GamePolitics is reporting this morning that T-Enterprise, the developers of the upcoming controversy magnet Rendition: Guantanamo, has hired a former detainee of the prison as a consultant for the project. Moazzam Begg, one of nine British Muslims held in the camp, has been brought in by the Glasgow-based game maker in order to lend his considerable expertise on the layout and design of the prison. 

The game will be set in 2010, in a Guantanamo Bay camp that is no longer in US control. Rather, mercenaries have taken over the Cuban prison, and are allowing scientists to perform experiments on detainees. Begg's contributions have proven valuable to T-Enterprise, as the company has had a hard time getting cooperation from law enforcement and political officials.

Zarrar Chishti, an executive with T-Enterprise, had this to say of the game's development:

"There are certain rules we can’t break after meeting politicians so we are not making the game too extreme. We have had a lot of hate mail about this, mainly from America...

But no US or British soldiers get killed in [the game]. The only ones being killed are mercenaries. We have set it in January 2010 because that’s when we think the camp will be closed. We are making a statement. We did not want Guantanamo to be forgotten."

Begg, who is not allowed to leave the UK as part of the deal that set him free, has a financial stake in the game. Aside from the payment he'll receive, he seeks to draw international attention to Guantanamo Bay, and works for the release of the remaining detainees. Talking about his time in detention, he said:

"I was put in solitary confinement with no access to the outside world and no explanation as to why I was being detained. My wife gave birth to my son six months after I was arrested and I saw him for the first time when he was three years old. It would be wrong to say I’m not angry but I’m willing to forgive 1000 times over...

The only thing I am concerned about it making sure the game does not misrepresent the prisoners. This will not demean the reality of Guantanamo but it could bring those issues to people who would not usually think about it."

Although T-Enterprise has gone out of their way to make sure everyone understands that no American nor British soldiers will be killed in the game, I can't see this going over big with the mainstream media. Remember how people reacted to Six Days in Fallujah and their decision to hire insurgents as consultants? This feels like that all over again. I don't like to make predictions, but I will say that I will be shocked if this game actually makes it to PC and Xbox 360 for Fall of 2009 (as scheduled). What do you think?

In the meantime, here's a teaser trailer for Rendition: Guantanamo: