Activision refunds pre-orders because Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has been banned in Kuwait.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the latest installment in the Call of Duty series, is finally available. But if you're living in Kuwait, you won't be allowed to play it. At least, not legally. Activision confirmed that the Kuwaiti Government has not approved this new shooter for sales in the country.

The Kuwaiti government did not comment on the ban, or even acknowledge it. However, a recent AP article brought it to wider attention. The Kuwaiti government did not comment on the ban or acknowledge it. Activision confirmed that Black Ops 6 was not approved for release in Kuwait in a press release.

Activision announced that all pre-orders for the Black Ops series in Kuwait would be cancelled, and the money refunded back to the original place of purchase. "We remain hopeful local authorities will reconsider and allow Kuwaiti players to enjoy this new experience in the Black Ops Series."

It's easy to guess the reason why the game was not approved. Black Ops 6 takes place during the 1991 Gulf War which was sparked by the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The game is heavily fictionized (I assume), but pre-release materials featured re-enactments of news clips, as well as archival footage from real-world politicians and leaders, including George Bush and Bill Clinton. Margaret Thatcher and Colin Powell were also included.

For many players that might just be ripped-from-the-'90s-headlines entertainment, but for people who lived through the Iraqi invasion and subsequent US-led assault to evict them, the events of the Gulf War are not so easily trivialized.

"The move to ban this game may appear theatrical, but people will find a way to buy it if they want it, whether through VPN or paying a premium on the black market," said a local gaming expert to The New Arab (via Polygon). "What is more interesting is the motive of the authorities in blocking a game that was set during a traumatizing period for Kuwait, the Gulf War.

"Kuwait has a difficult time, even today, engaging with that particular moment in history.

It's not the first time that the Call of Duty franchise has been in trouble with a government. Activision has tried to circumvent these exclusions before. It removed the infamous No Russian levels from the Russian editions of Modern Warfare 2 and cut a Tiananmen square clip from a Black Ops Cold War trailer following complaints from China. But given that Black Ops 6 is a game that focuses on Gulf War events, this may not be a viable option.

I've contacted Activision and Kuwaiti Ministry of Information to get their comments. I will update this post if I hear back.