U.S. Rep. New York Representative Ritchie Torres demands that Valve remove the contentious video game from its Steam platform, amid concerns over its depiction of a Palestinian resistance fighter.
The game, developed by Brazilian creator Nidal Nijm, was previously removed from Steam in several countries, including the UK, after a request to delist it was made by the UK authorities. The Australian Counter-Terrorism Web Referral Unit, as reported by 404 Media. The European Union has effectively blocked the sport following EU violations identified by France’s cybercrime unit, according to Nijm. According to a confirmation by Nijm to game-feeds in an electronic mail from Valve, the breach pertains to Article 3 of EU Regulation 2021/784, specifically addressing the dissemination of terrorist content online.
Launched in 2022, the game initially flew under the radar until the Libs of TikTok account on X spotlighted a clip: “Online game available on @Steam permits gamers to simulate being a Hamas terrorist who kills Jews in the Old City of Jerusalem while shouting ‘Allahu Akbar,'” the account posted. In November, Nijm launched an operation dubbed the “Al-Aqsa Flood Relief” initiative, echoing Hamas’ October efforts. The unprecedented 7 assaults on Israel involved a daring and unconventional tactic: Palestinian fighters paragliding into an Israeli naval base. According to a report by 404 Media in November, the Steam webpage does not explicitly mention Hamas, yet features a protagonist character wearing a green headband reminiscent of the organization’s insignia.
In a letter to Valve, Torres accused the game’s developers of “glorifying barbaric violence and terror against Jews.” He alleged that by hosting the game on its platform, Valve is complicit in normalizing the most heinous forms of antisemitic violence and terror, including beheadings, suicide bombings, and war crimes.
When discussing Nijm’s sport alongside naval shooters like Call of Duty, he notes that there is often a double standard in media.
“In a candid message shared on X, the game developer acknowledged that while his sport may not directly compete with Call of Duty from a technical standpoint, they share a common goal in tackling a pressing social issue.” “What’s freedom of speech? Huge AAA studios are permitted to create provocative video games that spark debate, often regarded as a unique form of artistic expression. However, when I ventured into similar territory with my own game, numerous individuals and organizations targeted me, attempting to suppress its release and labeling it ‘terrorist propaganda.’
Nijm critiques how struggle is typically portrayed in video game franchises like Call of Duty, where players engage in simulated wars using authentic weaponry – only to be incentivized by weapons like white phosphorus, designed to wreak havoc on human targets. For decades, Arabs have often been stereotypically portrayed as the default enemy in naval shooters. Nijm rejected the claim that “Fursan al-Aqsa” is “terrorist propaganda.” He stated in an email to game-feeds: “The sports team solely sheds light on the opposite side of the story, namely Palestinian resistance, keeping in mind that the UN recognizes the right of populations to resist oppression and military occupation.”
Valve has remained silent in response to a request from GameFeeds for comment.
Despite the surrounding controversy, the sport has failed to attract more than 25 concurrent players since its launch. Following its acquisition of a significant number of gamers – increasing from eight to a peak of 16 concurrently – after the posting of Libs of TikTok clips, the platform subsequently experienced a decline, returning to a low of single digits. Following the U.Okay. In November, the sport’s popularity surged, with the number of concurrent players rising dramatically from a peak of six in October to an impressive high of 25 in early December. Despite a relatively low number of participants, the game boasts an “overwhelmingly positive” assessment rating on Steam, with 664 reviews overwhelmingly praising its merits. Only 257 of these performances have exceeded one-hour marks.
The recent updates on the EU ban have brought new insights to the narrative, and Nijm’s additional commentary adds depth to the account.
