Valve Removes Game from UK Steam Storefront
Valve has taken down a game from its British Steam store after a request from the UK’s counter-terrorism unit.
The game in question, Fursan al-Aqsa: The Knights of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, is a first/third-person shooter that presents the Israel x Palestine conflict from a Palestinian perspective. Developer Nidal Nijm was informed by Steam that the game had been blocked in the UK due to a request from UK authorities.
According to Nijm, Steam cited a request from the Counter Terrorism Command of the UK, specifically the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU), as the reason for the ban. Nijm expressed his frustration, mentioning that his game is no different from other shooter games on Steam such as Call of Duty.
The CTIRU declined to comment on the specific content or communications with platforms. Nijm believes that the ban in the UK was politically motivated and criticized the UK government for targeting a video game.
Fursan al-Aqsa, described as the “Palestinian Max Payne on steroids,” has faced bans in Germany and Australia for not passing through their classification boards. Despite the UK ban, the game remains available for purchase outside the UK, including in the US.