DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Kuwait has banned the release of the highly anticipated video game Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which features Saddam Hussein and is partly set during the 1990s Gulf War.
While the Kuwaiti government has not officially confirmed the ban, the move likely stems from the game’s portrayal of the Gulf War and Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. The game, a flagship release from Microsoft-owned Activision, is scheduled for global release this Friday. This comes as Kuwait continues to grapple with the historical trauma of the Iraqi occupation, and as video game developers navigate the complexities of depicting sensitive historical events.
The first-person shooter follows CIA operatives fighting across various locations, including the U.S. and the Middle East. Trailers for the game show burning oilfields—evoking memories of the devastating fires set by retreating Iraqi forces, which destroyed more than 700 Kuwaiti oil wells, inflicting severe environmental and economic damage.
The game also includes images of Saddam Hussein and Iraq’s former three-star flag, along with multiplayer maps set in a desert battlefield named "Scud"—referencing the Soviet missiles Saddam launched during the conflict. Another map is named "Babylon," after the ancient Iraqi city.
In a statement, Activision confirmed that Black Ops 6 “has not been approved for release in Kuwait” but offered no further details. The company assured Kuwaiti customers that all pre-orders would be canceled and refunded, expressing hope that local authorities might reconsider their decision.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Information has yet to respond to requests for comment on the ban.
Since its inception in 2003 as a World War II shooter, the Call of Duty franchise has grown into a multi-billion-dollar brand, but it has also faced political controversies. Previous entries have been banned in countries like China and Russia, including a 2009 installment that sparked outrage for allowing players to participate in a militant attack on a Russian airport, targeting civilians.
However, other recent games have been praised for their treatment of Middle Eastern history. Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Mirage, released last year, received acclaim for its accurate depiction of 9th-century Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age.
Please comment now.