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NPR talks about the Six Days In Fallujah controversy photo

If you talk to me regularly, you probably know that I'm a big fan of NPR and listen almost every day. You should too, particularly because they've been seriously discussing video games more and more in the past few months. Yesterday's episode Morning Edition had a great series of interviews with people on both sides of the Six Days in Fallujah drama, and, regardless of your position on the whole controversy, it makes for a very interesting listen.

In typical NPR fashion, they actually find people who know what they're talking about (developers, other gamemakers, parents of dead soldiers, etc.) and there are some compelling arguments made by both groups. Additionally, it appears they actually got some hands-on time with the game, or at least got a walkthrough, so at the very least it's worth listening to just to find out a little more information about Six Days. I also found the comments on NPR's site to be interesting as well, both because they're not full of trolls and idiots, and because there are people who aren't terribly familiar with video games actually bringing up very interesting points.

While I personally don't believe that the game should be pulled, these interviews definitely gave me a bit more insight into how difficult and traumatizing the development, and particularly the marketing, of this game can be to people who actually lost loved ones in Fallujah. If anything, no matter whether you believe the game should be published or cancelled, this piece will make you think a bit.

Does this piece make you rethink your positions at all? Where do you stand on the whole thing? Are there some things that shouldn't be made into games simply out of respect for other people, or is this just a well-intentioned but misguided attempt at unnecessary censorship? 


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31 comments | showing # 1 to 31

ArcticFox's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 07:11
ArcticFox
It's an interesting controversy, but I think that there are stories that need to be told. So long as theyre told respectfully, then it should really be a non-issue. However, while Konami needs to be sensitive, I think this story should be told as realistically as possible, i.e. in order to give the story the proper respect, they cant shy away from the actions that occur in an operation like Fallujah was. So there's almost a double standard, on one side they need to be faithful to the story and the soldiers involved in it, and on the other hand, they have to be extremely respectful of the families and the soldiers themselves. It's this standard that makes me not blame anyone really for Konami's decision to pull the game. It was a tough game to take on, and while I trust Konami to have done it right, they also have to be extremely PC, and that might mean sacrificing some of the elements of realism that would make up the story. While I personally think it should get made, I can pretty much understand why it's not.
SilverDragon1979's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 07:15
SilverDragon1979
I actually heard this NPR story when it aired yesterday, and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. They did a really good job of looking at both sides of the argument, as NPR usually does. It definitely made me think, and gave me a lot more information about the situation then the VG community has.
Stevil's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 07:21
Stevil
You know what I find to be the problem about this game? It's the fact they said it's like a documentary. I think we all know deep down, this will never be the case. It was always going to be a tactical FPS with ham-fisted social commentary, but some bright PR ejit thought they could elevate it to the status of something amazing.

I don't think most game writers are up to the standard of producing a Generation Kill/Evan Wright-type game. THAT'S what a real documentary game would be like. Here, they picked an 'action' moment over anything else, because after all it's just a game. I mean who can forget the Vietnam game craze a while back? Did anybody ever think that any of these games, while in production, were ever going to be worthy of the subject matter? No, of course not. They were all based around objective gameplay.

Hell, Suda 51's Michigan: Report From Hell was more of a documentary game than this will ever be...and that was mostly a game that involved you filming up the skirts of reporters.

I'd like to be proved wrong though.
BoBoTheChimp757's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 07:26
BoBoTheChimp757
NPR = no thanks. I'll stick with EIB ;)
Professor Pew's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 07:39
Professor Pew
I hope the game will be more like Generation Kill than The Hurt Locker if it's supposed to be entertaining and good at the same time. Then again, you can wonder how entertaining it is to rain down white phosphorous on a civilian area, eh?

Also, it's funny how it's mostly the surviving family members who speak out against it. You'd think the soldiers who actually went through that hellish battle would have a little more say in the matter. Maybe they'll want this under-covered story to get out in the open? Maybe it could even help them to gradually overcome any post-traumatic stress they still have from it (games have been used successfully with PTSD treatment before).

Nice how they mention Darfur is Dying though, one of the prime examples of a biased and almost propagandic game of the current age. It was not bad enough for the American UN representative to destroy a nearly passed resolution on Darfur by calling it genocide (which everyone in the UN knew would mean the resolution would fail and the situation would just continue for another year or more); they had to put it in an MTV sponsored game too.

At least Six Days in Fallujah appears to go for an objective viewpoint. Now we can only hope for A) its release, B) it won't be like the History Channel games and C) DJ Shadow does the theme song ;)
Tye The Czar's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 07:56
Tye The Czar
Fact: Listening to NPR or BBC makes you 1006%(turn it upside down if you want) smarter than any commercial radio station. And if you even LISTEN to the likes of right-wingers-who-must-not-be-named, you're likely to get brain cancer. End of facts.
LukienAkeela's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 08:17
LukienAkeela
I heard this as well. As usual NPR did an excellant job reporting. I learned more from that piece than I have reading numerous articles.
Boomsling's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 09:16
Boomsling
What's different content wise in this game than any other? I bet parallels to examples of this games feature a action sequences will be found in many other games.

If it was called 'A Few Days In A Durka-Durka' it would have been released without scrutiny, THEN they could have said 'Then moment before release they could have hinted that is was entirely based on Fallujah. They shot their muck too early and fucked up the spin. GG

Oh, and cocks.
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 09:25
Chronic Logic
FUCK THIS CONTROVERSY, IT'S ONE BIG HOAX TO STIR UP FREE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE GAME. JUST RELEASE THE GODDAMN FUCKING GAME SO I CAN KILL TOWEL HEADS OR AMERICANS ALREADY!!!
lucashoal's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 09:52
lucashoal
@Bobo - if you're saying that completely seriously...then just, wow. Limbaugh is a well known liar.
hjd uk's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 10:01
hjd uk
This game should have the right to exist, let the public decide wether they want it to exist with their wallets.
hpv's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 10:22
hpv
Tye The Czar: Fact, NPR filled up on right-wing cranks in the 90s because they were playing politics with objective facts, which is beyond unacceptable. Even if they've corrected a little in the last 15 years it isn't enough, and they're sliding back in that direction again.

I can't even think what it would take to lift the ban on NPR, but I'd take the fucking Pepsi Challenge with any NPR-listener and the knowing of facts.

So yeah, fuck NPR and go play some fucking games.
TheStripe's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 10:42
TheStripe
@chronic - fuck you for being a racist idiot.

Certain people on this site really try my patience.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 10:53
Holyetheline
I really want to see this game hit shelves some day. Really really really badly.
boatorious's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 11:02
boatorious
I want games to be published because they are good, not because they use controversy to generate name recognition.
TheNomadicTroll's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 11:04
TheNomadicTroll
So how is the game any different than any other game based on the glories and the hardships of war.
BoBoTheChimp757's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 11:58
BoBoTheChimp757
@lucashoal yes, I am being serious, and no, he's not. :-D
andycadaver's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 12:00
andycadaver
I love NPR. That was such a positive segment. I'm so relieved to know that they're not giving up. Atomic is now my new favorite studio.
socialnorms's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 12:33
socialnorms
I listen to NPR every day on the way to work, but every time I turn the radio on I ask myself, "where are my liberals at?" They are biased. The Obama worship earlier this year was unabashed and horrendously undemocratic. But they do have some great news stories.

When asking if this game is offensive, should we also ask if WW2 veterans are offended by Call of Duty? Or if people who will be born in 2500 are offended by Halo?
WarZombie's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 12:51
WarZombie
@ BoBo

Uh, yeah, he is.

And while I understand that the families don't want this game released because they lost somebody that went there, I just have to wonder how this is any different than Full Spectrum Warrior, which is sponsored by none other than THE UNITED STATES ARMY. It takes place in Iraq, and is even used to help vets recover from post-traumatic stress disorder. Seriously though, if that game got released, then so should this one. It really is as simple as that. Hell, it even had a sequel.
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 12:59
Chronic Logic
@TheStripe
Fuck me? Nah, fuck you. I didn't say a thing about race. You did. Those who wear a turban or something similar gets a bullet in the head, virtually of course. I care not for your color pigmentation. If saying "towel head" really tries your patience, guess you really weren't patient to begin with.
Wexx's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 13:29
Wexx
Downloading, will probably not listen to it until school starts and I have a super long commute again. Thanks for the link though.
Wexx's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 13:29
Wexx
nvm didn't realize how short it was :)
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 15:27
MechaMonkey
@Chronic Logic

Don't try to get semantic and act like your comments aren't horrendously bigoted. There's no need for that sort of nonsense here. This is a post regarding intelligent, balanced discourse. Come back when you have an appreciation for either of those qualities.
PappaDukes's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 15:33
PappaDukes
Wow, a new low for Chronic. I thought he had pretty much sunk as low as you can. But wow, just wow. Bravo sir.
JiR INC's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 16:11
JiR INC
i have not really seeked out much info on this game but will this get the message across about the horrors of war and put sense into people or will this be another shooter to make people think "yeah i'm a bad ass pulling headshots " i dont have to worry about my life since its just a game
Cowboy TTop's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 16:18
Cowboy TTop
I still support Atomic and this game getting a release. Why? Because it paints games in a positive light, raising an issue that many think we care nothing about.

Bioshock was the last game, to throw my brain into gear, in such an effective way, that I'd be playing back Ryan's views and questions in my head. While Bioshock is pure fantasy, the messages it tries to send are no less powerful, because of their setting.

I think if given a chance, Six Days in Fallujah, could do this same thing, but in a real world setting, in a conflict that is still ongoing. It might seem in poor taste to some, but the world doesn't stop spinning so we can take a breathe. Now is a good time to take a brave step for games as a medium and get this game to shelves.

During the times of past wars, such as the Crimean war, art was used in this same way, to raise awareness and ask the vital questions, of those who would never experience war or would otherwise ignore it and the reasons for it. During the Vietnam war, music was the main vehicle to reach the people in the same way. So, why not a game? A game, can be enjoyed as much as music or a book, while still carrying a message to people.

NPR Radio are pretty good, I just wish when they done these features, that they'd be longer.
Ocified-Xboxer's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 16:21
Ocified-Xboxer
I'm writing this prior to reading or listening to the link above...Just so I can give my thoughts on this prior to listening. While I can certainly understand how people who served, and the families of those who have suffered a very serious loss I thought this was a chance for video games to give us a very different perspective and insight on what the war in Iraq has cost us, as a country. Of course, this is predicated on the idea that this is done accurately, and tastefully to convey what many believe was one of the major conflicts in the Iraq war.

I don't see movies being pulled because of an Iraqi war plot...But there isn't another medium that could convey 'being there' like video games can offer. I think if it looks at the subject in a serious and thoughtful manner I can't see why this couldn't be a watershed moment for video games. While the video game about Columbine was detested by many, it dealt with the subject seriously, and wasn't used as a chance to cash in on the blood of others. I would hope that 'Six Days' would treat the subject in a very serious and thoughtful manner. I'll post my thoughts after I check the link.
Corak's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 16:45
Corak
If Uwe Bowl can make the movies he does there is no reason a game like this can't be made
Cowboy TTop's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2009 20:50
Cowboy TTop
I think Konami are going to regret ditching this game. It will put games in a new light, even by those who don't play them. Atomic might not be well known, but when this is over, they'll be a name on the lips of many. In the same way Rockstar pushed the games industry envelope (while many looked on in objection), Atomic are in a prime position to do the same.

I can understand the objections of some, who've never played a game and/or have lost someone in this conflict, and no game will ease their pain. However, I think its important for all to look at the big picture and have this subject raised.

Go Atomic, Go!
Solid Squirrel's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/30/2009 03:47
Solid Squirrel
The spirit of Walter Cronkite is alive and well at NPR.

Go baby, go.
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