Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 banned in Kuwait

Government officials have not commented publicly on the ban, but Activision confirmed to Polygon that Black Ops 6 “has not been approved for release in Kuwait.” Pre-orders made in Kuwait will be canceled and refunded, it said. “We remain hopeful that local authorities will reconsider, and allow players in Kuwait to enjoy this all-new experience in the Black Ops series,” a representative added.

Kuwait’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry did not respond to Polygon’s request for comment before publication. Activision did not provide a reason for the blocked sales in Kuwait.

Black Ops 6 was released Friday, the next big iteration in the popular Activision franchise. Though it has six in the title, Black Ops 6 is actually the seventh in the Black Ops franchise following 2020’s Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Black Ops 6 is set in the early 1990s and focuses on covert missions in historical war settings. The new game takes place during the Gulf War, when late Iraqi dictator Hussein invaded Kuwait in what became a 42 day occupation. Black Ops 6 trailers intersperse archival footage of U.S. presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton with in-game footage, one scene that seemingly depicts oil wells on fire; it’s likely a reference to the Iraqi military setting fire to 700 oil wells, an event that caused ecological and economic disasters for Kuwait.

“The move to block this game may seem theatrical, because people will find ways to buy this game if they really want it, whether via VPN or pay a premium price in the black market,” a local Kuwait gaming analyst told The New Arab. “What’s more interesting here is the motivation of the authorities to block a game set in what was a traumatic period for Kuwait — the Gulf War. Kuwait, to this day, has difficulty engaging with that specific moment in history, for good or ill.”