A new board game titled 2045 is set to hit shelves in January 2025, offering players an immersive experience of navigating a fictional Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The game, created by Taiwanese board game maker Mizo Games, envisions a tense geopolitical scenario set 20 years in the future, where players must strategize during the 10 days leading up to the imagined invasion.
Set against a backdrop of escalating military tensions between China and Taiwan, 2045 invites players to take on roles such as Taiwan’s armed forces personnel, Chinese sleeper agents, pro-China politicians, and armed civilians defending their homeland. Through colorful action cards and dynamic role-playing, the game seeks to depict the complex realities of warfare, espionage, and civilian resilience.
China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to assert control, has significantly ramped up military activity near the island in recent years. This includes mass naval operations and heightened surveillance, which have fueled concerns in Taiwan and the broader international community. Taiwan’s leadership, firmly rejecting China’s claims, maintains that the island’s future can only be determined by its people.
The game has already garnered significant interest, with Mizo Games successfully crowdfunding more than T$4 million (approximately $121,966) since August 2024 to fund the project. Chang Shao Lian, the founder of Mizo Games, stated that the game reflects the precarious geopolitical climate in the region. “It is not quite peaceful around Taiwan island and the Western Pacific as we speak,” Chang said. His goal with 2045, he added, is to make players feel the intensity of the conflict and think critically about strategies to achieve victory.
The release of 2045 coincides with increased efforts by Taiwan to prepare for potential military confrontations with China. Just last week, Taiwan’s presidential office conducted its first-ever “tabletop” exercise involving not only the armed forces but also other government agencies. This simulation explored scenarios such as the island being “on the verge of conflict” and tested the preparedness of government offices and civil society for such crises.
Early test runs of the game have received positive feedback from participants, many of whom appreciated the educational aspect of the simulation. Kalin Lai, a 23-year-old who tried the game, noted, “I’m not very knowledgeable on military matters, but through this game, I learned about where the army may land and launch an attack.”
Mizo Games has previously developed two other Taiwan-themed board games, focusing on historical conflicts. One game centers around surviving an air raid in Taipei, while the other delves into bombings in Kaohsiung during Japan’s colonial rule of Taiwan from 1895 to 1945.
As 2045 prepares for its global launch in the United States and Europe later in 2025, it highlights the growing awareness and interest in Taiwan’s geopolitical challenges. The game serves not only as an engaging pastime but also as a thought-provoking exploration of the implications of armed conflict in the region.
