505 Games, the developer of soon to be released ‘Blackwater,’ have already managed to get themselves in a heap of trouble. Both members of Congress and attorneys have called on the game maker to cancel its plans to release ‘Blackwater.’ Based on a deadly event that occurred in Baghdad, Iraq, in the year 2007, 505 Games believes that the game should not be viewed as offense simply because it uses the same name as a US based defense firm. In fact, employees from Blackwater worked with 505 Games to develop its upcoming title. One former employee says that he was happy to supply 505 Games with information on the inner workings of the company.
Although lawmakers have asked 505 Games to voluntarily stop the release of ‘Blackwater,’ they might just take legal action if the developer does not comply. While 505 Games is protected by free speech laws, the game developed could be hit with so many crippling lawsuits that it would be unable to do anything but answer subpoenas for the next few years.
The strange thing about criticisms of the upcoming titles is that no one has even seen the game yet. Simply because the game is named ‘Blackwater,’ does not mean that it will have anything to do with the 2007 shooting in Iraq. In all actuality, it would be better for the company Blackwater to allow 505 Games to release its game as planned so that the public would stop associating the company with one of the most shocking war crimes that have occurred in the 21st century.
