UPDATE: Sony confirms international delay for the racing game; "parallels between these events and the underlying theme in Motorstorm" lead to suspension of distribution and marketing.
Sony's MotorStorm series has been something of a poster child for the PlayStation line over the past few years. The first game was used to demonstrate the technical prowess of the PlayStation 3 console at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2005, while Arctic Edge, the third game in the series, was launched just ahead of the PSP Go in 2009.
The newest game in the series, however, may become renowned for rather different reasons. MotorStorm: Apocalypse is set in an earthquake-ravaged city, with other natural disasters affecting the city while players race around it. While the game is clearly set in a fictional universe, it is due to arrive in Europe a mere week after an 8.9-strength earthquake struck Japan, leaving thousands dead or missing and leading to explosions at a nuclear power plant.
Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, the publisher behind the game in the territory, has announced that it has delayed the game there. Sony had already confirmed after the devastating earthquake in Christchurch last month that the game's release in New Zealand was being delayed.
It is not yet clear if this delay will now be mirrored in other territories. Speaking to GameSpot UK this morning, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe said, "[The game's release is] under discussion at the moment. We'll get back to you when we know more." Sony Computer Entertainment America is currently slated to release the game in its territory on Tuesday, April 12.
UPDATE: SCEE has released a statement saying that the release of Motorstorm Apocalypse has been postponed: "We are shocked and saddened to see the impact of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and our thoughts are with all those affected, including our colleagues within the Sony family, living and working throughout Japan.
We are very conscious of the parallels between these events and the underlying theme in Motorstorm and are doing everything we can to be as sensitive as possible to the situation. Although the game itself is already in distribution, we are ceasing any further shipments and removing as much of the marketing materials as possible."
Touching on the UK situation specifically, SCEE said, "Although we have shipped the game into the channel last week, given that we are able to do so, we have chosen to postpone the launch in the UK. In the meantime we will continue to monitor the situation very closely."
Guy Cocker is the Editor of GameSpot UK, a handheld gaming fan, and someone who actually managed to use video games to lose weight. He recently took up the position of games expert on BBC 5 live and is a BAFTA games judge.
Got this game yesterday from gamestop here in Finland, guess they are now pulling it off the shelves. This is a complicated issue no matter from which standpoint u look at it. It could hurt the games sales, or then again, it gets alot of media coverage because of this and might propel the sales when it eventually comes out. Wise decision on Sony's part I'm sure. Anyway, the game is super, a total adrenaline overload from start to finish. Can totally recommend it to any arcade racer fan!
This is a total disgrace on sonys behalf and really need to look at there selfs, the world is what it is, MOTHER NATURE, YOU CANT STOP IT FROM HAPPENING, what has this got to do with playing a game, its not going to bring the world to an end playing it is it, so sony holds it against us gamers what the weather dose how perthetic are thay!!!!!! the hole world all feel for the people in japan but sony you can not hold it against the rest of the world and i hope sony loos out on loads of money over there stupid actions i had this game on pre order as did thousands of other people round the world !!!!!!
Ridiculous decision - very poor on the part of Sony! I feel sorry for the people of Japan but why should that stop me having a game I've been looking forward to. If people didn't want to play it then they wouldn't buy it. Equally I bet some of the on-line pre-orders had already been shipped, I'd certainly had my email saying payment had been taken so why should I miss out. Disappointed in you Sony!!!!
Mother nature is conspiring agaisnst playstation owners :( however, on a more serious note. I can appreciate how and why the game has been delayed, whether it would offend people or not, the delay itself is an act of rememberance for those that died, and thats good enough for me. I'm lucky, as UK never gets earthquakes, atleast none that directly endanger lives.
I'm not trying to be offensive here as I fully respect there decision and it is sad the lives of thousands of japanese were effected by the quake but in my opinion the games should have not been delayed. We don't stop releasing games with murders in them when people die etc. and most games are bound to touch on saddening ideas, especially if your a victim of such a thing but these are just games. They are not offensive and they don't fly in the face of victims so I think they could have been released without much fuss really. Like I said though I can respect there decision so what happens happens and it's only a small wait as a sign of respect in the end.
@jeepboy78au i havent tried it yet how does it compare to the previous 2 is it totally different or much the same?? cheers :)
I hope it doesnt sop us australian from getting it! After the pre-release event I want it bad! already sick to death of the demo! My ps3 will never be the same without it! :D Epic game! But if we have to wait it will be worth it!!
@ads_legend Sony is a japanese company. Its not going to reflect well at home if they release a game that sensationalises earthquakes anywhere in the world right now. that aside, its a fitting mark of respect. everyone donate at the top of the page!
@warhawk-geeby I agree, though it's out of respect on Sony's part and my deepest sympathy's to those in Japan, i was looking forward to picking this up, i didn't even connect the two until now but can see how the media (biased about games is an understatement) could use this as an excuse to once again attack the industry.
well they going to pull the plug on the series if it doent sell but dely like said agian wont hurt Sony not hopeing to be big because last didnt did very gd but gd there still fans for this game
I'm happy to see Sony not doing something stupid like release a game that's about the Apocalypse to a region that just had a massive natural disaster. The people in Japan have my best wishes and I don't really care that this game gets delayed a couple of weeks or so.
I am usually of the opinion that these delays shouldn't happen - after all, the game has been planned for some time, and the timing and similarities to the actual events in Japan are nothing more than coincidence. But you have to take into account what the media are like these days. The fact that Sony are giving 300 million Yen to the relief effort will be totally overlooked, and all people will see is "evil Sony cashing in on Japan's disaster." Better all round for Sony to delay it worldwide for at least a month. Better yet would be if they did that, and everyone donated they cash they were going to spend on it to the relief effort.
I don't think it should be delayed because after all it's only a game which you can choose to play or not. Sure I feel sorry for everybody effected by this disaster but releasing a game isn't going to make it worse.
I think they should delay it a for at least a week to see how the situation develops in Japan, as they are still experiencing tremors and aftershocks and while it is only a game, you have to remember, we are a global community and there will be Japanese nationals around the world who will be worried about relatives in Japan. It's a difficult decision to make, but Sony (in my opinion) have done the right thing by delaying release.
Difficult to call this one, if sony decide to delay then motorstorm would fall right in the path of the 3DS and its software for the next month or so. However i can see that advertising the game atm could be seen as bad taste. For what its worth my thoughts go out to the people of japan.
I'm on both sides of the fence on this one. I can see why they're delaying it, but at the same time it is only a game. I understand that the whole apocolypse thing may be a bit of bad timing, but I was actually kinda lookin forward to this.. I agree with a lot of you, release it in certain areas for the time being.
Not this bllsht again this will end up like Propellor arena on the Dreamcast being cancelled because of 9-11, and yes that is quite creepy @f-14-d-tomcat
Either its just a weird coincidence or Apocalypse is prophetic in a very creepy way, 1st NZ quake and now the devastating double tragedy of JP quake and tsunami. I don't think this game should be sold in JP at all.
Polyphony ought to take note... this would be three Motorstorm titles in less time than it's taken them to produce one sub-par Gran Turismo game.
I hope they release it. The game is a work of fiction and has nothing to do with real life. Released or delayed, it will do nothing to help the situation in Japan.
If they don't to release it here in the UK then it's a major fail on their part. Sure I feel sorry for the people in Japan but a game has nothing to do with the real world and people can choose to play it or not!!
It would be best for them to release the game in all the unaffected territories of the world. Once the devastated areas have recovered, then release the game there, although even then I would imagine that the residents will have greater priorities than gaming.
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