Legal Niches

Dubai Considers Censoring New Spec Ops Game

By John Keefer

A new title from 2K Games set in a post-apocolyptic Dubai has officials in the United Arab Emirates a bit antsy in light of the latest financial crisis in the middle eastern city state.

The game, Spec Ops: The Line, follows a group of special forces troops sent on a rescue mission to Dubai after it is destroyed in a sandstorm of cataclysmic proportions. According to an article in The National, the idea for the game was decided long before Dubai's troubles:

"It's such a fantastic location from an architectural standpoint," said [the game's producer Greg] Kasavin. "The contrast between the exterior devastation and the interior opulence and beautiful architecture seemed to be a really beautiful and effective image."

But seeing one of their most prominent cities in ruins has UAE officials a bit wary:

"We will have to review the game first before issuing any decision on whether to ban it or allow it," said Mohammed al Mutawa, a video-games censor at the [UAE's National Media Council].

Apparently, Kasavin and the development team are taking great pains to make sure the game does not step on any religious or political toes, but the game's description does hint to something ominous as the characters dig deeper into the story.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

GP: In a related story (only in the realm of major cities being destroyed), the new Army of Two game has Shanghai being destroyed by terrorists. No word from the Chinese censors on this one yet, as they seem to be focusing social games and MMOs at the moment. But we're sure this will be in the news again at a later date.

Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on December 16, 2009 (boomark / email).