U2 frontman Bono's business dealings have extended to the backing of a controversial new game from Pandemic, entitled Mercenaries 2: World in Flames.

The lead singer, who's now almost as famous for his humanitarian work as his singing, is a partner in the private equity firm Elevation Partners, which paid $300 million dollars to bring Pandemic and Bioware together to create a new holding company called Bioware/Pandemic. Indeed, Bono himself will profit from the success of the game.

Played from the perspective of a Mercenary, the game features a fictional invasion of Venezuela to counter a 'power-hungry tyrant' who has seized control of the country's oil. Members of the Venezuela Solidarity Network are calling for the singer to block the distribution and manufacture of the game, on the basis that the game is 'openly racist' and shows attacks on residential areas, as well as political targets.

Venezuela has been seen by many conspiracy theorists as a potential target for oil by the U.S and many see the game as propaganda. Bush has made no secret of his friendship with Bono, the Irish star has been to lunch at the White House on a number of occasions, but surely profiting from this game is a bad move for someone who is considered to be a politician of human rights.

There is currently no release date set for Mercenaries 2: World in Flames.



Source : Gamasutra