Konami abandons controversial Fallujah game

Konami has reportedly abandoned its publishing deal with Atomic Games for the controversial Iraqi War title Six Days in Fallujah.

“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,” said a Konami representative.

When unveiled early in April, Six Days in Fallujah had been subjected to public outcry for centring a game on the Second Battle of Fallujah, a conflict that took place in Iraq only five years ago, and saw the deaths of numerous US Marines, Iraqi insurgents, and local civilians. The battle saw extensive damage to residences, mosques, city services, and businesses.

The game was quickly bashed by the Daily Mail, while British war veterans as well as British peace group, Stop the War Coalition, called for the game to be pulled. The outcry was of equal enormity in the US, where bereaved families of soldiers and citizens’ groups lashed out at the game’s content.

A Konami spokesperson told Asahi that the publisher intended to convey the reality of the battles to players “so that they could feel what it was like to be there”.

Now the title – in development at US indie outfit Atomic Games – may not make its planned release schedule for next year. The game was not announced for a European release.