Controversial ... images from the Muslim Massacre video game / Screengrab
A VIDEO game made by an Australian man that encourages players to massacre Muslim people has caused international outrage.
Muslim Massacre is promoted as taking place after the US "declares war" on the religion of Islam and encourages players to wipe out followers.
"The United States of America has declared war on Islam!" the Muslim Massacre website says.
"Take control of the American hero and wipe out the Muslim race with an arsenal of the world`s most destructive weapons."
The targets appear as bearded men wearing normal clothes or characters in black outfits with facemasks. Later levels include suicide bombers and a "boss" opponent resembling Osama Bin Laden.
Mr Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the UK Muslim youth organisation the Ramadhan Foundation, said the game was unacceptable, tasteless and deeply offensive.
"When kids spend six hours a day on violent games they are more likely to go outside and commit violence," he said.
"If it was the other way around, with a game featuring Muslims killing Israelis or Americans, there would be uproar and rightly so."
Muslim Massacre was developed by Eric Vaughn, known online as "Sigvatr", a 22-year-old from Brisbane. He first released it online in January this year.
The game begins with audio from George Bush speeches, edited together to sound like a condemnation of Muslims.
The graphics are similar to 1990s arcade shooter games, with a bird`s eye view showing the protagonist, a tiny pixelated US soldier, running and shooting other characters.
Mr Vaughn`s website links to other projects such as a fictional sporting league for real-life massacre shooters and a webcomic.
Muslim Massacre bears a resemblance to two other independently-developed "shock" games released online: V-Tech Rampage (2007), which recreated the Virgina Tech shootings and Super Columbine Massacre RPG! (2005), which was a recreation of the 1999 Columbine High School shootings.
Those who have played Muslim Massacre provided mixed feedback to Mr Vaughn.
"I think it’s brave, because it’s the kind of satire that many people will misunderstand, especially in America and in Islamic countries," said a comment posted on Mr Vaughn`s website.
"Still, you can’t be misunderstood any worse than the ‘super columbine massacre’ guy."
The Ramadhan Foundation has asked the British Government to conduct an inquiry into the game and urged internet service providers to block access to it.
Irfan..please tell me who assassinated Archduke Ferdinand to start WWI ?I would much prefer it portraying the real terrorists of this world..the Catholic Church..remember them..all the inquisitions over the centuries..the IRA etc etc
Posted by: phil of Brisbane 7:28pm today
Thanx to news.com.au, if you never posted this story, I never would have found this gameFail.
Posted by: Adam L of Sydney 7:19pm today
To those saying "It's just a game" - I wonder whether they'd be saying the same thing if the game was titled "Jewish Massacre"? I think not.
Posted by: HM of Melbourne 7:14pm today
There are games where you kill Germans, or Japanese why should Muslims be any different.It's like saying we can't make Irish jokes or Jewish jokes.Its all that nanny state mentality.6 million Jews were killed during the war and that is all you hear about, yet 20 million Russians were killed and 15 million Chinese were killed, that is a fact,It;s all a load of rubbish.When you play monopoly everyone knows you don't really own park lane !!! If the lefties get there way we will all be mute!
Posted by: Martin of Melbourne 7:09pm today
Free speech is more important than people being offended by things. Being offended is not an injury, but stopping people from speaking freely usually ends up with people being hurt, harmed and exploited.This is a complete non-issue.
We welcome your comments on this story. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Please provide your full name. We also require a working email address - not for publication, but for verification. The location field is optional.Read our publication guidelines.
Submit your feedback here:
Search for more stories on this topic on Newstext, our news archive service. Click here
AMERICANS gathered to mark the seventh anniversary of the terror attacks that shook the world.
