Small development studio T-Enterprise today announced that it had cancelled development of a game based on the Guantanamo Detention Facility after a series of extreme reactions from the public, most of which were based on misconceptions of what the game was about.
The game, which was to be titled Rendition: Guantanamo, first came to the attention of the public when Moazzam Begg, a British citizen who was interred at the American facility and who claims he was subjected to repeated torture while there as alleged terrorist, was bought into consult. Begg was arrested in 2002 and held until 2005 and was bought on-board so that the developers could consult him about the layout and structure of the camp, though he also admitted to having a financial stake in the game.
Several details about the facility were to be changed in the game however, with detainees being recast as unwilling test subjects being used for scientific experiments run by mercenaries - so, all existing armed forces were removed from the game.
Despite these changes though T-Enterprise says that development of the game was made problematic because of extreme reactions from the public, though much of the negativity was based on misconceptions about the game.
"First and foremost, the main character was NOT Moazzam Begg. Instead, his name was Adam," said T-Enterprise director Zarra Chishti. "He happened to be involved in a case of mistaken identity and so was never a terrorist. T-Enterprise is against all forms of terrorism and would never seek to advocate otherwise. Furthermore, Guantanamo was to be a mercenary run institution and so there would have been NO American military personnel killed within the game. Again, we support the British and American troops that fight the war against terrorism to make the world a safer place and would not make a game that said otherwise."
"Having clarified our position on terrorism, I would now like to refute all suggestions that the game was in any way linked to Al Qaeda. T-Enterprise has never had and would never have a link to Al Qaeda in any way, shape or form. Furthermore, we would certainly not facilitate a means of funding for any group that undertook terrorist activities. The game was simply designed to be an action video game that adults could enjoy.
Is it good that the game got cancelled, or a tragedy that gamers will never get to explore Guantanmo as a virtual space? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
The game, which was to be titled Rendition: Guantanamo, first came to the attention of the public when Moazzam Begg, a British citizen who was interred at the American facility and who claims he was subjected to repeated torture while there as alleged terrorist, was bought into consult. Begg was arrested in 2002 and held until 2005 and was bought on-board so that the developers could consult him about the layout and structure of the camp, though he also admitted to having a financial stake in the game.
Several details about the facility were to be changed in the game however, with detainees being recast as unwilling test subjects being used for scientific experiments run by mercenaries - so, all existing armed forces were removed from the game.
Despite these changes though T-Enterprise says that development of the game was made problematic because of extreme reactions from the public, though much of the negativity was based on misconceptions about the game.
"First and foremost, the main character was NOT Moazzam Begg. Instead, his name was Adam," said T-Enterprise director Zarra Chishti. "He happened to be involved in a case of mistaken identity and so was never a terrorist. T-Enterprise is against all forms of terrorism and would never seek to advocate otherwise. Furthermore, Guantanamo was to be a mercenary run institution and so there would have been NO American military personnel killed within the game. Again, we support the British and American troops that fight the war against terrorism to make the world a safer place and would not make a game that said otherwise."
"Having clarified our position on terrorism, I would now like to refute all suggestions that the game was in any way linked to Al Qaeda. T-Enterprise has never had and would never have a link to Al Qaeda in any way, shape or form. Furthermore, we would certainly not facilitate a means of funding for any group that undertook terrorist activities. The game was simply designed to be an action video game that adults could enjoy.
Is it good that the game got cancelled, or a tragedy that gamers will never get to explore Guantanmo as a virtual space? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
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