"Developers have the right to control where their games are sold."
Origame Digital, the studio behind 2020's critically acclaimed Umurangi Generation, has just released a new game but banned it from being sold in Israel.
Penguin Colony is a Lovecraftian horror game experienced through the eyes of a penguin, based on author H.P. Lovecraft's story At the Mountains of Madness. Fellow Traveller, the game's publisher, confirmed that Penguin Colony is not on sale in Israel in a Steam community thread. The thread was created by a Steam user living in Israel wondering if the game had been delisted from Steam.
"While in general we seek to bring our games to as many potential players as possible, we believe strongly that developers have the right to control where their games are sold," Fellow Traveller replied. "In this case, the developer asked us to block sale in Israel. In the absence of more organised sanctions, this act is intended to demonstrate solidarity with Palestine. We fully support their decision."
That message is further reinforced by Penguin Colony itself, which features a post-credits scene that makes clear the studio's stance on Israel's genocide of the Palenstinan people. As shared online, the message reads: "The cowardice of the Games Industry during the ongoing genocide of Palestine by Isreal will be recorded by the art it makes."
Origame Digital has been vocal about its politics, both in and outside of its games, so this latest move is not surprising. Penguin Colony also features a strong land acknowledgement statement at its start.
"This game was made on Wurundjeri Woiwurrung land," it reads. The Kulin Nation never ceded sovereignty to the British Commonwealth. We pay respect to Elders past present and emerging as Indigenous creatives working on land that isn't our own. The land will always be Aboriginal Land no matter what."
In Penguin Colony, you play as a penguin whose home has been invaded by rival human factions searching for an ancient being. You can jump between the different penguins of the colony as you witness and attempt to evade the chaos. The game is currently available on PC, with console editions planned for 2027.
Recently, House House, the studio behind one of this year's most celebrated games, Big Walk, said the game does not have an Xbox version because parent company Microsoft is one of the BDS boycott's targets. Microsoft has ties with the state of Israel that include providing its military with cloud and AI systems used in the ongoing genocide.
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