Sony has apologised “unreservedly” to the people of Manchester for the placement of Manchester Cathedral in Resistance: Fall of Man.
Following a meeting with the church Sony has said that the use of the cathedral was offensive and sent a letter to Manchester Evening News, as well as placing an advert in the paper, apologising for it.
David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said:
We're wondering exactly what kind of connection Mr Reeves previously though a congregation usually has to a place of worship - but that's why SPOnG's not the regional head of a major consumer electronics manufacturer.
David Reeves continued with what is obviously not a 'virtual' mea culpa.
The Manchester Evening Post also reports that, Reeves has also confirmed that Manchester Cathedral will not appear in a Sony game again - the much-rumoured International Cathedral Manager '08 for PSP.
In a somewhat less gushing apology last month Sony merely said, “It was not our intention to cause offence by using a representation of Manchester Cathedral in chapter 8 of the work. If we have done so we sincerely apologise.” It did not, however, accept that the game has any connection to contemporary issues in Manchester and stated that it thought it had sought all relevant permissions. That, it would seem, has changed.
The church, however, is not quite satisfied. It's still in talks with Sony as the game is not being pulled from retail and no donation has been made to the anti-gun-crime movement.
Frankly, if Sony doesn't want to pull the game from sale, it shouldn't be making unreserved apologies - especially as Sony's still making money from Resistance and producing new content for it.
In a bizarre attempt to prevent a similar situation recurring, the cathedral has released a set of 'sacred digital guidelines'. It has also attempted to grind the entire capitalist machine that is the games industry to a halt by imploring publishers to stop producing violent games.
To see what SPOnG thought of Resistance: Fall of Man have a look at our review.
Following a meeting with the church Sony has said that the use of the cathedral was offensive and sent a letter to Manchester Evening News, as well as placing an advert in the paper, apologising for it.
David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said:
"It is clear to us that the connection between the congregation and the cathedral is a deeply personal and spiritual one."
We're wondering exactly what kind of connection Mr Reeves previously though a congregation usually has to a place of worship - but that's why SPOnG's not the regional head of a major consumer electronics manufacturer.
David Reeves continued with what is obviously not a 'virtual' mea culpa.
"As a result, it is also clear that we have offended some of the congregation by using the cathedral in our science fiction game. It was never our intention to offend anyone in the making of this game, and we would like to apologise unreservedly to them for causing that offence, and to all parts of the community who we might also have offended."
The Manchester Evening Post also reports that, Reeves has also confirmed that Manchester Cathedral will not appear in a Sony game again - the much-rumoured International Cathedral Manager '08 for PSP.
In a somewhat less gushing apology last month Sony merely said, “It was not our intention to cause offence by using a representation of Manchester Cathedral in chapter 8 of the work. If we have done so we sincerely apologise.” It did not, however, accept that the game has any connection to contemporary issues in Manchester and stated that it thought it had sought all relevant permissions. That, it would seem, has changed.
The church, however, is not quite satisfied. It's still in talks with Sony as the game is not being pulled from retail and no donation has been made to the anti-gun-crime movement.
Frankly, if Sony doesn't want to pull the game from sale, it shouldn't be making unreserved apologies - especially as Sony's still making money from Resistance and producing new content for it.
In a bizarre attempt to prevent a similar situation recurring, the cathedral has released a set of 'sacred digital guidelines'. It has also attempted to grind the entire capitalist machine that is the games industry to a halt by imploring publishers to stop producing violent games.
To see what SPOnG thought of Resistance: Fall of Man have a look at our review.
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Comments
Joji 6 Jul 2007 14:54
1/7
I wouldn't have apologised.
Stop producing violent games guidelines? Lol. They are still on their self righteous cloud, with no sense of the real world.
Stop producing violent games guidelines? Lol. They are still on their self righteous cloud, with no sense of the real world.
deleted 6 Jul 2007 16:38
2/7
Did the church apologise to the thousands for people that were persecuted and murdered for witchcraft? did the church apologise for the thousands of lifes they destroyed during the crusades? all sony did was recreate a church in fiction!!, the church has real blood on its hands all religions have blood on there hands its fantastically amazing that religion can cause this hype still, what right does the church have to complain if its a house of God then surly he can comment with wrath and vengence, god has a plan apparently so producing this game with the recreation on manchesters church was part of his plan????
ps
if god created adam and eve, and they had cain and able, cain begat able!, who did cain have kids with? this was not typed to offend just no regligious type ever answers this (incest is forbidden in christian religion)??????????
ps
if god created adam and eve, and they had cain and able, cain begat able!, who did cain have kids with? this was not typed to offend just no regligious type ever answers this (incest is forbidden in christian religion)??????????
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spudgun 7 Jul 2007 07:24
3/7
Sadly, the church these days are just like everything else, money grabbers.
config 7 Jul 2007 09:49
4/7
haritori wrote:
if god created adam and eve, and they had cain and able, cain begat able!, who did cain have kids with? this was not typed to offend just no religious type ever answers this (incest is forbidden in christian religion)??????????
This is one of those major plot holes in the biblical fables that Christians gloss over with that "faith" mantra.
Me, I think JC was a charming con man*, which I guess means he shared some of the major attributes with that other biblical figure, Old Nick
Bentley 7 Jul 2007 11:26
5/7
The Church should apologise to mankind for telling centuries of lies to hoodwink them into believing the s**t they spout. At least Sony provide entertainment for us while we spin inevitably towards eternal darkness.
They should never have apologised. It's not as if the game features people gunning down sinners. They're shooting aliens, and in fact can probably be seen to be helping the cathedral by getting rid of the invaders. The tossers have blatantly no idea what they are talking about and have not bothered to do their research. Then again, they are content to believe all they read in ancient scriptures that read like they have been penned by retarded alcoholics.
If any church is any taken over by spider-like alien invaders in real life, I say we let them deal with them themselves. They'd obviously be offended if the army went in with their evil weapons, and would be far more content getting their heads sucked on and implanted by an unknown life-form. Fine.
The church- and all religion- suck chunks of bile from my arse. Ban that sick filth. They are responsible for far more violence and deaths than all the computer games ever created put together.
They should never have apologised. It's not as if the game features people gunning down sinners. They're shooting aliens, and in fact can probably be seen to be helping the cathedral by getting rid of the invaders. The tossers have blatantly no idea what they are talking about and have not bothered to do their research. Then again, they are content to believe all they read in ancient scriptures that read like they have been penned by retarded alcoholics.
If any church is any taken over by spider-like alien invaders in real life, I say we let them deal with them themselves. They'd obviously be offended if the army went in with their evil weapons, and would be far more content getting their heads sucked on and implanted by an unknown life-form. Fine.
The church- and all religion- suck chunks of bile from my arse. Ban that sick filth. They are responsible for far more violence and deaths than all the computer games ever created put together.
deleted 7 Jul 2007 11:29
6/7
Bentley wrote:
The Church should apologise to mankind for telling centuries of lies to hoodwink them into believing the s**t they spout. At least Sony provide entertainment for us while we spin inevitably towards eternal darkness.
They should never have apologised. It's not as if the game features people gunning down sinners. They're shooting aliens, and in fact can probably be seen to be helping the cathedral by getting rid of the invaders. The tossers have blatantly no idea what they are talking about and have not bothered to do their research. Then again, they are content to believe all they read in ancient scriptures that read like they have been penned by retarded alcoholics.
If any church is any taken over by spider-like alien invaders in real life, I say we let them deal with them themselves. They'd obviously be offended if the army went in with their evil weapons, and would be far more content getting their heads sucked on and implanted by an unknown life-form. Fine.
The church- and all religion- suck chunks of bile from my arse. Ban that sick filth. They are responsible for far more violence and deaths than all the computer games ever created put together.
They should never have apologised. It's not as if the game features people gunning down sinners. They're shooting aliens, and in fact can probably be seen to be helping the cathedral by getting rid of the invaders. The tossers have blatantly no idea what they are talking about and have not bothered to do their research. Then again, they are content to believe all they read in ancient scriptures that read like they have been penned by retarded alcoholics.
If any church is any taken over by spider-like alien invaders in real life, I say we let them deal with them themselves. They'd obviously be offended if the army went in with their evil weapons, and would be far more content getting their heads sucked on and implanted by an unknown life-form. Fine.
The church- and all religion- suck chunks of bile from my arse. Ban that sick filth. They are responsible for far more violence and deaths than all the computer games ever created put together.
yeah take that you church people!! fight against your own aliens we will just allow them to continue with there master plan of taking over all your religious temples!!! that will show them!
PreciousRoi 7 Jul 2007 19:17
7/7
meh, I think JC was more one part hippie, one part dissident, one part revolutionary. Then the 'togas' (suits) got a hold of it.