Video Game Recreates Kennedy Assassination

A new video game allows players to simulate the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy

The release of “JFK Reloaded” is timed to coincide with the 41st anniversary of Kennedy’s murder in Dallas and was designed to demonstrate a lone gunman was able to kill the president.

“It is despicable,” said David Smith, a spokesman for Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), the late president’s brother. He was informed of the game on Friday but declined further comment. Kirk Ewing, managing director of the Scottish firm Traffic Games, which developed the game, said he understood some people would be horrified at the concept, but he insisted he and his team had nothing but respect for Kennedy and for history.

“We believe that the only thing we’re exploiting is new technology,” said Ewing, a former documentary filmmaker and senior executive with Scottish developer VIS, responsible for games like “State of Emergency.” He said he sent Edward Kennedy a letter before the game’s release.