The first-person-shooter video game “İşgal Altında: Şuşa” (Under Occupation: Shusha) was developed by 19-year-old student Farid Hagverdiev. The game, in which the shooter must free the town of Shusha from Armenian and Nagorno Karabakhi forces, is being promoted by the Azerbaijani government.
Just over 20 years ago, during the spring of 1992, Armenian forces captured the city of Shushi in Nagorno-Karabakh, marking the turning point in the armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan for control of the territory.
Hagverdiev acknowledged that the motivation for developing the game went beyond a simple desire to entertain. There was also a political element to the project. “By creating the game we wanted to support the patriotic spirit in our youth, which I hope we accomplished successfully,” he told EurasiaNet.org. The game, which can be downloaded for free, has gotten a successful reception from Azerbaijani gamers.
While the video game may have been an independent initiative, government officials have latched onto it, viewing it as a means of raising awareness about the Nagorno-Karabakh issue among Azerbaijani young people, and of mobilizing support for ongoing governmental efforts to recover the territory.
In a sign that the game enjoys the full approval of President Ilham Aliyev’s administration, the Ministry of Youth and Sports organized a formal presentation of Under Occupation. The event, which occurred earlier this summer, was held at the Hyatt Regency, one of Baku’s swankiest hotels.
Under Occupation is not for the faint of heart: there’s lots of killing and computer-generated gore. To a great extent, it’s a celebration of violence: to advance, players must handle a variety of tasks, including shooting lots of Armenian enemies, rescuing a wounded Azerbaijani soldier, retrieving a document and blowing up a building in the town of Shushi.
The game’s scenery closely resembles to Shushi’s actual appearance. Prominent landmarks, including the House of Culture, the Govhar Agha Mosque, Vafig Mausoleum and the city gate, all make an appearance.
Whether or not the video game can have a tangible effect on the Karabakh peace process is the subject of debate.
