The suspect in the attempted White House shooting, Cole Tomas Allen, developed a video game titled Bohrdom, which is still accessible on Steam despite the incident. Allen, 31, allegedly tried to enter the White House Correspondents Dinner over the weekend armed with multiple weapons, apparently intending to attack attendees including US President Donald Trump. He fired at a security guard but never reached the dinner, and no fatalities occurred.
Background of the Suspect
Investigations identified Allen as a teacher from California, and it was also discovered he was a part-time indie game developer. He released Bohrdom on Steam in 2018, a game that has now gained attention due to his alleged crime. The game is described as a 'skill-based, non-violent asymmetrical fighting game loosely derived from a chemistry model' and appears to be a basic top-down shooter with simple graphics.
Discovery and Removal
The game was found through Allen's LinkedIn profile, which has since been taken down. The Steam page credits 'Cole Allen' as the developer, and no other person has claimed it. According to SteamDB, Bohrdom initially had only one or two players, but after the shooting, its peak concurrent players rose to 22, though numbers quickly dropped. The game is no longer available for purchase, suggesting Valve removed it, but the page remains visible. At the time of writing, three people were still playing it.
Player Reviews
The game has received a surge of reviews, mostly joking about the incident. The top-rated review says, 'When I'm in a 'weirdest way to get publicity for my game' competition and my opponent is this developer.' Another reads, 'Decided to pull the trigger, and give this game a shot. Not the most competent shooter. It feels rushed, and the strategic elements are poorly planned out.' The consensus is that the game is not very good, with one review stating, 'Bohrdom is not going to blow you away. Buy if only for the memes, and to own a piece of history.'
Given Allen's profession as a teacher, the game was likely intended as an educational tool rather than a commercial product. The Steam page remains a curious remnant of an attempted attack that could have been far more tragic.
