As salamu alaykum. If someone plays a strategy video game where they are required to choose a faction to play as eg romans, greek, chinese, americans, russians etc, would the person be sinning for playing as such factions as they were not Muslim civilisations?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.

We have previously clarified the general conditions for the permissibility of playing video games in Fataawa 86146 and 91906.

What you mentioned about the factions in a game belonging to non-Muslim civilizations does not entail that playing that game is forbidden. However, it is better to avoid such games in this case. Generally speaking, it is better for a Muslim to spend his time in what benefits him; time is too precious to be wasted in playing such games. Ibn ‘Abbaas related that the Prophet said: “There are two blessings which many people waste, health and free time.” [Al-Bukhari]

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 86533.

Allaah knows best.