Bohemia Interactive CEO makes statement saying their employees aren’t spies

Sure the ARMA games are all about very very very realistic military operations, but you can get realistic without literally spying on military installations.  The people from Bohemia Interactive aren’t spies stealing secrets and blueprints from the Greek authorities.  They are game developers on vacation, that’s all.

If this situation wasn’t so horrific, it would amusing from how purely absurd it is.  Buchta and Martin Pezlar, of Bohemia, were detained for eligibly spying on Greece.  There were on the island of Lemnos as tourists scoping out the locations for ARMA 3 when they got nabbed.  Apparently even media sources have stated that the Greek ministry of National Defense examined ARMA 3 and said the game was fine.

Just today, September 20 2012, the CEO of Bohemia Interactive released the statement below.  This needs to get better before it gets worse.  Spies…     

My colleagues and I were shocked when we found out about the detention of our co-workers and friends, Martin Pezlar and Ivan Buchta, on the Greek island of Lemnos. Everybody who knows them realizes that they're not spies and certainly never intended to threaten Greek national security.

The guys visited the island as tourists. Their trip to Lemnos was personal, organized via travel agent, with the single goal of experiencing the place that had inspired the virtual environments of Arma 3, a computer game that they've been working on over the past two years.

Our company has never gathered or collected any restricted information, such as photos or blueprints of military installations of any nation, nor have we ever tasked anybody else to do it on our behalf. We always respect the law and we develop all of our products using publicly available materials only – Arma 3 is no exception.

According to media sources, the Greek ministry of National Defence actually examined our game, after local authorities raised this topic. They assured that the game is fine. Originally planned for release in autumn of this year, it is based upon a fictional future, set in 2035.

The whole incident is a terrible personal tragedy for Ivan, Martin and their families; I believe it to be no more than a deep misunderstanding, one which will be swiftly explained. I'm ready to support the guys and their families in these difficult times as much as I can.

Marek Španěl

Bohemia Interactive a.s.

CEO