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Fallujah Video Game Sparks Vet Family Fury

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 11, 2009 3:59 AM CDT
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(Newser) – A realistic video game featuring a historic Fallujah battle involving US forces in Iraq has incensed vets and their families, reports ABC News. Six Days in Fallujah is due out next year, and involves Marine consultants to ensure accuracy of the action. "It's upsetting," said a mom who lost a son in Iraq. "I have this image of guys sitting around laughing because they got killed or didn't, and starting over. My son didn't have that choice."

Game makers—who insist the game is part play, part documentary—say it helps people understand "a little bit" of what it's like to be a Marine in a modern war. Military consultants point out that unethical "fighting"—such as shooting a civilian—is punished. The game is so controversial that its initial publisher dropped out, but Atomic Games is pressing on. More than four dozen US troops and 1000 insurgents were killed in the actual Fallujah battle in 2004.

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
Mad
Jun 11, 2009 9:54 AM CDT
Way to show some class and empathy for a woman who sacrificed hugely for America [even if it was over a lie]
2-bits
Jun 11, 2009 9:02 AM CDT
Jesus. People need to get a thicker skin. I suppose after 50 or so years have passed, Iraq War games will be flooding the market without any controversy whatsoever. What's next mom, does the image of boy's laughing and playing soldier in the back yard make upset?
Yourself
Jun 11, 2009 8:10 AM CDT
somehow i have to agree with the overall argument, but i doubt i would have worded it the same way, especially the last part. What i do agree with is that it's public knowledge that there's a war, and they volunteered, if they didn't like the idea that some day there might be a game about it, then they shouldn't have gone. The market for WWII games these days is RIPE for the business pickings, make a good one, and it'll sell like hotcakes. Iraq is bound to go down in the same way when it comes to gaming, it's just started much sooner thanks to technology.

 
Iraq • military • Fallujah • ultimate fighting • Marine • video game developers • video games • Marine Corps • troops

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