Six Days in Fallujah killed: Konami pulls out on their contentious and grisly Iraq War video game
- April 27, 2009 11:06 AM PST
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MISSION ABORTED: In response to public outrage, including families of soldiers who died in the Iraq War, Konami decides to pull out on the controversial Iraq War shooter, Six Days in Fallujah.
Click here for more screens of Six Days in Fallujah.
READ THE MAY 2009 ISSUE OF GAMEPRO MAGAZINE FOR OUR SIX PAGE IN-DEPTH LOOK AT SIX DAYS IN FALLUJAH.
Asahi reports that Konami has pulled out on Six Days in Fallujah, their upcoming survival-horror military shooter for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC set in the Iraq War. The game, which realistically recreates one of the bloodiest battles in the Iraq War, immediately triggered controversy in the media after it was announced.
"After seeing the reaction to the video game 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." - Konami
In the battle of Fallujah, over 2,000 people perished, including numerous civilians. Allegedly, in the game you could decide whether or not to shoot unarmed individuals.
Read the original news article on Asahi here.
I provided my thoughts on this game in a blurb for Sid's six-page feature in the May 2009 issue of GamePro, so you can read my whole mini-rant there. To be honest, I'm glad this game isn't going to happen (for the moment at least). When I first heard that a game about the Iraq War was getting backed by a big name publisher, Konami, I was disturbed. Then when I saw the game in action at a press event two weeks ago I was furious.
Six Days in Fallujah was in such poor judgment. There's a million and two different things to base a shooter on, and the Iraq War isn't on that list. Games are supposed to be an escape, not a glorification of the horrors of real life. If Six Days in Fallujah actually came out, then what would be next? Where do you draw the line?
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- Apr 27 2009 at 09:51:54:AM PST
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I'd like to know what it was Patrick saw at the press event that upset him so much. When they first announced the game, it sounded like the developers were trying to do it respectfully. Did it not come across that way?
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How many Iraq war movies have they made already? Are people screaming to get those cancelled?
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Some people, yeah. Hell, look at the response when World Trade Center and United 93 came out.
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gadawgzfan2523 wrote:
I'd like to know what it was Patrick saw at the press event that upset him so much. When they first announced the game, it sounded like the developers were trying to do it respectfully. Did it not come across that way?It wasn't so much that anything particularly shocking was shown, I think it just finally sunk in that this game was really going to happen.
My best friend fought in the Iraq War and I've heard the horror stories. They don't need to be recreated in a video game.
I'm on Xbox Live and I hear the 11-year-olds on my headset playing Gears of War 2. While that's not a big deal, the thought of them playing Six Days upsets me.
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Mr. Patrick Shaw, First let me say I agree w/ you... somewhat. The Iraq WAR is a VERY TOUCHY CURRENT EVENT. It's way too early & the wounds of that particular skirmish are still fresh on AMERICAN minds. So I agree that it's in POOR taste to bring this game to market today. ...@ a later date should be ok... 4-5 more years down the road maybe?
Quoting Patrick "When I first heard that a game about the Iraq War was getting backed by a big name publisher, Konami, I was disturbed. Then when I saw the game in action at a press event two weeks ago I was furious. Six Days in Fallujah was in such poor judgment. There's a million and two different things to base a shooter on, and the Iraq War isn't on that list. Games are supposed to be an escape, not a glorification of the horrors of real life."
However we DO GLORIFY the horrors of real life everytime(everyday) we play ANY WW2 shooter, Vietnam Shooter, CoD Franchise Shooters or ANY game based on actual wars that have been waged. Also, IMO something tells me Konami would have done a less than stellar job. This game is as much about survival horror as CoD4 Modern Warfare.
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And my Grandfather fought in WW II, and I've heard some of the horror stories from the PTO. But I'm sure you didn't protest Call of Duty: World at War and it's battle re-enactments.
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That's true--but the big difference between WWII shooters and this Iraq War shooter is World War II ended in 1945, while the Iraq War still rages on. There needs to be time to grieve.
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That's ridiculous! Atrocities are committed everywhere, but you don't see those being pulled. I'm sure some 60 year old vet from the Pacific theater in WWII doesn't want to see Iwo Jima in a video game, but there's a new WWII shooter out every year! What makes the Iraq war any different? How about crime games like GTA? There are drug wars and plenty of crime to go around for everyone and their monkey. Should it really be glorified like this as well? I'm sure there are countless cops out there that lost a partner to some drug runner... We should probably give them 50 years to grieve too before realeasing another of these games! The fact that it's happening now and there's people experiencing the horrors of it is no excuse for not publishing this game. This is a form of art, and there is no reason to censor it. Otherwise, we are no better than the horrors we are trying to defeat.
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Only the former and current US presidents can play with our soldiers and another country like a video game!
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PatrickShaw wrote:
gadawgzfan2523 wrote:
I'd like to know what it was Patrick saw at the press event that upset him so much. When they first announced the game, it sounded like the developers were trying to do it respectfully. Did it not come across that way?It wasn't so much that anything particularly shocking was shown, I think it just finally sunk in that this game was really going to happen.
My best friend fought in the Iraq War and I've heard the horror stories. They don't need to be recreated in a video game.
I'm on Xbox Live and I hear the 11-year-olds on my headset playing Gears of War 2. While that's not a big deal, the thought of them playing Six Days upsets me.
... just curious. the thought of 11 year olds playing Cod4 & World @ War doesn't upset you? I respect your feelings & I too have a very close friend that served in Iraq & is now PMC personell. I spoke w/ him about this game over xbox live & he didn't seem bothered by the concept of the game. He got me off of my Halo3 addiction & turned me onto CoD4 b/cause, to him, CoD4 is a sim. I write this to you w/ all due respect intended.
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