PC War Game Pisses Off Iran

[AaronGF]

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but Kuma Reality Games - who recently made a game about Saddam Hussein's crimes - has made it into the top 5 news stories on CNN. Apparently, just before releasing the mission about Saddam Hussein, they released a mission that has U.S. troops attacking Iran. The government controlled press in Iran has responded by bashing the title, and an independent petition has gathered 5000 signatures demanding the game be taken offline.

The petition itself is in Farsi, but there's an article on it here (http://gamesfirst.com/index.php?id=884), and CNN.com has their thing about it here (http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/10/24/iran.nuclear.game.reut/index.html), too.

Kuma Games produces a game called KumaWar, which is a first person shooter composed of missions based on real life - and possible real life - events, like the freeing of hostages from the American Embassy in Tehran back in the 1980s.

Editor: Let's not forget KumaWar sucks (http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages4/918805.asp).

[Morrolan]

I would sign a petition asking Kuma Games to take their lives offline, because they have no class, tact or talent. But I wouldn't sign the petition linked above, even if I could read it.

[Ludoc]

Are these the same idiots that made the JFK assasinaion simulator?

Edit: upon investigation of their website it appears these are an entirely different set of idiots.

On the plus side their game appears to be free.

[Savok]

Consider yourselves lucky it wasn't EA, Iran. Then you'd get EA Trax on top of everything else.

[Vandenh]

Kuma Reality Games isn't worth writing an article about.

[Morratut]

/rolleyes

at Iran.

[Paltry]

/flip off

Iran

[CapnAJ]

There's always going to be some game pissing someone off, somewhere.

[MadHiro]

What's depressing me about this is what utter trash KumaWar is, and yet they still have a number of 75% scores in reviews. Can I instead sign a petition to have electrified clamps attached to reviewers balls, ones that deliver swift shocks of justice whenever they rate a game too high?

[The Iron Weasel]

Oh good lord, I tried Kuma War, god do I ever regret it.....ugh that game sucks.

[Subbacultcha]

I think the world should turn a blind eye if the Islamic Republic of Iran puts a fatwa on the programmers of Kuma War. Making crappy, headline-whoring games most probably insults all manner of holy books.

May their graphics cards perish and their hard drives wither, God willing.

[Evil Avatar]

The shame is that it is a great idea for a game and the team does a great job of coming up with cool ideas for missions... they just don't have a decent engine or talented level designers/artists to pull it off.

[KarmaGhost]

I'm kinda sick of lame games pissing people off (Postal 2, Kuma, etc). It makes us look bad. At least games like Doom and GTA were quality. Getting agry at games and gamers over these horrible titles seems like such a waste.

[netcraazzy]

Oh Noes, the Iranians are pissed about something in western culture? Say it ain't so!

[Deadend]

Oh Noes, the Iranians are pissed about something in western culture? Say it ain't so!

My thoughts exactly.

[AaronGF]

I personally don't see it as Iranians being pissed at western culture, it's more about a very specific objection to a game that has the U.S. Military attacking Iran. That's not a cultural difference or objection, really. I think most people in the United States would object to a slew of games that put you in control of Iranian forces attacking and killing U.S. troops in mainland America.

It's not really a matter of cultural conflict, in this case, I don't think. Just a thought.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

I personally don't see it as Iranians being pissed at western culture, it's more about a very specific objection to a game that has the U.S. Military attacking Iran. That's not a cultural difference or objection, really. I think most people in the United States would object to a slew of games that put you in control of Iranian forces attacking and killing U.S. troops in mainland America.

It's not really a matter of cultural conflict, in this case, I don't think. Just a thought.


Exactly. Remember the fuss over the 9/11 game?

[netcraazzy]

I personally don't see it as Iranians being pissed at western culture, it's more about a very specific objection to a game that has the U.S. Military attacking Iran. That's not a cultural difference or objection, really. I think most people in the United States would object to a slew of games that put you in control of Iranian forces attacking and killing U.S. troops in mainland America.

It's not really a matter of cultural conflict, in this case, I don't think. Just a thought.

I'm positive there are several games that allowed the user to play as another country and attack the US. Command and Conquer Red Alert 1 and 2 comes to mind although that's a bit more science fiction than the game we are talking about here. There are plenty of Terrorist/Counter Terrorist games out there where you can play as an individual bent on blowing some US asset or building up. Again, most people view those games as satire or fiction. Maybe Kuma War comes a little too close to "the line" but I honestly think it's being singled out because of a political agenda just as GTA has been here in the states lately.

[AaronGF]

I don't think any of those games would be considered satire, but fiction, yes. Kuma's whole selling point is that it's not fiction, though, but based as closely as possible on recent reality (currently going on).

Considering that C&C is based on Einstein going back in time and killing Adolf Hitler, thus preventing WWII, I think that's pretty abstract. :)

I think a far more realistic representation of this issue reversed would be to take a country that the U.S. population currently considers a threat, and create a game that puts you in the role of the other country attacking inside the United States. For example, a game based on 9/11, where you are a hijacker, and your job is to use a razor to quell the civilians on the airplane, and fly the plane into the twin towers.

Also keep in mind that the United States has just finished invading a country directly next door to Iran because we thought Iraq was developing WMD. The petition says that, "We have to let Americans know that we are not the same as Iraq or Afghanistan." This is not some abstract threat for them.

I'm not saying that Kuma should necessarily change their game, because they're allowed to do whatever they want.

I'm just saying that the reaction of people at PersianPetition.com is somewhat understandable.

[Vulture]

Shall we ban Risk next?

As for those in Iran worrying that a US attack may be real, congrats they have a clue. Iraq is meant to be a jumping off point for such actions with no restrictions. This has not been the case with our basing in Saudi Arabia ,Kuwait, or Qatar.

Unstable Governments that have WMDs scare many nations. The US and allies are just doing something by being there. Notice the actual progress over this that has happened since 2003.

And to put my vote in, Kuma should be stopped due to huimanitarian reasons. It's inhumane to have people playing that drek!

[DaXIthR]

Unstable Governments that have WMDs scare many nations. The US and allies are just doing something by being there. Notice the actual progress over this that has happened since 2003.


You must mean 'progress' in the most sarcastic way it can be used.

Kudos to AaronGF. I completely agree with your points.

[Paltry]

I personally don't see it as Iranians being pissed at western culture, it's more about a very specific objection to a game that has the U.S. Military attacking Iran. That's not a cultural difference or objection, really. I think most people in the United States would object to a slew of games that put you in control of Iranian forces attacking and killing U.S. troops in mainland America.


I OBJECT TO RED ALERT 2 BECAUSE IT IS REAL LIFE

[Paltry]

"We have to let Americans know that we are not the same as Iraq or Afghanistan."

yea, theyre worse

[Xerxes]

Yeah, see we have this thing called freedom Iran. Basically we don't get shot in the head when we call the President a idiot and can make tons of shitty games about blowing up every single country.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

Yeah, see we have this thing called freedom Iran. Basically we don't get shot in the head when we call the President a idiot and can make tons of shitty games about blowing up every single country.

However, we can throw Iran's citizens (hell, our own citizens) into a prison on an island we don't even control, and leave them there to rot for years without any rights.

Don't point out the faults in other nations unless you can acknowledge the many here at home.

[Xerxes]

I wasn't pointing out anybody's fault. I'm pointing out the fact that a petition isn't going to get shit done, it's a game move on to important matters. Are you some sort of hippie or something?

[Paltry]

hey gnome i think you should go see a doctor, your heart seems to be losing a lot of blood. Hahaaaaaaaaaa! Get it? You know, as in, you are a bleeding heart... as in, you are a whiney pussy....



anyway... http://news.ft.com/cms/s/14ee1ccc-465b-11da-8880-00000e2511c8.html

[Magnanimous Gnome]

I wasn't pointing out anybody's fault. I'm pointing out the fact that a petition isn't going to get shit done, it's a game move on to important matters. Are you some sort of hippie or something?


Yep, I hugged ten trees today alone. If I lived in the forest I would hug more. :p

You are right, the petition isn't going to do shit. No online petition, no matter where it is created, is going to do shit.


hey gnome i think you should go see a doctor, your heart seems to be losing a lot of blood. Hahaaaaaaaaaa! Get it? You know, as in, you are a bleeding heart... as in, you are a whiney pussy....

Wow, name calling! Oh, scary! The main conservative tactic.

I guess giving the facts and actually caring about freedom makes me a whiny, bleeding heart, liberal-commie-fag-pussy. So be it then.

Get a life. :rolleyes:

[Paltry]

Well that is quite the cutting retort. See, its not you caring about freedom that makes you a whiny, bleeding heart, liberal-commie-fag-pussy. Its the fact that you care so much about the freedom of fanatical zealots bent on the destruction of an entire culture, way of life and any conlflicting religios ideals. And what makes you even more of a whiny, bleeding heart, liberal-commie-fag-pussy is the fact that the way of life they hate with such a passion is the very one of dissent and contradiction that we in America hold so very dear. Hell, we're living it right now by having this polarized asinine discussion. See, we really are brothers deep down. We <3 you, a nation always needs a self crtitical eye. And you and/or your kids will <3 us, when we're ass deep in another world war because whiny, bleeding heart, liberal-commie-fag-pussy's like you did nothing but sit on their hands and felt bad for 50 years. Well, hopefully it wont come to that, as long as we dont get any more whiny, bleeding heart, liberal-commie-fag-pussies in office for another decade or so.

[Paltry]

boooooooooooooooooooooooooyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Savok]

The left has an important role to play as a counter balance to the right, they aren't doing that right now.

Instead the left appear to be (http://timblair.net/ee/index.php/weblog/comments/not_anti_war_just_on_the_other_side/) flocking to the enemy, using their control over a large portion of the media to rewrite history (http://timblair.net/ee/index.php/weblog/comments/loads_o_bogosity/). You're going to get a lot of angry reactions from folk who prefer our current system over Islamic rule. This isn't the first time the left has swapped sides, Hanoi Jane anyone?

To quote Team America

We're dicks! We're reckless, arrogant, stupid dicks. And the Film Actors Guild are pussies. And Kim Jong Il is an asshole. Pussies don't like dicks, because pussies get fucked by dicks. But dicks also fuck assholes: assholes that just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think they can deal with assholes their way. But the only thing that can fuck an asshole is a dick, with some balls. The problem with dicks is: they fuck too much or fuck when it isn't appropriate - and it takes a pussy to show them that. But sometimes, pussies can be so full of shit that they become assholes themselves... because pussies are an inch and half away from ass holes. I don't know much about this crazy, crazy world, but I do know this: If you don't let us fuck this asshole, we're going to have our dicks and pussies all covered in shit!

[Paltry]

thank you savok

[Paltry]

and suck it down gnome

[AaronGF]

The fundamentals that helped build this country supports people's right to be zealots, bent on the destruction of whatever they like. Until it's been proved that they've done something wrong through a legal trial, yeah... those rights are protected (at least if they were US citizens).

You can't say that someone does not deserve a trial because they're guilty without first giving them a trial to prove their guilt.

[Paltry]

Hah! Its not like we're rounding up dissidents or college students and throwing them in Guantonimo. Id say if we pick these people up in the fucking mountains of Afghanistan with an ak in their hand and an american soldier at their feet they dont deserve shit. They deserve to be shot in their fat heads and left to rot in the desert. But alas, we are too kind for that. Plus, think of all the nifty intel we'd be wasting.

And what if, as you, by protecting our way of life we are contradicting it? Is that really wrong if in the end we attain that goal. I really dont think so.

[Savok]

Aaron, do you know what a war is? Do you have any concept of it at all? War is the most powerful concept mankind can muster, I'll grant you that doesn't say anything good about mankind, but it tends to bring out the best and worst in us, history has shown America to do both at once, but then some folk never learn.

Fandango their intel is long out of date, they're only still there because whatever action America takes the media will decide is the wrong one, so it's a state of inaction.

[Paltry]

yea i know that but that doesnt mean we dont try to juice every last bit of everything out of them with near psychological torture. just thought that had to be insensitively acknowledged.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

Well that is quite the cutting retort. See, its not you caring about freedom that makes you a whiny, bleeding heart, liberal-commie-fag-pussy. Its the fact that you care so much about the freedom of fanatical zealots bent on the destruction of an entire culture, way of life and any conlflicting religios ideals. And what makes you even more of a whiny, bleeding heart, liberal-commie-fag-pussy is the fact that the way of life they hate with such a passion is the very one of dissent and contradiction that we in America hold so very dear. Hell, we're living it right now by having this polarized asinine discussion. See, we really are brothers deep down. We <3 you, a nation always needs a self crtitical eye. And you and/or your kids will <3 us, when we're ass deep in another world war because whiny, bleeding heart, liberal-commie-fag-pussy's like you did nothing but sit on their hands and felt bad for 50 years. Well, hopefully it wont come to that, as long as we dont get any more whiny, bleeding heart, liberal-commie-fag-pussies in office for another decade or so.


Yes, every person living in Iran, and the entire Middle East for that matter, is a Zealot. Just like everyone living in America is a stupid, fat, selfish, right-winged hick. Generalizations are great, no?

Don't count on not having another "liberal-commie-fag-pussy" in Office for another decade. If you include all Democrats in that equation, which I imagine you do, you may be surprised come 2008. Bush isn't doing the GOP many favors. ;)


and suck it down gnome

Wow, with witty reparte like that, what can I possibly say? You win man, you fucking win!

:rolleyes:

[Savok]

A lot of folks seem to think it'll be Hilary in '08 for the Democrats, and she doesn't have a chance. Not because she's a she, but because she's fucking insane.

And honestly, if the Democrats continue this trend of left wing lunacy, we won't see them in the White House for another decade, which is a damn shame as the damn thing becomes a one party system, which sucks. What you will see with any luck is a more moderate Republican candidate. As the left have gone further over the edge, the right has been filling some of the holes they're leaving.

Of course we could see Condi as well, which would be a disaster, again not because she's a black, single woman (Bush sure hates them blacks and women who don't know their place) but because her mouth moves way before her brain does. The woman is as subtle as a hammer to the forebrain, great as an advisor in private, terrible in public speaking.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

I am really tired of seeing conservatives rant about the "lunatic" left, blah blah.

Do you have any idea just how crazy a lot of the far-right comes off?

The only reason that the right can get away with this kind of name calling is because they are in power. Something else I get to constantly get my face rubbed in. Yes boys, I know the GOP controls the white house and Congress. Guess what? They're doing a bang-up job of destroying our international relations, our economy, and our social welfare programs! Whee! :rolleyes:

[Savok]

I like to think of the far right and far left as the same thing, considering they both have the same objective to run our lives and neither should be allowed do that.

When I say lunatic left do I mean every lefty? Of course not, I mean the lunatic left (http://margokingston.typepad.com/), why I use the term "lunatic left". And you people say the right wingers are paranoid.