Local business to launch first of its kind Kurdish Peshmerga video game

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – A local Kurdish business is planning to release the first of its kind video game on mobile platforms featuring the Peshmerga forces in honor of the upcoming referendum on independence for the Kurdistan Region.

“Our team understands that we are prepared for an independent Kurdistan, as individuals and entrepreneurs,” said a spokesperson for Fastwares, the software development and web-design Erbil-based company which created the game.

“We want to set a precedent. For once, people get to experience how it is playing as a Kurdish in-game pilot,” he added. “We also wanted people to experience a Kurdish product, made by Kurds for Kurds and the world. We hope to inspire innovation from Kurds around the world.”

Fastwares’ spokesperson said the game targets everyone but primarily young people. “It is important for our youth to understand the dynamics of Kurds in a world where peace and prosperity is a goal. We hope to educate young people from across the world to understand the Kurdish struggle through an interactive game.”

The Kurdistan Region is gearing up for a historic referendum on Monday, Sep.25, where the people will decide whether to remain a part of Iraq or secede as a newly-established independent nation.

The game is called “Peshmerga,” after the Kurdish forces that destroyed the myth of the Islamic State (IS) after their emergence in 2014, and prominently features the Kurdistan flag.

“During the Mahabad Republic, Fatima Khan (the designer of the first Kurdish flag) was endorsed by both respected leaders General Mustafa Barzani and the great Qazi Mohammed,” the email response said. “These leaders had the objective to ensure that the Kurdish flag was flying high across all Kurdish regions and that the international community recognizes the existence of the Kurdish people.”

“Today we want to extend Fatima’s design and integrate it into gaming by Kurdish game designers and developers. We believe our leaders and those who stood by them would be proud of how far we've come.”

Fastwares promotes itself as a hub for talented Kurdish developers who wish to “come and express their ideas and explore their passion with like-minded individuals.” It laid out its ambitions for the Region as a self-sustaining nation.

“We want to change the way Kurds think about business and technology. We want Kurds to know the value of technology and to what extent it can help Kurdistan to become a self-sustaining state,” the company said. “We strongly believe that the Kurdish population already has the talent and potential to become global leaders in technology. One way we hope to lead this growth do this is through the upcoming release of our mobile game ‘Peshmerga.'”

The game will be free to download on major mobile devices mid-October. 

Editing by Ava Homa