Australian developed war journalism game ‘Warco’ unveiled

ManiatyMedia, Arenamedia and Defiant Development today announced their new war journalism action game Warco with an intense proof of concept video.

While the video itself cannot be made public, it shows first-person gameplay in a wartorn urban centre. The player is tasked with capturing footage of specific types of action while running through a scene of devastation and horror, the objective being to escape the violence with the footage intact.

The end result is particularly impressive, as the gameplay footage is then compiled (by the player) into a news broadcast which is aired online and shared with friends.

The game promises to be almost more of a simulation of war correspondence than a typical action title, and has media consultants with experience in the field on board to achieve true authenticity.

Defiant Development, one of the Brisbane-based indie studios which has emerged from the closure of other high profile local developers, is currently looking for a publisher for the game, which is aimed at home consoles and PC.

Tony Maniaty of ManiatyMedia, author of book about the dangers of war reportingShooting Balibo, and Robert Connolly, famous Australian director responsible for Balibo, a film which deals with the death of six newsmen in East Timor and has won international acclaim, are working directly with Defiant Development to make Warco as genuine and accurate as possible.

Warco is being funded in part by Screen Australia and Screen New South Wales, and does not yet have a release date.

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