Activision responds to AAID
GUN wasn't meant to offend.
Activision has responded to accusations that PC and console title GUN promotes racism and genocide, apologising to Native Americans who have complained about the game for any offence caused.
In a statement issued to GamesIndustry.biz, the publisher said: "Activision does not condone or advocate any of the atrocities that occurred in the American West during the 1800s. GUN was designed to reflect the harshness of life on the American frontier at that time.
"It was not Activision’s intention to offend any race or ethnic group with GUN, and we apologize to any who might have been offended by the game’s depiction of historical events which have been conveyed not only through video games but through films, television programming, books and other media."
Activision's comments come after the Association for American Indian Development launched a campaign against GUN, as reported previously.
One of AAID's main complaints was with regard to the prominence of "Indian scalping" in the game, but according to Activision: "While GUN depicts scalping and killing, these actions are not directed exclusively toward any race or gender but are used against a variety of opponents, reflecting the realities of that time."
The AAID previously requested that Activision removed all content which it deems offensive from GUN, threatening to start a global campaign to have the game removed from shop shelves if this demand is not met.