Six Days in Fallujah canned – Real war on PS3, Xbox 360 a step too far?
Konami has announced it will not be publishing Six Days in Fallujah, an upcoming title from Atomic Games. The game was announced a couple of weeks ago and since then has been the subject of heavy criticism. Is the idea of real war being depicted in a videogame for home consoles a step too far?
The PS3, Xbox 360, and PC game is/was due to dramatize the events of the second battle of Fallujah, one of the bloodiest and hard-fought of ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’. Konami announced the game recently only to immediately be bombarded with complaints and condemnations from war veterans, the families of those killed in the battle, and peace campaigners.
This has reportedly led Konami to decide not to be associated with the game. But while the publisher has clearly been scared off by the threat of controversy, Atomic Games will likely carry on developing the game and could find another publisher more willing to soak up the complaints.
Konami told Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, that:
After seeing the reaction to the videogame in the United States and hearing opinions sent through phone calls and e-mail, we decided several days ago not to sell it. We had intended to convey the reality of the battles to players so that they could feel what it was like to be there.
War in video games isn’t anything new. The Second World War has been depicted in video game form more times than I’ve watched Saving Private Ryan (a lot). Even more recent wars have been depicted to some degree, with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare bringing the franchise to the modern era, albeit in a make-believe war which only resembles what is currently happening.
Six Days in Fallujah was/is a step up though. Described as a survival horror game with a difference, it intended to truly show the full horror of war by mimicking the events of the real-life battle, move for move. U.S. soldiers involved in the battle were/are involved in the game’s development, so the accuracy of events was likely to be spot-on.
I don’t blame Konami for bottling out of this one because here is a game that will foster split opinion right up to and beyond its release. However, just because some people are against the game and the idea of depicting a recent battle in such a way does not necessarily make it wrong.
Certainly no one who has complained so far will have ever played the game, leading me to question what they’re basing their opinion on. But can it ever be right to turn what is a horrific event in recent history into entertainment for the masses? Which, let’s face it, is what any video game is.
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16 Responses to “Six Days in Fallujah canned – Real war on PS3, Xbox 360 a step too far?”
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April 28th, 2009
Konami, what a bunch of pussies. Sony should shown them what guts is. I just found out about this game today.
April 28th, 2009
The funny thing is, as per usual this will actually create MORE interest in the game that if it had just released and was ‘meh’.
Instead, we now have thousands of people who know about it who didn’t before (myself included) who are going to just wait it out until another publisher is found, the company digitally publishes it themselves or it gets leaked.
I don’t think ill ever understand the emotion and drive behind the complaints (as I don’t know anyone who has served), I think they maybe could’ve handled this better, instead its now free publicity.
April 28th, 2009
My bet is this is just choreographed PR.
The game will appear after a bunch more of this ‘controversy’ once more people have seen the ‘debate’ on various websites
(and if they’re really lucky they might even get it into a short tail-end of the news feature).
Yawn.
April 28th, 2009
I have a great Idea for a game!
I would like to see someone (And I’m going to send my idea to Ubisoft) build a war game in a Far cry environment that puts Xbox 360 players against PS3 players against PC.
And have different modes like straight War or capture the flag.
That would sell well and would be a TON of fun.
Anyone agree?
April 28th, 2009
On topic:
If they have people from the war giving them the information and they have no problem with this game then I don’t see what the problem is.
I’m sure the people that lost family in that war don’t want to see the game though. I don’t know anyone in that war.
I for one would play it just to see what happened and to learn more about what is going on.
If I was taught about WWII by playing it in a game I would have enjoyed history. I hated it in school.
April 28th, 2009
I wouldn’t be offended if it came out, but it wouldn’t help the international climate either.
“Is the idea of real war being depicted in a videogame for home consoles a step too far?”
No, but to many (not myself) who have participated or may yet be suffering, depicting one that is still ongoing in a videogame may cross the line.
As a gamer with no experience of war or combat may not understand how others could be offended or protest the release of the game while the conflict is still ongoing, some cannot understand how people could presently play and enjoy games about the one thing that took their son or other loved one’s life.
“it intended to truly show the full horror of war…”
I’m just going to take a guess at this and say it would fall far short no matter how good the game itself turned out. I am not against the game, just saying that while it may be a valiant effort, I believe this is (presently) a highly improbable goal, and maybe not even one that is worthwhile (volumes could be written for or against this last part).
“U.S. soldiers involved in the battle were/are involved in the game’s development, so the accuracy of events was likely to be spot-on.”
Speaking as a Marine hired to re-enact Maj. Morgan Mann’s actions for The History Channel’s (Discovery Group) “Combat Zone” series depiction of “The Triangle of Death,” I can say “spot-on” is highly improbable as well. We also had plenty of advisors who were there, but people see and remember things differently, people (simulated or real) act it out differently, and usually the best you can do is get the important events conveyed in a meaningful way.
“But can it ever be right to turn what is a horrific event in recent history into entertainment for the masses?”
*”for there is nothing
either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”*
“Which, let’s face it, is what any video game is.”
This reminds me of listening to 60 minutes last week on cold fusion. The one thing the discovering scientist regretted was having used the term “cold fusion” when “nuclear effect” may have meant the project’s more immediate success. I suspect that if this was strongly touted only as a “battle simulation” or “interactive battle reenactment” and not a “video game” many less people would have a problem with it. Konami (or whoever) could have a much easier time marketing the product as having historical value vice entertainment value only.
April 28th, 2009
Six days in Fallujah?
Fucking disgusting taste.
Carl what the fuck are you going on about you asshole?
April 28th, 2009
“Carl what the fuck are you going on about you asshole?”
I agree, we all know Cold Fusion is a pipe dream Carl! *wink*
Being serious tho, can you explain further CON? I understood what he was saying just fine, whats your problem with the post?
April 29th, 2009
That was rather explosive wasn’t it SW ???
Either someone has used CON’s login and gone banana’s or he really does have a serious problem with Carl’s post. Myself, I didn’t see anything offensive ??!!
April 29th, 2009
Someone shit in his cornflakes lol
April 29th, 2009
I think the whole uproar about the game is ridiculous. Wasn’t Black Hawk Down based on real events? What about the million or so WWII games? Aren’t those all based loosely on true events?
Art imitates life. Being that this event did happen, it’s open to be interpreted in games & movies. The people who are offended by it, have the option not to buy it.
I personally think that it’s a way to honor and remember the people who participated in the event. Not sure why anyone would be offended.
Don’t mind Con. He is just a dick.
April 29th, 2009
Maybe it was too realistic to the point that the NWO overlords decided to keep people from being scared by the reality of war. Ya know, and some other conspiracy stuff~
April 29th, 2009
Maybe some sort of consideration ought to be given to those for whom this is still a deep & very raw wound (both sides).
There seems to be a distinct lack of thought to the feelings of those still out there suffering this war and it’s aftermath.
I do know one thing.
If any of those smart-a$$ game devs/co.s had tried pulling this sort of sh*t & cashing in while WW2 was still on (or within a couple of years of it ending) they’d have been found lynched in some backwoods.
I’m not suggesting that, just that there’s a little ground in between and we’ve lost some respect somewhere along the line.
To think ‘Desert Strike’ was once controversial.
I still say this is contrived publicity and an attempt to manipulate people with some deliberately timed outrage.
April 30th, 2009
if more people were this outraged at actual war as they are at a game depicting war, maybe this would be a better place to live…..
carl – yes, this game would fall short…as any war game would…… thankfully….
April 30th, 2009
I don’t know kev… maybe if they could incorporate some 7.62/IED feedback controls, dust, diffusers, and 40 player co-op…
May 5th, 2009
From the News & Observer, May 1:
newsobserver.com/business/story/1508656.html
“Every form of media has grown by producing content about current events, content that’s powerful because it’s relevant,” Tamte said. “Movies, music and TV have helped people make sense of the complex issues of our times.”
“Are we really just high-tech toymakers, or are we media companies capable of producing content that is as relevant as movies, music and television?”
Tamte said “Six Days” stemmed from the company’s work creating serious games used by the U.S. Marine Corps for training.
“This is what brought us close to many of the Marines who fought in Fallujah,” Tamte said. “After they got back from Fallujah, these Marines asked us to tell their story. They asked us to tell their story through the most relevant medium of the day — a medium they use the most — and that is the video game.”
The game ups the authenticity ante because it is based on battle maps and plans by Marines who fought in Fallujah, including recreating “actual firefights,” he said.
“‘Six Days in Fallujah’ is not about whether the U.S. and its allies should have invaded Iraq,” Tamte said. “It’s an opportunity for the world to experience the true stories of the people who fought in one of the world’s largest urban battles of the past half-century.”
Video games are a powerful communications tool, Tamte said, because players become immersed in a different reality.
“It is the dilemmas you face, and the choices you make, that give you insight into the events that are shaping our world in a way that no passive form of media can,” he said. “We hope that ‘Six Days in Fallujah’ will have the opportunity to change expectations of what a video game can be.”
As a Marine having just come back from Iraq and having experienced the “Serious Games” mentioned here, I can see the potential value in this as a medium if done with respect. In other words this would not be a game designed for kids to shout obscenities to each other over Live or PSN (though it could devolve to that), but rather one which is designed to give adults who have no experience in the subject some background in a relatively new media form. Considering Fallujah veterans asked for and worked with them on this game, this should count for something. But then again, the families of those who died also deserve respect… perhaps, at this time, they do not understand nor do they care about the possibilities.
newsobserver.com/business/story/1508656.html