Kim Jong-il, who has ruled the Communist state of North Korea since 1994, has passed away. Which means 2011 shooter Homefront was only two weeks off making one of the most timely (if accidental) fictional statements in video game history.
In Homefront, a game which takes the death of Kim as the catalyst for a series of North Korean actions which culminate in a Communist conquest of Northern Asia and subsequent occupation of much of the United States, his demise is listed as having taken place in 2012.
With North Korean authorities reporting that he died two days ago, on December 17, 2011, that's pretty damn close. Two more weeks and they'd have been right on the money.
Developed by Kaos Studios, Homefront's overall story was actually penned by John Milius, who not only co-wrote Apocalypse Now but, more poignantly, both wrote and directed Red Dawn, another tale of Communists invading the United States.
In the real world, it's expected that rule will pass to his third son, Kim Jong-un, otherwise known as "The Brilliant Comrade", who the BBC speculates is in his late-20s.
In Homefront (the above image is a screenshot from the game), Kim Jong-il is succeeded by...his third son Kim Jong-un, who quickly moves to unify North and South Korea before annexing Japan and South-East Asia. Then invading Hawaii. And then the continental United States.
According to Wikileaks reports made public last year, Kim Jong-il's second son, Kim Jong-chol, "is 'more interested in video games' than governing".
Kim's death was announced on North Korean State television earlier today, with the cause of his passing said to be due to "physical and mental over-work". It's reported he died while onboard a train outside the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.
Kim Jong-il suffered a series of health setbacks in 2008, including what was believed to be a stroke, while in 2009 it's suspected he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Homefront had to be edited for its Japanese release on the grounds that it portrayed Kim as having passed away, which at the time was not the case. Whether THQ bother re-editing the game now that it is true is unclear, given the game was released a while ago and wasn't exactly Japan's biggest-selling game of the year.
Few tears will be shed outside the Communist state over his passing. So let's take this opportunity to take one last look at the wonderful "Kim Looking at Things" site instead.