14 DAY TRIAL // Six Days in Fallujah was a controversial project from the moment it was announced. In part it was due to the sensitive issues that it sought to tackle, in part it was because Atomic Games, the developer, and Konami, the publisher, could not agree whether they were aiming for “just a videogame” or for a “realistic experience.”
It did not help that veterans of the Second Battle of Fallujah stepped up to condemn the game and its creators and that there were some rumors, since then dispelled, that insurgents were consulted and financially rewarded for their input related to Six Days in Fallujah.
Now, Konami seems to have buckled under the pressure and has announced that it has decided to drop the title, without providing any clear reasons for the decision. The loss of public image related to the videogame was probably deemed too important when compared to the potential revenue that could be derived from Six Days in Fallujah. Still, it appears that the saga surrounding the title is not yet over, if recent development is any indication.
Destineer, a sister company of developer Atomic Games, originally sought to trademark Six Days in Fallujah early in 2005, just a few months after the end of the fighting in the city in Iraq. It began fielding phone media inquiries after Konami dropped the game, leading some to think that the title might be self published. Destineer said that this would not be the case but that an announcement related to Six Days in Fallujah would be made in the coming days.
After all, the videogame, despite all the controversy and the drama, could turn out to be something decent, something that showcases the chaos and the pressure of battle while also offering a good shooter experience to the player.