Atomic Games first announced Six Days in Fallujah over 12 years ago. Many people gave up hope that the game would ever see the light of day.  Then, suddenly, the game developers finally revealed the existence of the game that was promised so many years ago. The first trailer for the upcoming shooter released in March of this year and many fans rejoiced. It seemed that things finally fell into place for the upcoming shooter but now it faces a bigger challenge than ever before. The twelve-year delays don't compare to the current movement condemning the game's sensitive topic.

SIX DAYS IN FALLUJAH UNDER FIRE

The initial plans to develop SDIF came to a grinding halt when Atomic Games went bankrupt in 2011. The game eventually found a new developer and publisher for a projected 2021 release but there are already calls for a boycott. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on Microsoft, Sony, and Valve to drop the upcoming game from their platforms. The advocacy group declared that the game was an “Arab murder simulator.”

“We call on Microsoft, Sony, and Valve to ban their platforms from hosting Six Days in Fallujah, an Arab murder simulator that will only normalize violence against Muslims in America and around the world.”

War shooters often triggered controversies in the past but it usually took place after the game released. Now, the affected parties hope to take action against the game before an official release date is even announced. CAIR Research and Advocacy Coordinator Huzaifa Shahbaz spoke at length about the video game industry's constant use of Muslims as adversaries.

“The gaming industry must stop dehumanizing Muslims. Video games like Six Days in Fallujah only serve to glorify violence that took the lives of hundreds of Iraqi civilians, justify the Iraq war, and reinforce anti-Muslim sentiment at a time when anti-Muslim bigotry continues to threaten human life.”

It's not unreasonable to expect more responsibility from game developers. The developers of Six Days in Fallujah made no announcement regarding the call for a boycott. Hopefully, all the involved parties find common ground if and when the game releases later this year.