PeaceMaker game given to Palestinians, Israelis to help make peace

Thousands of Palestinians and Israelis have been issued a copy of PeaceMaker, a strategic sim game for the PC platform to virtually find ways to stop the war between them and bring peace to their own country.

More than 100,000 copies of the game were distributed through the leading Arabic and Hebrew newspapers in Palestine and Israel the same day Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas leave for a World Summit in Annapolis, Maryland. Olmert and Abbas will receive their copy of the game upon their return.

“The way is pragmatism, entering the role of the other. You must take into account the other side,” said Ron Pundak, director of the Peres Center for Peace, which is distributing the game in Israel and the Palestinian territories. “It will help (each side) understand limitations of each one’s president and leader, and as well the limitation of the other side.”

PeaceMaker is an award-winning simulation game designed by ImpactGames. The game is actually the brain child of two former Mellon University Graduates that allow players to choose the role of a Palestinian or Israeli leader. As the leader, gamers must deal with not only governing their own people, but handle situations such as suicide bombers, terrorist attacks in various places of their state as well as contend with situations resulting from their war like refugee camps. When the leaders return, the game will allow them to switch roles with one another to see what the other must face as a result of the other’s actions.

“Since we first got the idea for PeaceMaker, it has been our hope to put this game in the hands of people who live with the real conflict every day, so they can play as the other side. With this game, the people can succeed where politicians and leaders have failed until now–bringing peace to the Middle-East,” says Asi Burak, co-founder of ImpactGames and a former Israeli Army Intelligence Corps captain. “We are so grateful to the Peres Center; their high reputation, educational expertise and outreach to community groups in Israel and Palestine made this project possible.”

“It’s significant that the PeaceMaker giveaway in the Mideast is happening around the peace summit, but also at a time of year when millions of Westerners begin their holiday shopping by purchasing games where war, violence and conflict are central points of the game. To win at PeaceMaker, you have to cooperate with the other side and reach an understanding; you must challenge any prior knowledge or assumptions you have about the Mideast conflict,” says Eric Brown, CEO of ImpactGames.

Read [CNN] Also Read [The Jerusalem Post] Site [PeaceMaker Game]