Kuma Reality Games is back in the news again, releasing a new 3D-simulation of what a
U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear facilities might play like. "Assault on Iran," the latest reality-based episode
available for free download at KumaWar.com, has drawn sharp criticism from PersianPetition.com, an online forum for
Persian speakers in Iran and abroad. On October 12, the website posted a petition requesting that Kuma stop offering
"Assault on Iran"; since then, the petition has gathered more than 5,000 signatures. However, Kuma has no plans to
remove the game from public access.
Has Kuma gone too far? Should game developers leave some issues alone? Or should game developers be subject to a waiting period before handling touchy subjects?
[Thanks, bandersnatch]



















(Page 1) Reader Comments
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like #2 says, how would americans feel if iran published a game about killing americans in new york or washington? you better believe middle america and the good folks at fox news would be frothing at the mouth...
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You can't tell a socities values by its laws. If it truly, deeply, valued something, there would be no need for a law regarding it.
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What's with this arrogant, ignorant, fascism from people who are by definition fellow Americans?
Next we should have a Sim-game where you run for office, come up with good lies to get you there, then rig it, then you become president. Sim-democracy. But of course, that could be seen as a murder simulator too.
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Bad taste? So what? By the above requisites, Command and Conquer: Generals was also in bad taste becuase you killed terrorists. So is Rome: Total War because you could invade the middle east.
Guess what, the world doesn't have room for those who get "offended". The only way we can avoid being offended is to not say anything ever, hide in a blank room, and never come out.
Great, 5,000 "Persians" (tell these people Persia doesn't exist anymore) don't like it. Holy crap, 7.35e-3% of Iranians don't like it and 7.75e-5% of the world's population has a problem. Last time I checked, 7.35e-3 is such a small number that scientists outside of chemistry would refer to it as insignificant.
Think it is in bad taste? Just don't buy it. Making news like this did a better job of getting Kuma subscribers than the aim of your cause.
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Iran is no Iraq or Afghanistan! And Iran should be portrayed differently in Western media. What else does an average westerner knows about Iran besides it is in a region full of wars and also with developing nuclear weapons?
TASTELESS and should be removed from their SITE immediately
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Touchy subjects? Meh, if it's a decent enough game, I'll play it.
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It's a game. How do you feel like killing people in any game?
Violence is violence ... play it or don't play it. It is going to perpetuate stereotypes either way. Get over it. If you're going to try to change the world, start in your own back yard, please.
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You sure? I'd like to think that the society I live in truly, deeply values the freedom to walk the streets without the risk of being shot - does that mean there shouldn't be a law against murder?
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Ive killed Londeners in GTA london by running over them. Black americans in GTA San AN. White Americans in every other GTA. Armys from all over the world in all the Age of Empire games. Space marines in nearly every damn FPS out there. American Vets in every other damn FPS out there.
If gaming was real I'd be up there with with the worst murderers in the world and if your a gamer so would you be.
Im english and I feel just fine about killing my own "pixel un perfect electronic renditions of peoples imaginations" in a GAME. But then thats the whole point isnt it? that mysterious word "Game".
"true gamer" ? Exactly what does a true gamer play then? Never killed people in Theme Hosipital? Never played say EVE online or another MMORPG? How about a racing game on the PS2 or PC? Do you think after those crashes your not fataly wounding some poor sod??
I have some new words for you to replace you obvious lying "true gamer"
"GET A LIFE"
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Plus i'm no HALF!!! both of my parents are Persian and I'm a proud Canadian (not born in Canada) so what does that have to do with this issue of the game? ...
Hitch chill, stop flaming.
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"without the risk of being shot"? what about the gang violance in LA (and many other parts of the U.S)? you don't think theres a risk of being shot in the streets? and oh do you even know anything about Iran? i don't recall anyone being shot in the streets in Iran. that's the sad thing about us americans. we dont know anything about the world. just because iran is in the middle east doesnt mean its insecure!
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I've killed Japanese, Columbians, Cubans, Nicaraguans, Somalis, Egyptians, Germans, British, French, Italians, Russians, Chinese, Koreans, Romanians, Canadians, Americans, Iraqis, Saudis and more through shooters. Iranians aren't anything special. You're acting like the entire nationality is some super-race dropped onto Earth by Allah himself.
Guess what, they are not and are subject to the same treatment given by gaming to every other race/nationality on the planet. Kuma War is about historically accurate modern combat as well as "what-if" combat. Is an invasion of Iran a possibility? After the rantings of the lunatic that runs the place now about using God's wrath to wipe out Israel, of course.
Untie your panties, your historic nationality isn't special, get over it.
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Learn your OWN history. The US didn't make anything. I don't recall a huge international conspiracy when Tripoli pirates waged Jihad on the newly formed United States in 1794. I don't recall there being any issues involving meddling in Islamic affairs when the newly out of isolation US had the embassies bombed around the world in 1955.
I do know my history. Islam is the ONLY religion on Earth to have spread the bulk of its beliefs at the head of an army. Want to get into little fights like this, I can turn out how Persia invited the Mongol Hordes into Europe by their ignorance cutting the head off of Kublai Khan's trade emmissary because he wasn't a follower of Allah. Or how your beloved Persians razed the Great Library of Alexandria to the ground because written works violated the tennents of Islamic Law, setting back Western (and by proxy, world) science back 500 years or more (there are still technologies written about 2,000 years ago that we have not yet to recreate).
No, I am trying to play the high ground here. Saying Kuma War is inciting violence is putting you on the same level as Jack Thomoson. We're not killing Iranians, we're killing pixels and polygons. If the simply changed the name from Iranian to some fictional -stan nation, like Bakhalakastan, it doesn't exactly make it any better.
Get off your high horse and realize anti-American zealots are just as bad as you're portraying these "ignorant Americans" to be. Or you can just go out to play your Palestinian developed "Kill Isreaelis" game because it is apparently religiously legit.
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So don't play them. Get. Over. It. Already.
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That's a rather extreme generalisation you've made. Do you have any facts to prove what you've typed?
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As to my proof at this generalisation, post no. 29.
Furthermore, your desire for me to be destroyed by a nuclear bomb via your pro-nuclear stance would also destroy many other lives. Are you willing to make such a frivolous wish just to remove a poster whose comments are not akin to your viewpoint?
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