LBP Recall - Just a PR stunt?

I can't help but feel that this LBP recall is, in part, a publicity stunt.

I mean, since this has happened, the story has had a main story on the BBC (including radio, TV and internet) and many other news channels. I have also seen it mentioned in a few newspapers.

All this is, of course, publicity for Sony. Do you think the motivation for a recall over a simple patch was publicity?

The main story on the BBC's Technology page is LBP - that is free publicity you cannot buy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/default.stm

I was on the fence about this game, thought it looked interesting but wasn't quite my style. So, I was waiting for it to come out and maybe get a demo first before deciding to purchase. Now, because they are pulling a song and delaying the release for something so ridiculous, I guarantee I won't be buying the game.

I mean honestly, give me a break, are people really getting offended that a reference to a specific religion was made? Effing ridiculous.

Game delayed over Islam phrases

A video game that's expected to be one of the biggest of the year has been delayed as it could offend Muslims.

Some background music used in the game, called Little Big Planet, contains phrases from the Koran, which is the holy scripture for Islam. Now Sony, who are behind the game, has taken all the copies out of shops while it removes the music from it.

The altered version of the game is expected to go on sale in November, and is only available on the PlayStation 3.

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The Koran, also called the Qu'ran is the most holy text in Islam. Mixing music and words from it could be considered deeply offensive by Muslims.

The game was made by a company called Media Molecule for Sony. It's a platform game in which players control a cute character called Sackboy and guide him through levels.

The game has got experts very excited, because a big part of it is about using the game to create levels which you can then put online, and let other people rate and play.

I was on the fence about this game, thought it looked interesting but wasn't quite my style. So, I was waiting for it to come out and maybe get a demo first before deciding to purchase. Now, because they are pulling a song and delaying the release for something so ridiculously, I guarantee I won't be buying the game.

I mean honestly, give me a break, are people really getting offended that a reference to a specific religion was made? Effing ridiculous.

_Area51

So youre not going to play a game because the dev and publisher have delayed it for one week? Thats really short-sighted and kinda narrowminded to not play a game for those reasons. The ONLY reasons one should have for not playing and/or buying a game is because it doesnt 1) appeal to their gaming tastes or 2) was not fun for that individual.

And yes people are getting offended to those references. For some Muslims, mixing holy scripture and music is a big no-no. Dont bash them for their beliefs. The delay isnt even THAT bad, wow everyone has to wait one more week. Gimme a break.

Ah, my apologies, the articles I had read made it seem like they were pulling it just for the simple fact that it made a reference to the Koran, thinking that would offend Westerners. I didn't realize the mixing of the music with the Koran references actually was offensive to Muslims.

What a difference a bit of knowledge makes, eh?

Thanks for shedding some light on that.

i suspected this too,,,, but really, anything thats controversal because of islam/muslim reasons is not really great publicity. I mean, A LOT of people associate everything about the religion as well as the word 'Qu'ran' as terrorist related.

Not saying I'm one of them, but if Sony wanted free PR, i think theyd have gone with safe religions like Christianity or Judaism