EU GoW2 launch party: Headless goats & topless girls, ah

[Xisiqomelir]

And....fallout! Oh Sony PR, why are you not all fired yet?

Slaughter: Horror at Sony's depraved promotion stunt with decapitated goat

Electronics giant Sony has sparked a major row over animal cruelty and the ethics of the computer industry by using a freshly slaughtered goat to promote a violent video game.

The corpse of the decapitated animal was the centrepiece of a party to celebrate the launch of the God Of War II game for the company's PlayStation 2 console.

Guests at the event were even invited to reach inside the goat's still-warm carcass to eat offal from its stomach.

Sickening images of the party have appeared in the company's official PlayStation magazine – but after being contacted by The Mail on Sunday, Sony issued an apology for the gruesome stunt and promised to recall the entire print run.

Critics condemned the entertainment giant, which produces scores of Hollywood blockbusters each year, for its "blood lust" and said the grotesque "sacrifice" highlighted increasing concerns over the content of video games and the lengths to which the industry will go to exploit youngsters.

At the event, guests competed to see who could eat the most offal – procured elsewhere and intended to resemble the goat's intestines – from its stomach.

They also threw knives at targets and pulled live snakes from a pit with their bare hands.

Topless girls added to the louche atmosphere by dipping grapes into guests' mouths, while a male model portraying Kratos, the game's warrior hero, handed out garlands.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare said it was "outrageous" that the animal's death had been used "to sell a few computer games".

A spokesman said: "We are always opposed to any senseless killing of an animal and this sounds like a gruesome death. We condemn Sony's actions. It is stupid and completely unjustified."

The party features across two pages of the latest edition of the company's PlayStation magazine, which was due to hit newsstands on Tuesday but has already been sent to subscribers.

We have reproduced the spread – headlined Sony's Greek Orgy – here, but have pixellated the image to spare readers the sight of the goat's decapitated head hanging by a thread of tissue from its corpse, with blood dripping to the floor.

But the magazine's readers were shown the picture in its full horror.

The article, based on a Sony Press release, shows more vivid pictures from the event under headlines such as Topless Girls! and Flesh Eating?

It asks readers how far they would go to get hold of Sony's next-generation console, the PlayStation 3.

"How about eating still warm intestines uncoiled from the carcass of a freshly slaughtered goat? At the party to celebrate God Of War II's European release, members of the Press were invited to do just that . . ."

In God Of War II, which is so violent it has been given an 18 certificate, players follow Kratos into battle against a series of fearsome characters from Greek mythology.

Sony describes it as "an adult-rated, fast-paced bloodbath – and enormous fun to boot", adding that it is "bigger, better and as brutal as ever".

One reviewer said the title featured "the most brutal, visceral combat of any action game".

Former Minister Keith Vaz, Labour MP for Leicester East and a long-time campaigner against violent computer games, branded the stunt "distasteful and irresponsible".

He said: "The slaughter of animals is not something that should be done to advertise a product.

"Sony as a global entertainment company has a social responsibility. At this event it failed in that responsibility.

"I think people should think very carefully before bringing games like this into their homes.

"I would understand if customers wanted to boycott other Sony products such as their televisions because of this controversy."

Sony, based in Japan and run by Welshman Sir Howard Stringer, is one of the largest media organisations in the world, boasting global revenues of £40billion from electronics, video games, music, television programmes and feature films – including Spider-Man 3 and Casino Royale.

It is regarded, along with Coca-Cola, Nike and Mercedes-Benz, as one of the world's most valuable brands.

The company, which released the game in the UK on Friday, admitted that the stunt had been a mistake. In a statement it said: "Sony does not condone or sanction any inappropriate behaviour by its staff or sub-contracted staff.

"It has come to our attention that at the God Of War II launch showcase, an element of the event was of an unsuitable nature.

"We are conducting an internal inquiry into aspects of the event in order to learn from the occurrence and put into place measures to ensure that this does not happen again."

The party was held last month in Athens in homage to the game's Greek mythology themes. Revellers partied against the floodlit backdrop of the Parthenon.

The Sony spokesman said the animal had not been slaughtered for the event but had been bought from a local butcher by the Greek company hired to stage the event.

What purported to be warm intestines was actually warm offal.

He said Sony's UK office had been shocked to see the report in the official PlayStation magazine, which the company licenses to publishing house Future. Sony is this weekend recalling the entire 80,000 print run of the magazine.

The offending article will be removed because of the "sensitivity of the general public over issues of animal welfare".

The firm refused to say how the goat died. It is unusual for animals in modern Greece to be killed by having their throats cut, let alone by being decapitated.

It is not the first time Sony has been involved in controversy over its games. In 2004, the PlayStation 2 game Manhunt was banned by High Street stores in the UK after it was linked to the murder of a 14-year-old Leicester boy.

Last September the relatives of a family massacred by a New Mexico teenager addicted to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City launched a £317million lawsuit against the entertainment company.

And in November, Europe's justice commissioner Franco Frattini was so shocked by the "obscene cruelty and brutality" of Sony's Rule Of Rose PlayStation game that he wrote to all EU governments urging tighter controls on the "dreadful game".

[Stark]

Need I make a remark about 'animal welfare' and Sparta? No?

Still, Sony doesn't need the bad publicity. Then again, the internets ARE full of glowing praise for the PS3 and people talking about how it's taken the world by storm, so who to believe?

[Elaro]

Oh god. Experiencing terrible things without other living beings being hurt is (one of) the reasons why I (and probably other people) play video games! Sony fails to understand their market, once again!

Sickening, really. Not only should their marketing department be fired, they should be fired upon.

[Ford Prefect]

That sounds like it would have been awesome. Topless women? Fishing live snakes out of a pit? If you ask me, they were on to a winner of an event there. I mean, wow. A dead goat - not like I haven't feasted upon the flesh of countless cows, pigs and a fair share of baby animals.

[Xisiqomelir]

That sounds like it would have been awesome. Topless women? Fishing live snakes out of a pit? If you ask me, they were on to a winner of an event there. I mean, wow. A dead goat - not like I haven't feasted upon the flesh of countless cows, pigs and a fair share of baby animals.

Actually, I think the goat carcass was just there to be a centrepiece and the meat probably went to waste.

However, I think the main focus should be Sony PR's stupidity and ignorance of the prevailing political climate.

[Ford Prefect]

However, I think the main focus should be Sony PR's stupidity and ignorance of the prevailing political climate.

Perhaps the real question should be - why is the EU made up of a bunch of pussies? *pensive look* No, more seriously, it does strike me as being one strange move. I've known for some time that Sony had some loons in high places (Crazy Ken, I'm looking at you), but it would seem that it's spreading.

Perhaps their 'fall from grace' is effecting them more strongly than we ever realised.

[Adrian Laguna]

I don't see where animal cruelty fits into this. The goat's dead I don't think the crowd and noise would have caused it undue stress.

[DPDarkPrimus]

I like how the goat's innards are pixellated, but not the chick's tits.

[Vympel]

What a bunch of crybabies. Any meat eater who gets offended at a dead goat should be slapped upside the head.

[2000AD]

Maybe if they'd have released the game in Europe at the same time that they released it in the US they wouldn't have to do crap like this!

That said maybe this will be the nail in the coffin for the "Video games are for kids" crowd.

[Bounty]

That said maybe this will be the nail in the coffin for the "Video games are for kids" crowd.

Because topless chicks and dead goats are so mature. Right. It's more likely to be the final nail for the "video games are legitimate entertainment" crowd.

Sony, once again, fucks up royally. A launch party in Europe with a dead goat and edible fake entrails? What the hell were they thinking?

[Stark]

Just try imagining the powerpoint presentation and meeting where they pitched it. Imagine the Sony suits responsible nodding and saying 'this is what we need'. It's fun.

[Bounty]

Just try imagining the powerpoint presentation and meeting where they pitched it. Imagine the Sony suits responsible nodding and saying 'this is what we need'. It's fun.

I can't help but wonder what sort of mind goes from "videogame" to BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD in one step.

[PeZook]

Just try imagining the powerpoint presentation and meeting where they pitched it. Imagine the Sony suits responsible nodding and saying 'this is what we need'. It's fun.

I can't help but wonder what sort of mind goes from "videogame" to BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD in one step.

A Khornate mind, obviously. We should purge Sony's marketing department with holy flame!

[Imperial Overlord]

Just try imagining the powerpoint presentation and meeting where they pitched it. Imagine the Sony suits responsible nodding and saying 'this is what we need'. It's fun.

I can't help but wonder what sort of mind goes from "videogame" to BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD in one step.

A Khornate mind, obviously. We should purge Sony's marketing department with holy flame!

How does that explain the topless women? Clearly Slaanesh is involved as well and only Tzeentch could bring those two rivals together . . . clearly Sony is a servant of Chaos Undivided.

[Teebs]

I like how the goat's innards are pixellated, but not the chick's tits.

Well this IS Europe.

[Vympel]

Because topless chicks and dead goats are so mature. Right. It's more likely to be the final nail for the "video games are legitimate entertainment" crowd.

So in your opinion HBO's Rome isn't legitimate adult entertainment?

[Bounty]

Because topless chicks and dead goats are so mature. Right. It's more likely to be the final nail for the "video games are legitimate entertainment" crowd.

So in your opinion HBO's Rome isn't legitimate adult entertainment?

Don't be daft. I wouldn't object to titties and dead goats in the game, if they're trying to get an Ancient Greece vibe, but anyone who thinks that a decapitated goat in a press conference for a goddamn video game is going to make people think games are any less immature is either delusional or prepubescent.

[Shroom Man 777]

This is obscene and awesome.

As Colbert said: KNEEL BEFORE YOUR GOD, BABYLON!

Heh. Why don't these things happen near my place?

[Rye]

Yucky. I would've gone with the tits, but the violence could've been done with fancy dress and setpieces. I'm sure this got a reaction, though, so I guess it worked, I just wouldn't have gone for it.

[SAMAS]

That sounds like it would have been awesome. Topless women? Fishing live snakes out of a pit? If you ask me, they were on to a winner of an event there. I mean, wow. A dead goat - not like I haven't feasted upon the flesh of countless cows, pigs and a fair share of baby animals.

Yeah, but have you ever killed one so that you could pretend to eat it?

IThe part with the goat was going too far. The rest was... over the top... but not all that bad.

[Vympel]

Don't be daft. I wouldn't object to titties and dead goats in the game, if they're trying to get an Ancient Greece vibe, but anyone who thinks that a decapitated goat in a press conference for a goddamn video game is going to make people think games are any less immature is either delusional or prepubescent.

Sex and violence is not for kids, this game is not for kids. What's so immature about actually having thematic sex and violence at the promo? It's lowest common denominator taste wise, but it's not "immature". Those in an uproar about this are just the usual dumbfucks who think video games = for kiddies, so they hear about this sort of thing and think immediately "for the children!"

[Bounty]

Sex and violence is not for kids, this game is not for kids.

Oh, I won't disagree there at all. But "not for kids" != mature. This joke of a launch party won't convince anyone that games need to be taken seriously as entertainment for adults, as 2000AD liked to think.

Those in an uproar about this are just the usual dumbfucks who think video games = for kiddies, so they hear about this sort of thing and think immediately "for the children!"

In this thread? Or in the press? Because the only uproar I've heard so far isn't even concerned with "the children", people just think it was a tasteless and clumsy stunt.

[Ace Pace]

For once, the inq is funny.

If rootkitting customers, cramming DRM infections into every orifice they will fit and some they would not wasn't enough, I wonder what the meeting where this was planned was like?

SONY EXEC 1: We haven't got people hating us this week, we need to change that.
SONY EXEC 2: Yeah, at least three demographics no longer spit when they hear the name Sony, Something must me done!
SONY EXEC 1: Lets throw parties and kill animals!
SONY EXEC 2: Great, but for what brand?
SONY EXEC 1: Playstation of course.
SONY EXEC 2: Well then, we need topless women and more gore.
SONY EXEC 1: Topless women, check. How about reaching into a goat stomach and eating ofal?
SONY EXEC 2: The goat has to be still warm.
SONY EXEC 1: Of course, this is for the PS3, anything less would just not do.
SONY EXEC 2: Brilliant plan, I'll sign off on it, but we need to take lots of glossy pics for our official magazine, parents don't hate us enough, so we should traumatise their kids a little too.
SONY EXEC 1: Can we distribute a rootkit on the cover CD?
SONY EXEC 2: Legal says we can't use that trick for another seven months.
SONY EXEC 1: Pity.

[Resinence]

This made my day.
Fucking awesome, what better to have at a party for one of the most violent video games in 10 years? Those who are denouncing them, did you watch 300? Do you really think that is much different? The game is for 18+ so they had an 18+ launch party and the goat was already dead for christs sake, they didn't kill it there. pussies.