incitement to subversion” under Hong Kong’s National Security Law. The app was removed from Apple’s App Store on Wednesday morning. 

Before its removal, Reversed Front: Bonfire was the most downloaded app on the Hong Kong App Store, according to the game’s developers. HKFP quoted one netizen saying, “Thanks to the government, now I know there is such a game.”

Google reportedly removed the game from the Play Store in May, likely under Chinese pressure, for allegedly failing to restrict hate speech among app users, reported HKFP.  In the 24 hours after Hong Kong police issued the statement, Google searches for the game increased 1,000%, making it the most searched topic in Hong Kong on Wednesday. 

Reversed Front is still available for download outside of Hong Kong and China, with versions available in Mandarin (traditional and simplified), Japanese, and English.