The tabloid storm may have blown over, nevertheless Konami has decided not to publish the Iraq war-based shooter, Six Day in Fallujah.

“After seeing the reaction to the videogame in the United States and hearing opinions sent through phone calls and email, we decided several days ago not to sell it. We had intended to convey the reality of the battles to players so that they could feel what it was like to be there," a Konami PR rep told Japan’s Asahi.com

Realistic wartime blasters are nothing new or especially contentious these days. However, it seems that the memory of the real-life battle in this instance, in which more 2000 died (including many US soldiers and innocent Iraqi citizens) was just too vivid for some. To which end bereaved families, retired soldiers, concerned individuals and sales-hungry newspaper editors made their displeasure known – loudly, in the case of the latter. And the rest, as they say, is now history.

It’s kind of ironic really, too, since developers Atomic Games reportedly consulted with around 40 veterans of the Fallujah battle during production, even using diaries and thousands of military satellite photographs to ensure ultimate realism. Maybe if they hadn’t tried quite so hard we’d still be looking forward to the game’s 2010 release. As it is Atomic is looking for a new publishing partner. Interested...?