A Taiwanese company is preparing to launch a new board game called 2045, which challenges players to respond to an all-out invasion from China.
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00:00Robot dogs, sci-fi villains, and secret military units.
00:05These are just some of the characters found in 2045, a new board game set in a possible
00:10near future.
00:12Although meant to be fun, the game's premise, China conducting a so-called special military
00:17operation against Taiwan, is deadly serious.
00:24Taiwan Plus was invited for an exclusive playtest with some key people from Miso Games, its
00:29designer ahead of its launch.
00:48Participants take turns playing out scenarios where China's military, those of the pieces
00:52in red, fight Taiwanese forces in green.
00:56There are also side missions where players have the option to support unification with
01:00China in return for points.
01:03Every player begins with a secret role, ranging from spy, to weapons dealer, to prominent
01:09public figures.
01:27The design team has worked hard on the game's visuals, with cards representing China's military
01:32based on real units.
01:57Crowdfunding for 2045 began in August, and with both the game and cross-strait tensions
02:03grabbing headlines, it's already raised over $120,000.
02:08As China continues to threaten Taiwan with invasion in order to bring it under its control,
02:13Chang says that this war game highlights what he views as a dark reality.
02:18everyone in Taiwan is on the same team.
02:48Despite the game giving players the option to sabotage each other to gain points, KJ
02:52says he's inspired by a common trait he's noticed amongst Taiwanese players.
03:15With the first batch set for release, the designers at Miso Games hope their project
03:20sparks awareness about the realities of war, offering a platform for discussion and a chance
03:26to learn about its harsh truths firsthand, all while allowing players to have a bit of
03:30fun.
03:32Luffy Lee and Jaime Okan in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.