PC Game Portrays Osama bin Laden's Death

New first-person shooter allows users to kill Osama bin Laden...again

Only days after the death of Osama bin Laden, Kuma Games has announced that it is giving PC gamers the chance to pull the trigger that killed the world's most wanted terrorist again and again. 

Osama bin Laden was the founder of the al-Qaeda organization, which launched several mass-casualty attacks against military and civilian targets including the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001. On May 1, 2011 (May 2 according to Pakistan Standard Time), U.S. President Barack Obama announced that bin Laden had been killed by a team of 20-25 U.S. Navy SEALS from the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. 

Now, computer game developer Kuma Games is releasing a PC title called "Kuma\War Episode #107: The Death of Osama bin Laden," which allows users to experience the pursuit and the killing of bin Laden firsthand through a virtual shooting game. 

As you might expect, the firsthand shooter in the game is a U.S. Navy SEAL who travels to Abbottabad, Pakistan to break into bin Laden's mansion. Users must first kill the guards before coming face-to-face with bin Laden himself in the historical battle that took place just days ago.

This isn't Kuma's first reality computer game. In 2005, Kuma released a game that allows users to kill Saddam Hussein. In addition, previous "Kuma War" titles have featured battles in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  

Kuma may get some adverse reactions to the bin Laden title, though. Other games, such as "Medal of Honor," initially received criticism due to its themes associated with Taliban fighters. Also, "Call of Duty: Black Ops" was criticized because of its option to assassinate Fidel Castro. 

There are also differing views of the legality of bin Laden's death in recent blogs and news reports, as well as people with issues regarding the ethical/spiritual side of killing the terrorist leader. But overall, many have welcomed the death of bin Laden. 

In response to those who have criticized video games that depict real events, Kuma has said that the games are not made to mock these world events or demean what the military has worked hard to accomplish everyday. 

"At Kuma, we are sensitive and respectful of American and coalition soldiers and the sacrifices they are making every day," said Keith Halper, Kuma CEO. "We hope that by telling their stories with such a powerful medium that we enable the American public to gain a better appreciation of the conflicts and the dangers they face." 

"Kuma\War Episode #107: The Death of Osama bin Laden" will be released this Saturday.

Personally, I don't see the harm in pulling the virtual trigger at the virtual bin Laden. Some reports question whether the U.S. military did the right thing by killing bin Laden when he was allegedly unarmed, but I'm unquestionably for the U.S. victory that the military has worked to achieve for years now. Would I go out of my way to play Kuma's bin Laden killing spree game? Possibly, but only out of curiosity. I'm not against its release, but I don't need to play it in order to understand or feel apart of what happened. 

What do you think? Is the game a way of capitalizing on the event, or are critics too sensitive? 

Posted in: Geek Zone