Scottish-American drone game Killbox shown at Dundee’s Digital Design

Killbox is a new Dundee-developed game that focuses on drone warfare. Photo: Killbox.

Killbox provides a fictionalised, interactive experience based on US drone strikes in Northern Pakistan.

Presented earlier this month at Creative Dundee’s Digital Design show, Killbox is a new development by Scotland-based game developers and artists Malath Abbas, Tom Demajo and Albert Elwin. In addition, US-based artist Joseph DeLappe took part in the international collaboration.

Malath Abbas, one of the game’s creators, said: “Killbox represents the great opportunity we have in Scotland to create meaningful digital experiences that have an appeal beyond the usual demographics we associate with games. We can reach new audiences and express our creativity in new and innovative ways.

“We want to put our local independent development scene on the map. We’ve already shown the work in Europe and have been asked to show it at various festivals and exhibitions.”

Killbox has been funded by a variety of transatlantic partners including Creative Dundee, The Cutting Room and the Phoenix. Turbulence.org/New Radio and Performing Arts have supported the project from New York City.

In addition, the game’s developers have thanked Dr Sarah Cook, Laurie A. Macfee and Donna Holford-Lovell.

Abbas added: “Making the game has been difficult at times as the subject matter is fairly disturbing. We’ve done a lot of research into the unpleasant reality of drone warfare. It’s really opened my eyes to world conflicts as well as the advancements in technology that are being put to use on a daily basis worldwide.

“Any difficulties [that we have had] have been balanced and even outweighed by the fact that it’s meaningful work.”

The game’s warfare-inspired name comes from the term used by mission planners to mark an area where targets are to be destroyed.