The Goat That Sacked Sony's Holy Places

It's like SCEE's being haunted...

Posted by Staff
Look, we actually don't think it's really fair of Fortune magazine to list Sony twice in its recent "101 Dumbest Moments in Business" list. After all, Microsoft could have slipped in there with its various feeble excuses over the red ring of death. Nintendo could definitely be up there for its ongoing inability to get enough Wiis into the Xmas market.

But as it is, it's Sony that gets it in the neck from one of the rich people's manuals of choice. Yup, that slaughtered goat and Cathedral desecration have both returned to wreak derision on Sony's (European) corporate head.

What goat? What cathedral? Briefly, Sony had a launch party for God of War II in Greece. The caterers, being into the theme, delivered a pre-slaughtered and decapitated goat to the shindig. The story was picked up by The Mail on Sunday, which proceeded to be outraged.

For the record, SPOnG likes goat curry, goat stew and goat cutlets - we do not usually leave the goat's head on.

The cathedral in question is Manchester, the problem is that a virtual recreation of it was used in the PS3 exclusive, Resistance Fall of Man. The cathedral authorities didn't like the fact that either they hadn't been paid, or that the game would encourage people to go into the cathedral and fight invading aliens. As it turns out, Sony apologised and the church accepted it.

So, the goat made number 61 in the list; the cathedral made 63. You can see the full list right here.

Our favourites right now are:

41) National Amusements: What could be worse than porn for impressionable young minds, you ask?

51) Apple: One, two, three, four, we'll sue you if you send us more.

96) WikiScanner: All the vitriol that's fit to print.

What are your memories of the year in gaming cock-ups? Tell us in the Forum.


Comments

SuperSaiyan4 19 Dec 2007 13:55
1/9
This article is neither news or information but junk, Spong are you getting desperate on finding something of actual use? This arcticle is as good as a piece of cabbage sitting on my desk...

Also this article is just like 'meh' wtf?
Bentley 19 Dec 2007 14:17
2/9
SuperSaiyan4, 95% of what you post on this site is 'junk', so you can hardly criticise.

I suspect most of the people you work with see a cabbage at your desk every day.
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TimSpong 19 Dec 2007 14:19
3/9
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
This article is neither news or information but junk, Spong are you getting desperate on finding something of actual use? This arcticle is as good as a piece of cabbage sitting on my desk..


If you actually put the effort in, you would realise that Sony is taking a pounding in a magazine aimed directly at business decision makers for two minor issues, while Microsoft and Nintendo are not given a mention (well, not Microsoft's entertainment and devices division anyway) for far greater lapses in decision making.

Why is this important? Simple, because what magazines like Fortune decide to report is taken very seriously by investors.

As ever, many thanks for your positive contribution. Of course, to retain your interest I'll remember to use the phrase "Xbox 360" several times in each story.
SuperSaiyan4 19 Dec 2007 16:14
4/9
Seriously this article is just bland it has nothing its not really news of any kind if it is then its surely very badly worded as it hardly proves to be an interesting read at all.
Spanky2090 19 Dec 2007 17:31
5/9
Well, i think it is valuable info to investors like Tim Smith said. C'mon think about it, if Sony see's this article they're gonna think "Oh no, another chance for us to get slated" which is true. Yes the 360 had the red rings of death but a decapitated goat, WTF!!!??? I think that's a bit too much for the majority of the public to see. So i think it is the worst out of all what the makers of the consoles have done.

Plus, PS3 adverts make no sense to me, i thought i'd slip that in.
config 19 Dec 2007 18:41
6/9
Nicholas Hyett wrote:
Plus, PS3 adverts make no sense to me, i thought i'd slip that in.


No, no. European PS3 adverts make no sense. Instead of wanking over Blu-fscking-ray and home entertainment hub bolx, the US ads brilliantly demonstrate the PS3's gaming power .
john 19 Dec 2007 21:09
7/9
I don't think nintendo should be in it for not stocking retailers for christmas. I really dont believe nintendo have any control over how many people want to buy the wii. nintendo are doing the best they can, was it not announced that the wii has nearly surpassed the life time sales of the gamecube. fair enough people want wii's this christmas and they won't get them. there'll be more after, this nintendo hate by writers of late is a joke. just accept the fact that the industry has grown larger than the size that your little heads can fathom.
config 20 Dec 2007 10:27
8/9
john wrote:
I don't think nintendo should be in it for not stocking retailers for christmas. I really dont believe nintendo have any control over how many people want to buy the wii. nintendo are doing the best they can


I disagree! Why isn't Nintendo opening new production lines to produce more components? Maybe it is, but there's no evidence of this. Unless there are yield issues - unlikely given the nature of the technology (i.e. old / tried & tested) - this whole lack of supply makes no sense. It's not like stores are getting hundreds of new units each week - some non-indie stores are getting a just couple of dozen per week.


TimSpong 20 Dec 2007 10:35
9/9
john wrote:
there'll be more after, this nintendo hate by writers of late is a joke. just accept the fact that the industry has grown larger than the size that your little heads can fathom.


What Nintendo hate? I am getting so over the view that by criticising you are also hating. Move on.

With a year to plan for supply; the ability to rent fabrication plants in China; the fact that Wiis are apparently lying around in the rest of Europe, this is about criticism of poor planning. It is not hatred of Nintendo.

As for the industry growing larger than the size that my little head can fathom - why do you think we're offering criticism of the corporate logistics? If it has grown, then it equally needs to grow up - and that means business 101: understanding supply and demand while organising your logistics for the biggest buying season of the year.

And less of the insults - they're plain childish.

hohoho

Tim
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