The operators of video game distribution service Steam have blocked a pro-Palestinian first-person shooter game in the United Kingdom at the request of the country’s counterterrorism authorities. The game Fursan al-Aqsa: The Knights of the Al-Aqsa Mosque came out in 2022.
It’s a first-person shooter game resembling series like Call of Duty, Medal of Honor and Battlefield. This game, however, unfolds in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and puts players in Palestinians’ shoes.
A recent update out last month allows players to re-create parts of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. A trailer for the update showed Hamas fighters using paragliders to enter an Israeli base and a Hamas fighter shooting a female Israeli soldier.
Point phone camera here
Video game news outlet 404 Media reported on British authorities blocking the game in the U.K.
The outlet spoke to the game’s creator, Nidal Njim, a Brazilian of Palestinian heritage. He told 404 shooting a soldier on their knees is actually an action the game doesn’t allow players to do. He added the game penalizes players if they do it.
404 Media obtained emails between Njim and Valve, operators of the Steam marketplace, where a representative said they blocked the game using country restrictions on orders from the U.K.’s Counter-Terrorism Internet Referral Unit, or CTIRU.
It also gave a statement to 404 Media. “The CTIRU works closely with a range of technology, social media and online service providers, but we do not comment on specific content or any communication we may have with specific platforms or providers.”
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Sign up for the newsletter today!
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
Njim accused British regulators of being hypocritical.
“On their flawed logic, the most recent Call of Duty Black Ops 6 should be banned as well. As you play as an American soldier and go to Iraq to kill Iraqi people. What I can say is that we see clearly the double standards,” Njim said.
The game has also been blocked from sale in Brazil and Australia but for a different reason. The game doesn’t have a specific age rating, something the creator says is down to cost. Each country requires payment of a few thousand dollars to obtain a rating.
Tags: Censorship, Free Speech, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Palestine, Tech, Technology, United Kingdom, video games, West Bank
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
The operators of video game distribution service Steam have blocked a pro-Palestinian first-person shooter game in the UK at the request of the country’s counter-terrorism authorities.
The game “Fursan al-Aqsa: The Knights of the Al-Aqsa Mosque” came out in 2022. It’s a first-person shooter game resembling series like “Call of Duty,” “Medal of Honor,” and “Battlefield.” This game, however, is set in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a Palestinian character.
A recent update out last month allows players to re-create parts of the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel. A trailer for the update showed Hamas fighters using paragliders to enter an Israeli base and a Hamas fighter shooting a female Israeli soldier.
Video game news outlet 404 Media was one of the first to report on the game being blocked in the UK.
They spoke to the game’s creator, Nidal Njim… a Brazilian of Palestinian heritage He told 4-0-4 shooting a soldier on their knees is actually an action players aren’t allowed to do and get penalized for if they do it in the game.
They obtained emails between Njim and Valve, operators of the Steam marketplace, where a representative said they removed the action on orders from the UK’s Counter-Terrorism Internet Referral Unit, or C-T-I-R-U.
They gave a statement to 404 Media, saying “The CTIRU works closely with a range of technology, social media and online service providers, but we do not comment on specific content or any communication we may have with specific platforms or providers.”
Njim accused British regulators of being hypocritical, saying, “On their flawed logic, the most recent Call of Duty Black Ops 6 should be banned as well. As you play as an American Soldier and go to Iraq to kill Iraqi people. What I can say is that we see clearly the double standards.”
The game has also been blocked from sale in Brazil and Australia but for a different reason: the game doesn’t have a specific age rating, something the creator says is down to cost–each country requires payment of a few thousand dollars to obtain a rating.
For Straight Arrow News, I’m Lauren Taylor.
And for all the latest top stories and updates, download the Straight Arrow News app.
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
