Controversial military shooter Six Days in Fallujah is coming to Steam Early Access on June 22nd.
The game was previously delayed from 2021 to 2022, but will now launch with four cooperative four-player missions focusing specifically on “the experiences of US Marine fireteams on the first day of combat”.
The game has been controversial since its initial announcement due to its focus on realistic depiction of the battle for Fallujah, one of the bloodiest battles of the US-led invasion of Iraq.
There’s a – rather underwhelming – announcement trailer that you can watch below at your own discretion.
Peter Tamte, boss of publisher Victura, drew criticism for saying the game would not make a political statement and then u-turning to say the game was “inseparable from politics”.
The game will require players to “overcome real-world situations”, according to a press release. It promises to be a “highly realistic first-person tactical shooter developed with the help of more than 100 Marines and Soldiers who served in the Second Battle of Fallujah, as well as more than two dozen Iraqi civilians and soldiers”.
One such soldier is even quoted: “The way we play video games right now is not how people fight in real life,” said Sgt. Eddie Garcia, a Marine wounded in the Second Battle of Fallujah. “Six Days in Fallujah requires tactics and teamwork more like real combat than any game I’ve ever played.”
Later, after the initial release, players will be able to play as special operations or Iraqi soldiers fighting alongside coalition forces. Players will begin encountering civilians during combat.
To ensure combat is realistic, Victura uses procedural generation in buildings to ensure players never know what to expect and implements AI to mirror insurgent tactics. Dynamic lighting will simulate real time and effects, while gameplay will allow players to approach missions like a sandbox.
Six Days in Fallujah was conceived 18 years ago, just a few months after the conflict itself. The game was canceled in 2009 by the original publisher Konami. Today, Victura owns developer Highwire Games, which was founded by members of the original Halo and Destiny leadership.
The game is expected to be released in full in 2024 across PC and consoles.
