Warning: Video contains images of videogame violence that may disturb.
A new computer game is upsetting parents by recreating US school shootings for entertainment - putting the player in the role of a mass murderer.
Active Shooter is set for release next month on Valve's online game marketplace Steam, to the disgust of those who have lost family members in recent mass shootings.
The game's creators insist it doesn't "promote any sort of violence", but a promotional video features the player stalking a school and racking up an on-screen tally of two types of kills - 'civs' and 'cops'.
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Ryan Petty is the father of a 14-year-old killed in the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida in February, and he's calling for the game to be cancelled.
"It's disgusting that Valve Corp is trying to profit from the glamorisation of tragedies affecting our schools across the country," said Petty in a statement, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
"Keeping our kids safe is a real issue affecting our communities, and is in no way a game."
A spokesperson for Acid, the publisher of the Active Shooter, has taken to the game's Steam page to defend it against the criticism.
"First of all, this game does not promote any sort of violence, especially any soft [sic] of a mass shooting," said Acid.
"While I can see people's anger and why this might be a bad idea for the game, I still feel like this topic should be left alone... After receiving such high amount of critics and hate, I will more likely remove the shooters role in this game by the release, unless if it can be kept as it is right now [sic]."
The game will also allow players to take on the role of a SWAT operative trying to stop a school shooter.
Acid cited other controversial games like Grand Theft Auto, Postal and Hatred - which all feature the mass killing of civilians - and said, "You cannot simply say OK to one and NOT OK to another".
Previous titles from the developer of Active Shooter include White Power: Pure Voltage.
Unless the game is cancelled, it's scheduled for release via Steam on June 6.
Newshub.
