ArmA dev: ITV blunder won't boost sales

ArmA 2 developer Bohemia Interactive does not expect ITV's recent Gaddafi documentary gaffe to impact ArmA sales one way or the other.

Bohemia Interactive CEO Marek Spanel told Eurogamer he does not anticipate a sales boost despite ArmA 2 recently hitting headlines. Nor does he expect a public backlash over the game now being linked with the Libyan dictator.

"We don't expect this bizarre event to influence sales of our products either way," Spanel said, "but still it's good to see gaming covered in more mainstream media."

Bohemia Interactive wishes instead to steer clear of the controversy and continue its work on upcoming sequel Arma 3. "This story was and still is living a life of its own, so it's not important how we feel about it, nor does it have any direct impact on our work," Spanel continued.

While Battlefield 3 may yet feature Camaros, Spanel confirmed Bohemia Interactive will resist the urge to include any hint of the ongoing furore. There will be no mention of Gaddafi or a bombing campaign of Libya.

"There are no such plans," Spanel confirmed. "Arma 3 is still set on a Greek island in a fictional World War 3 setting in a not so distant future (which apparently creates some surprising controversy lately as well)."

UK TV regulator Ofcom is currently investigating ITV after it labelled in-game ArmA 2 footage as a real-life terrorist attack. The regulatory body received 25 complaints from the British public.

When contacted by Eurogamer, Ofcom refused to provide further details while the investigation proceeds, but expects to reach a decision on punishment for ITV, if any, "within the next few weeks".