The creative minds at Bohemia Interactive, the Czech studio behind the highly-anticipated Arma 4, are feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders.
As they work tirelessly to bring this next chapter in the Arma series to life, they find themselves constantly interrupted by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
It’s a war that is being fought not just on the streets of Eastern Europe, but also in the digital realm, where disinformation is being spread to influence both allies and enemies.
The developers and staff at Bohemia Interactive have found themselves in a unique position, as their own creation, the Arma III war simulator, is being used as a tool in these deception and confusion strategies.
They have been tasked with not only creating a realistic and engaging game, but also with detecting and reporting videos that are being used for nefarious purposes.
It’s a heavy burden to bear for the team, as they try to balance the demands of their craft with the reality of the world around them. But despite the obstacles, they remain steadfast in their commitment to bringing players a truly immersive and authentic experience.
For the team at Bohemia Interactive, the work on Arma 4 is not just about creating a game, it’s about creating a window into the complexities of modern warfare, and the impact it has on the world we live in.
Pavel Křižka, the head of public relations at Bohemia Interactive, recently sat down with Games Industry to shed light on the ongoing battle against misinformation surrounding their games.
Despite the seemingly insurmountable task of scouring through the endless abyss of videos on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, Křižka assures that they are doing everything in their power to eliminate the most egregious offenders.
However, the head of PR candidly admits that this constant fight against misinformation has taken its toll on the development of their next big project, causing delays and setbacks.
This is why fans of the beloved Arma franchise may have to wait a few more years for the highly-anticipated premiere of Arma 4.
Despite the challenges, Křižka and his team at Bohemia Interactive remain determined to protect the integrity of their games and the community that surrounds them, even if it means putting the development of their next project on hold. After all, as Křižka notes, “The truth is worth fighting for.”
“Basically, everyone in the studio is fighting this . We see a lot of videos about our game, so whenever someone sees a video (whether it’s developers, or marketing, or whatever), they pass it on to us”.
“We, of course, have a legal department, but they’re more focused on dealing with the consequences of this, but there’s no one here searching the internet all day, every day, that their sole job is to do that. We are concentrating more on our work on game development. We are game developers. We need to concentrate on our work “, concludes Křižka.
Arma Reforger, a preview of things to come with Arma 4, was launched by Bohemia
Bohemia Interactive, the creators behind some of the most beloved military simulation games of our time, published a thought-provoking video last November that truly left an impression on their dedicated fanbase.
The video, which can be seen above, showcased the company’s strong stance against the use of their beloved video game to generate disinformation.
They also provided their community with the tools and knowledge necessary to identify and distinguish between genuine gameplay footage and the maliciously-altered creations of those who seek to spread disinformation.
It’s worth noting that this video was released just six months after the company announced the highly-anticipated Arma Reforger and Arma 4, which have been the talk of the gaming community for some time.
Arma Reforger is a versatile and creative platform that serves as the foundation for the fourth installment of the series, particularly with the introduction of its new Enfusion engine.
The game is currently available in early access for PC and Xbox Series, and it’s set to be released on PS5 in the near future.
Bohemia Interactive’s commitment to promoting transparency and honesty in the gaming community is truly commendable, and their dedication to creating immersive and realistic military simulation games is evident in their work.
The company’s latest offerings, Arma Reforger and Arma 4, promise to take players on a thrilling and authentic journey like never before.
