Revolting Video Game Becomes Viral Hit in Serbia

People in Nis in southern Serbia took to the streets at the end of June after the local authorities almost doubled the price of central heating.

They gathered in front of the city hall, demanding that the authorities lower the price of central heating, or take their apartments off the city's central heating grid.

Now a programmer called Dragan Ilic from Nis has created a video game based on the protest, named "Civil revolt", which has attracted thousand of video game fans.

Launched on July 1 on the internet (http://shareserbia.com/ostavka/), the online game features a character trying to brake radiators in his apartment with a hammer. It begins with the message:"Civil revolt! We will not allow the parties to be financed with our money."

More than 60,000 people have already played the game in the first two days since it was launched, Ilic told BIRN, adding that the game is as simple as the message.

"I wanted to show that the citizens can make a difference, and can make some changes if they are strong and unite.

"I believe citizens can take their destiny into their own hands and fight for their rights. We started with that in Nis, now we want the whole Serbia to hear us," Ilic said. "This was my attempt to show that something positive is going on in Nis," he concluded.

At the end of the game, when the all radiators are broken, there is another message - that mayor of Nis Zoran Perisic should resign as soon as possible.

The Nis authorities say they are not to blame for the prices and for people's anger.

Deputy mayor Ljubivoje Slavkovic said on July 2 that heating plant officials had been "arrogant to citizens" and had issued inaccurate bills, which is what frustrated consumers.

However, city heating plant...