Video game Devotion pulled in China due to meme comparing President Xi Jinping to Winnie the Pooh

'Xi Jinping Winnie-the-Pooh moron,' a hidden poster in the game states

Taiwanese horror game Devotion is banned in mainland China (Red Candle Games)

A popular video game has been pulled from mainland China after players spotted a hidden insult to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Developers of the psychological horror game Devotion removed the game from the Twitch gaming platform on Monday following complaints from Chinese gamers, who left thousands of negative reviews upon discovery of a poster mocking the president.

The poster relates to a popular meme, which points out the apparent likeness between President Xi and Winnie the Pooh. It stated: "Xi Jinping Winnie-the-Pooh moron."

Devotion developers Red Candle Games took to Facebook to explain the game's absence from Twitch, stating that a review is underway.

The Taiwanese developers added that any reference to Xi Jinping within the game was the result of an individual within the company rather than the team.

"The other Red Candle team members were unaware of the incident as everyone was busy with their duties during the project," the statement said.

"We didn't [notice] this incident until players reported it on 21 February, so we urgently changed the art material when we found it.

The honey-loving bear has become a symbol of resistance among critics to the ruling Communist Party, leading to a crackdown against images of Winnie the Pooh.

Authorities even denied the release of live-action Disney movie Christopher Robin last year, allegedly as a result of censors fearing further comparisons between President Xi and the film's lead character.

The controversy stems from an image of Xi and Barack Obama in 2013 was posted on Twitter alongside a picture of Winnie the Pooh walking with his friend Tigger.

Further comparisons were drawn following a meeting with Xi and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Censors in China also blocked the website of HBO after a segment on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver mocked Xi's apparent sensitivity to the comparisons.