Animal Crossing player creates banners and merch for PAP, SDP and WP to use for rallies in-game

Electioneering during the Covid-19 pandemic will prove to be quite a toughie for Singapore's political parties and candidates. 

With large group gatherings prohibited under prevailing public health guidelines, the typical rallies of yore will have to take place on screens, with all the usual bluster, thundering cheers and chants of massive crowds cut out of the equation. 

Fortunately, all candidates will be given extra airtime on TV to broadcast their messages, because as we’ve seen from a recent case, not everyone can get their livestream setups working properly. 

For our money though, the best way to reach out to the youth these days is through video games. And by video games, we’re talking about Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the choice Nintendo title that has taken the world by storm while everyone’s stuck at home. 

They don’t even have to figure out how to befriend Isabelle and co — Reuters journalist Ng Yi Shu already took the trouble of creating digital banners and party merchandise in the game. In jest (or perhaps not), Ng has even offered to rent out useable assets such as backdrops, t-shirts, mugs and booths that already have custom party logos slapped on them. 

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/yishun93/posts/10213941024198931[/embed]

The Workers’ Party has taken notice, sharing Ng’s creation on its Facebook page yesterday (June 19).

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/workersparty/posts/3597383453611545[/embed]

Heartened by the attention, Ng did up a couple more custom designs on Animal Crossing, creating virtual designs for the Workers’ Party, People’s Action Party, and the Singapore Democratic Party. Fit for any villager wanting to hold press conferences and rallies on their own islands to rage against the predatory lending practices of Tom Nook. 

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/yishun93/posts/10213941826738994[/embed]

In lieu of turnips, Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh has called for support and donations as he strengthened his spirit to keep the fight going as the leader of an opposition party. 

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/pritam.eunos/posts/3217526474936310[/embed]

ilyas@asiaone.com