Ko Toot, a Myanmar-based IT professional, along with two Burmese developers, created a popular mobile game based on Myanmar’s “real events” while earning money for the anti-military movement. The Anti-Military Resistance Movement in Myanmar, which has been in the news since 2021 as a response to the military taking control, is not brand-new information. These initiatives are not new, and other forms of opposition were also used. Some might find it unbelievable, but a mobile game can help achieve the movement’s goals.
After the coup, Myanmar was nearly completely into a civil war. Since then, the military has executed more than 4,000 individuals, according to the Assistance Association losses, but for Political Prisoners monitoring group. The death toll is “likely to be far higher,” according to the UN. It is difficult to estimate soldier casualties; the military has acknowledged losses but has not provided a number. The BBC did not independently confirm the exiled National Unity Government’s claim that the resistance has murdered 20,000 troops.
The people who started this revolt texted the BBC under the name Ko Toot using an encrypted messaging app. Ko Toot, who has an IT background, released his game in the first few months of 2022. It was first called “The PDF Game” and was based on the People’s Defence Force established in 2021.
Players of this game take on the roles of PDF soldiers based on individuals who have engaged in actual combat with military opponents while on missions that have taken place in Myanmar. This was done to raise money for both armament and humanitarian aid for the PDFs as well as to raise awareness of the situation in the country.
Players were exposed to in-game adverts even though the game is free to download; the money made from these advertisements was used to support the game’s development. Ko Toot mentioned that the total proceeds from these initiatives have at least topped $508,000 (£403,000). Ko Toot estimated that the income will be in the $70,000–$80,000 range. The money made by War of Heroes – The PDF Game goes to regional PDFs, aiding with the purchase of basic supplies like food and weapons for Myanmar’s resistance groups. Additionally, these donations assisted humanitarian initiatives, such as aid for kids who have been uprooted by the fighting and people hurt while resisting the troops.
Even after changing the game’s name, the App Store later restored it when Ko Toot made changes to the objectives and artwork. It maintains its strength in the Google Play Store, where it now has 500K+ downloads. Given his extraordinary duty of obtaining assistance via every means available and utilizing his IT knowledge to ensure the greatest for his folks, Ko Toot’s achievement is genuinely outstanding.
About the Author
Hi everyone! My name’s Elyonai Kristina Fanes, but in short you can call me Ely. Currently I am a writer at ASEAN Youth Organization – AYO Post. Actually, my hobbies are playing music, listening to music, and writing. I love to join music concerts and perform violin in front of many people.