Following backlash, Six Days in Fallujah publisher now says game is "inseparable from politics"
Comes in the wake of the company insisting that the title isn’t meant to be “political commentary.”
The publisher behind the upcoming Six Days in Fallujah, Victura, has backtracked on its stance about the game's politics.
In a post on Twitter, the company said that the events depicted in the upcoming title are "inseparable" from their political context. Victura also detailed how the story of Six Days in Fallujah was created, saying that it was based on the experiences of "dozens" of US soldiers, as well as 26 Iraqi civilians.
This is an about-face for the publisher, following Victura boss Peter Tamte saying that the game wasn't meant to be "political commentary". This resulted in a backlash with people questioning how Six Days in Fallujah could exist without a political element.
"We understand the events recreated in Six Days in Fallujah are inseparable from politics," the publisher wrote. "Here's how the game gives voices to a variety of perspectives:
"The stories in Six Days in Fallujah are told through gameplay and documentary footage featuring 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, so we can share them you, in their words.
"The documentary segments discuss many tough topics, including the events and political decisions that led to the Fallujah battles as well as their aftermath. While we do not allow players to use white phosphorus as a weapon during gameplay, its use is described during the documentary segments.
"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 other 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."
Six Days in Fallujah was initially announced back in 2009 but was cancelled by publisher Konami. News that the game had been revived broke in February, with Highwire Games handling development duties.