Six Days in Fallujah publisher now says project is "inseparable from politics"
Previously stated it was "not a political statement either way".
Six Days in Fallujah publisher Victura has issued a new statement on its upcoming controversial shooter set during the US-led invasion of Iraq.
The statement, issued via the company's Twitter this afternoon, repeatedly states that "the events recreated in Six Days in Fallujah are inseparable from politics", in contrast to widely-criticised remarks suggesting the opposite made last month by Victura boss Peter Tamte during an interview with GamesIndustry.biz.
"Players need that context to understand why they're in the city fighting those Al-Qaeda people," Tamte said previously. "We are going to provide that context, but keep in mind that we can provide that context without making a political statement, or without in any way disparaging the service of those who are actually there to fight."
"[It's] not a political statement either way," he added.
Today's statement further details the game's documentary sections, which will feature "service members and civilians with diverse experiences and opinions about the Iraq War. So far, 26 Iraqi civilians and dozens of service members have shared the most difficult moments of their lives with us".
We had heard of the game's documentary sections before, along with word of sections where you will play as an Iraqi civilian. Previously, however, Tamte had suggested the game's focus would firmly rest with US soldiers.
"Very few people are curious what it's like to be an Iraqi civilian," Tamte said last month. "Nobody's going to play that game. But people are curious what it's like to be in combat. It's the same reason people play survival horror games - being in a situation that is beyond what we have in our normal lives. Ultimately, the reason why people are going to play this game is because they want a more realistic combat experience. That above all else is the experience that we must deliver."
Today's statement says this:
"During gameplay players will participate in stories that are given context through the documentary segments. Each mission challenges players to solve real military and civilian scenarios from the battle interactively, offering a perspective into urban warfare not possible through any media. We believe the stories of this generation's sacrifices deserve to be told by the Marines, Soldiers and civilians who were there. We trust you will find the game - like the events it recreates - to be complex."
Finally, as stated by Tamte in his interview, today's statement reconfirms that players will not be able to deploy the deadly chemical white phosphorous in the game, as US forces did in real life. The use of white phosphorous as a chemical weapon has long been criticised as a war crime.
"We're not asking players to commit atrocities in the game," Tamte said last month. "Are we effectively sanitising events by not doing that? I don't think that we need to portray the atrocities in order for people to understand the human cost. We can do that without the atrocities."
Six Days in Fallujah re-emerged last month, 11 years after Tamte's previous attempt to make the game failed. Back then, significant criticism from mainstream press eventually caused publisher Konami to pull out.
The project is now being developed by Golem studio Highware, whose team includes ex-Bungie veterans such as Halo lead designer Jaime Griesemer and composer Marty O'Donnell.
It is currently set for release on PC and consoles at some point in 2021.