Join the new world

I have asked the admins lately to tell me what is involved in adding a country, to see if the corporate stance is still the same. This is the response I got:

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Hello,

Not all of the real world's countries are in eRepublik. New countries will not be added until the planned upgrades to the war and economic modules are completed.


The following information is considered when adding a new country:
* players' interest in the country
* number of visits from that country to eRepublik
* geographical position of that country (connections with other countries)
* real life stats about that country (political regime, Internet users, etc)

The integration of a new country is announced in a press release.

Regards,
The eRepublik team

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After this response, they closed the case ticket that I was talking to them on. Please note, that the eRepublik team did not address the issue that has always been a problem, the fact that most Armenians live in the diaspora. This fact was again ignored by eRepublik.



* players' interest in the country

I think I can defiantly say that the players interest in Armenia is there. Its not only Armenians on eRepublik that want eArmenia added, but many non-Armenians of different ethnicities and religions through out the world that play eRepublik have publicly expressed their want for an eArmenia. So from this perspective, this is defiantly fulfilled. Again, no response of the eRepublik team as to what they need to establish this. As if countless Armenian newspapers, forum topics, and other actions on eRebpulik by many should already show this interest.



* number of visits from that country to eRepublik

This is very interesting. To start, no actual number or ratio is given as to what constitutes enough traffic from a country. How many people, or how many hits, or what ratio of the population or what ratio of the population that has access to internet, its not reviled. I don't understand why this is such a closely guarded corporate secret? Why can't they just revile this statistic? Furthermore, no mention of how they determine the hits from UN unrecognized countries. Do the hits from the Mountainous Republic of Nagnorno-Karabakh count as Armenian hits, or Azerbaijani hits? Its an Armenian Republic, therefore the hits should count as Armenian. Is this how eRebpulik counts these? Do they not add hits of UN unrecognized republics, or do they assign them to one country or another, and if they do assign them, how do they determine that and who is getting the hits? Furthermore, the important subject of the diaspora is again not addressed by eRepublik. How do they count in hits from other countries that are ethnic Armenians? Do they not factor this into their decision? Why the continuous silence from eRepublik on this subject? For five years they can't answer or address why they do not factor that in? Furthermore, what about people like Assyria that have no country at the moment? Does eRepublik even factor this into the equation? Do stateless peoples also have to be stateless in eRepublik? Again, after five years, more bland excuses without any statistics on what is required.



* geographical position of that country (connections with other countries)

What exactly are these requirements? Armenia is centered right in the middle of the world. Its in the middle of the crossroads of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Near East. Armenia has many connections with Iran, Russia, France, America, China, and many other countries. There is a huge diaspora with intact populations with their own Armenian communities all throughout the world, hence giving Armenians a very international and global reach. I would assume that such a dispersed people with a country so globally centered would easily pass this requirement.



* real life stats about that country (political regime, Internet users, etc)

What exactly does this entail? This response seems very vague. It does count internet users, which seems to be a major aspect in eRepubliks decision. Again, no response from eRepublik on how they deal with diaspora populations. So far, from the response it seems they don't care at all. What does political regime mean? Is there some type of bias towards certain countries? Is this based on alliances, type of civilization or culture or religion? Is this based on government type, a certain legal system, or a certain organizations perceived perspective of a certain country? What does this exactly mean? Is this concerned with certain controls on internet or censorship? What exactly does this mean? Furthermore the addition of "etc" just adds to this mystery. This could really mean anything.

* The integration of a new country is announced in a press release.

I understand that they will release information about when a country is added, but why not tell us what we can do to make it so that a country gets in the press release? Again, the eRepublik game administration shows their apathy to diaspora and stateless peoples. It is truly sad that these game designers can not allow those that are diaspora and stateless to have the pleasure of a political simulation in their own countries on eRepublik. I hope that the eRepublik administrations change this unchanged five year ignorance shown towards diaspora populations and stateless populations. I hope they address the issue of diaspora populations, stateless populations, and UN unrecognized countries that exist. If a country exists in the world, why not allow it to exist in eRepublik? Just because it hasn't been added to a UN list? We Armenians, and all people that have significant diaspora populations, peoples that are stateless, and peoples that have countries that are not recognized by the UN, can only hope that after five years this ignorant attitude will be adjusted, but unfortunately I believe it will just fall on uncaring deaf ears as usual... We can only hope that this will change.

In the mean time, I will continue to follow up with the administration over these issues. I ask my readers to please send tickets asking them about these issues, or just simply asking for an eArmenia.

In the mean time, all the best to those that are diaspora, stateless, living in an UN unrecognized country, or those that live in autonomous states under another country that are recognized only as regions in eRepublik instead of separate states.

I will end this article with a link to Woodrow Wilsons Fourteen Point Speech, which promotes the ideal that each people should have their own sovereign state, and should not be forced to be ruled by a foreign power.



Woodrow Wilson Fourteen Points...