In the backdrop of a potential Taiwan Strait conflict, the tabletop game “2045” will hit the market in Taiwan in January next year. Players can choose different roles, using their imagination to simulate the offense and defense scenarios during a cross-strait conflict. Several experts from Taiwan believe that apart from the profit motive for businesses, the game might also assist in boosting Taiwan’s anti-enemy resolve.
Developed by Taiwanese game developer “Mizo Games,” the new tabletop game “2045” is set against the backdrop of a large-scale invasion of Taiwan by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) twenty years in the future. Players can take on various roles and utilize colored action cards to strategize their battles and defense ten days before an imagined conflict erupts.
Players have the option to embody the invading CCP forces, defend Taiwan, act as CCP spies infiltrating Taiwan, or portray pro-CCP politicians within Taiwan itself. In the game, CCP spies and pro-CCP politicians in Taiwan seek to undermine Taiwan’s defense efforts while Taiwanese civilians take up arms to protect their homeland.
At a time when Taiwan’s military tensions and Chinese military pressure have escalated following the recent elections and provocations, the game’s release coincides with heightened military maneuvers in Taiwan’s vicinity by the CCP. With a record concentration of naval ships near Taiwan’s waters in nearly three decades, tensions continue to rise.
According to Reuters, the founder of Mizo Games, Zhang Shaolian, expressed his hope that players of the game would possess a desire for victory and contemplate strategies for triumph. One playtester of “2045” mentioned that through the game, they gained insights into the potential locations of CCP landings and attack points.
Following its launch in Taiwan in January next year, this new tabletop game is slated to enter the markets of the United States and Europe shortly thereafter.
Ou Xifu, the Director of the CCP Military Relations and Operational Concept Research Institute at the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Studies, shared with Dajiyuan that recent series like “Zero-Day Attack” and the introduction of games simulating a potential Taiwan Strait conflict could potentially contribute to raising awareness and inspiring a sense of patriotism among the Taiwanese people. However, he noted that the primary focus for developers remains profit-driven.
Zhong Zidong, an assistant researcher at the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Studies, stated that such war games reflect the current tense cross-strait relations but differ significantly from real combat scenarios. Since the termination of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and the US in 1979, military conflicts have decreased significantly, with the CCP then emphasizing concepts like peaceful reunification and “one country, two systems.” However, in recent years under Xi Jinping, military threats have intensified.
Games like these, along with survival scenarios, serve to create a sense of urgency within society, prompting individuals to be more vigilant and prepared, as the adage goes, “Born from anxiety, die in comfort.”
Shen Mingshi, Director of the National Security Department at the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Studies, believes that the creation of tabletop war games by private entities demonstrates the Taiwanese people’s heightened focus on the Taiwan Strait conflict and security. While the possibility of a CCP invasion of Taiwan in 2027 may have decreased due to China’s economic woes, military corruption, and potential US intervention in a Taiwan Strait crisis, the risk of conflict has not entirely diminished.
Hung Zijie, Deputy Researcher at the CCP Military Relations and Operational Concept Research Institute of the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Studies, mentioned that while businesses primarily aim to profit from such games, they can serve to enhance public awareness of national defense and remind Taiwanese citizens of the potential of future warfare. However, he believes that a direct CCP military invasion of Taiwan is currently unlikely.
Although Taiwan and mainland China share a common culture, they have been operating independently since 1949. The CCP has often engaged in propaganda efforts while using military intimidation, asserting that even if force is required, reunification of both sides must be achieved. Taiwanese officials are actively preparing for various scenarios in the Taiwan Strait, including potential conflicts with the mainland.
On December 26 this year, the Presidential Office of the Republic of China (Taiwan) convened its second “All-Society Defense Resilience Committee,” conducting its first tabletop military exercise. President Lai Ching-te stated that this exercise involved collaboration between central and local agencies, showcasing unity and cooperation to enhance societal resilience. With a scenario-based, unscripted approach, participating units were tasked with presenting strategies on the spot, aligning closely with real crisis responses.
According to Zhong Zidong, based on the 2024 report by the US Department of Defense regarding CCP military strength, the vulnerabilities within the CCP’s military capabilities mean they currently lack the ability to swiftly capture Taiwan. However, there is a surplus capability for harassing Taiwan’s outlying islands, requiring consideration of the potential scale of a military conflict.
Regarding the recent defense resilience exercise conducted by the Presidential Office of the Republic of China, Shen Mingshi believes that in the near term when CCP is unlikely to resort to military force against Taiwan, Taiwan must reinforce its defenses against various gray-zone actions conducted by the CCP, such as internal infiltration and sabotage. Additionally, Taiwan should prevent any damage to critical infrastructure vital to public welfare, avoiding societal unrest in the process. “Taiwan is working on enhancing its security while balancing economic development and is currently in progress.”