Warco: The War Journalism Game

[Yassen]

I was reading my local game magazine today and I came across an article talking about a newly revealed game titled "Warco: The News Game" developed by a studio in my hometown of Brisbane. The game is essentially like Call of Duty (wait, don't leave yet) except you're a journalist instead of a soldier. You're a female war correspondent who has to capture war footage and then edit that footage to represent the specific conflict that you're a part of. I'll include the description and a video from the games website.

Australia-based games partnership Defiant Development, ManiatyMedia and Arenamedia have unveiled their ?proof of concept playable? prototype for WARCO ? redefining the action genre with cinematic standards of drama and suspense, and challenging players? strategic and creative skills with scenarios that parallel the revolutionary struggles now sweeping Africa and the Middle East. Development funded by Screen Australia and Screen New South Wales, WARCO takes gaming to a new level of real-world interaction and authenticity.

WARCO lets players shoot and record what they see ?through the lens? ? framing shots, panning and zooming, grabbing powerful images of combatants and civilians caught up in war. They?ve got AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades ? you?ve got a flak jacket, a video camera, and a burning desire to get the story. Every game space is embedded with multiple objectives and story leads for journalist Jesse DeMarco to find ? a scoop if she?s smart, mortal danger if she drops her guard?

Record dramatic images of war, save them in-game, then edit the results into a compelling frontline TV news story. Beam the results to global audiences on the web. No two WARCO stories will ever be alike. It?s an edge-of-seat gaming experience ? and a powerful entry-level training tool for future combat reporters. WARCO is perfectly timed to take advantage of the convergence of games and movies, journalism and online communities, in a world undergoing massive social, geo-political and technological change.

Since I haven't seen this anywhere on the Escapist, I decided to share it myself. So what do you think fellow Escapist? Could this work as a game? Will it be the interesting twist of the modern day shooter that could breathe some life into the industry?

 

[Blunderboy]

It looks like it's got a lot of potential. It might help shake off some of the more negative stereotypes associated with gaming, FPS' in particular.