Google Shootview loses its API, and firepower

A FIRST PERSON SHOOTER that makes the most of Google's Streetview mapping application for its backdrops apparently has been shut down by the internet search firm.

Previews of the game in a teaser trailer on Youtube went live this weekend, but as of today the web site that offers it is showing an apology, and not for using the real-world locations as backdrops for firing a machine gun.

"Google has apparently killed the link to their API," says a message where the game should be. "Sorry for the inconvenience. We will be back," it said, echoing the Terminator film. The message is signed off by the people behind the game, a creative agency called Pool Development.

We did not get a chance to play it, but what can we say? It does sound like it might be in dubious taste. There's not much to say about the trailer, which limits itself to showing backdrops and the gun, but no action like shooting people or blowing up buildings, so it might be that it is light on actual action.

Going to Poolworldwide's web site, poolworldwide.com and adding /shootview after the address brings up the suggestion that you should press CTRL ALT and DELETE, which we did. Unsurprisingly this invoked the Windows task manager. We checked our original link to part of New York City, and found that this URL returned the same message. We did not bother starting up Task Manager again.

The firm does not make much mention of the game on its web site, so far as we can see, but has been discussing it on Twitter, where it repeated the comment about Google killing the API. Again it promised that it would be back. µ