What Happens in Vegas Stays in Rainbow Six ...maybe
Given fears of terrorist attacks on American cities, it was probably only a matter of time before municipal leaders began objecting to their towns' inclusion in video games with terror-centric plots.
Now comes word from Las Vegas station KLAS-TV that city officials are protesting the gambling mecca's appearance in Ubisoft's upcoming Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas. The game is scheduled for release late this year on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
According to the KLAS report, Mayor Oscar Goodman and other Las Vegas officials plan to fight the November release of the game, although what actions they may take are not specified. Goodman said Rainbow Six Vegas is based on a "false premise," and that the game "could be harmful economically, and it may be something that's not entitled to free speech (protection)... I will ask... whether or not we can stop it."
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Mayor Goodman has not personally viewed any of the game's footage.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau is reportedly looking into whether the game, which is being developed and published by Ubisoft, infringes on any of the city's trademarks.
In a June, 2006 interview with IGN, Ubisoft's Maxime Beland said of the game, "In Rainbow Six Vegas, we are really pushing on the stress, tension and urgency elements. Las Vegas is under terrorists' siege and players will truly live the escalation of chaos."
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