According to Tycho over at Penny-Arcade, there is a documentary supporting the anti-game camp on the horizon known as Moral Kombat. I cannot seem to find the release date of the actual film in theatres. Apparently, it was once scheduled for a 2005 release, which obviously did not happen. However, with the trailer having appeared on YouTube and a renewed interest from gaming media outlets, it appears that the release is approaching (again).

On the Apple website, it says that the documentaries director, Spencer Halpin, is attempting to take a somewhat impartial look at the gaming industry. The film supposedly details the creation of video games within the industry, and then the positive and negative products of video games themselves.

Despite all of this, the trailer makes it seem to be a very heavy-handed attack against the video game industry. Partway through the trailer, there is a video snippet of the opening gondola scene from Myst IV: Revelations. Several bullet holes appear overtop of the gondola window, making it appear that you are shot at.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Myst series, it is an adventure/puzzle game that involves an unnamed character journeying through various fantasy worlds solving puzzles to - traditionally - restore the former status of the family of Atrus – the creator of many of these worlds. There is no violence whatsoever. You cannot kill people in the game, and rarely are you killed.

Frankly, I question that clips inclusion in the trailer, and it immediately makes me suspect the worst about all games being painted with the same blood-red brush.

Nevertheless, I will be compelled to see it on principle if it is ever released in Canada. It is shot and produced in HD, which makes me assume that they would strive for a wide-release. However, they may just ignore their own production values and aim for a limited release. It is uncertain. I may have to pick it up on DVD, or track down a pirated copy…

I wonder if it will even be pirated. It seems like a conflict of interest, as the hacker community and the gamer community are so closely intertwined (although still quite seperate) and what harms one does not bode well for the other.

Still, this documentary is something to keep an eye on.

So…do just that.