Horror at Sony's depraved promotion stunt with decapitated goat

[MightyJordan]

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".

[addc182]

press stunt?

even worse is that they were going to publish all the pictures in full gore in OPM

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

OK, sorry - can Sony please show me one piece of PR they have done in the last year that has been a success?

[MightyJordan]

If you look in newsagents for the Mail on Sunday, they have a picture of this on the front page. That's how I found out about this story, but I googled the story and got it off another site.

I just found the Mail on Sunday's article on their site. ?http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/a...d=1770&ct=5 WARNING!!! ?Picture enclosed of the decapitated goat. ?View at your own risk!

[Narlzac85]

Give me the goat. I'll eat it, then there will be no problem. There's no law against playing with your food, but wasting food makes people angry.

Seriously, its a goat. Livestock is raised to die. Its a stupid marketing ploy, but its not like they killed a human.

[Deadlydread]

It was an already dead goat bought from a Butcher. The "intestines" were offal, premade and stuffed in there. It happened in Greece, not the UK. How's this any different from in the US say someone were to buy a turkey from a butcher, stuff it, cut the head off in public, and cook it.

[snyper]

Give me the goat. I'll eat it, then there will be no problem. There's no law against playing with your food, but wasting food makes people angry.

Seriously, its a goat. Livestock is raised to die. Its a stupid marketing ploy, but its not like they killed a human.

+1

Toughen up people.

Plus. The advert worked ..we are talking about it noe.

[MadFerIt]

I'm no PETA member or anything (and I eat meat), but I don't know.. Looking at those pictures, and reading the story was just disgusting. Definitely one of the worst and most screwed up PR stunt Sony has come up with in years.. In fact, I'm speechless that they would even "consider" this, let alone carry it out as they have.

And this has nothing to do with how "tough" you are. Last time I checked, it wasn't a weakness to have a problem with a food eating contest on a dead decapitated goat's stomach. I mean come on, even the majority of hunters would never dream of doing such a thing.

Unfortunately, the fact that people are responding to this is proof it worked.. But I don't really think this is going to have as much "positive" effect as they thought.

Edited April 29, 2007 by MadFerIt2006

[WelshBluebird]

If they goat was going to killed for something soon anyway, then tbh, whats the big deal. However, if the goat was killed specifically for this, then sony have some twisted guy making the decisions. FFS, who in their right mind goes "I have an idea, lets go kill a goat to show off our game". lol.

[null_]

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

Have Sony completely lost their minds? That's disgusting!

[Colin-uk Veteran]

LOL, thats one bad PR move.

I dont think sony will last much longer tbh :p

[MadFerIt]

If they goat was going to killed for something soon anyway, then tbh, whats the big deal. However, if the goat was killed specifically for this, then sony have some twisted guy making the decisions. FFS, who in their right mind goes "I have an idea, lets go kill a goat to show off our game". lol.

I honestly don't care if it was killed for this event, or just bought at a store already dead for it.. They are having an EATING contest on a dead decapitated goat's STOMACH. That's what was seriously f'ed up for me.

[42n81]

The "intestines" were offal, premade and stuffed in there.

This is confusing to me . . .

Offal, (definition):

• Animal organs rejected at slaughter as unfit for human consumption, eg, spleen, intestine, brain, lungs.
  >> www.peteducation.com/dict_alpha_listing.cfm <<
  

How can they be pre-made?

Why would you pull them out only to stuff them back in?

[505]

This is confusing to me . . .

Offal, (definition):

• Animal organs rejected at slaughter as unfit for human consumption, eg, spleen, intestine, brain, lungs.
  >> www.peteducation.com/dict_alpha_listing.cfm <<
  

How can they be pre-made?

Why would you pull them out only to stuff them back in?

Well, you can eat them, from Wikipedia: "Depending on the cultural context, offal may be considered as waste material that is thrown away, or as delicacies that command a high price. [...] In some parts of Europe, brain, chitterlings or andouilles (pig's large intestine), feet or trotters, gizzard (bird's crop), heart, head (of pigs or calves), kidney, liver, "lights" (lung), sweetbreads (thymus or pancreas or both), tongue, snout (nose) and tripe (stomach) from various mammals are common menu items."

[Empyreal Rhapsody]

Yet more evidence to support my hypothesis that Sony make business decisions by consulting their mystical 8-ball :rolleyes:

[42n81]

It was an already dead goat bought from a Butcher.

Just saw this . . "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.

>> http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/a...d=1770&ct=5 <<

If the goat has been bought from a butcher, there's no way there's "blood dripping to the floor". It's been freshly killed.

I have nothing against animals being slaughtered in order that we might live, but I do object, not only to the frivolous slaughter for publicity, but more-so to the almost pornographic glorification of the taking of life, which some seem to indulge in.

I raise and kill my own meat for domestic purposes and there is nothing even vaguely tough or honorable about killing or butchery. Killing is a shabby, low, and debasing act of terror. If we were all to have to kill our own beasts there would be a lot more vegetables eaten.

[42n81]

Well, you can eat them, from Wikipedia: "Depending on the cultural context, offal may be considered as waste material that is thrown away, or as delicacies that command a high price. [...] In some parts of Europe, brain, chitterlings or andouilles (pig's large intestine), feet or trotters, gizzard (bird's crop), heart, head (of pigs or calves), kidney, liver, "lights" (lung), sweetbreads (thymus or pancreas or both), tongue, snout (nose) and tripe (stomach) from various mammals are common menu items."

Yeah, I'm well aware that we eat offal, but it's not "pre-made".

Offal is offal, not some artificially manufactured substitute.

See why it's confusing?

Is the guy trying to say "pre-cooked", perhaps?

If so, then I presume he is contending that the animal has been gutted, and the cavity replenished with cooked offal.

[spenser.d]

Stuff like this never used to be looked down upon...way back when :p

I find it amusing actually.

-Spenser

[Empyreal Rhapsody]

he almost pornographic glorification of the taking of life, which some seem to indulge in.

I think you've hit the nail on the head here -- the entire thing is about sex, in a similar sense to the film 300. It's about uninhibited, feral human nature; man exerting his "Will to Power".

[riahc3]

Any uncensored pictures of the event? Im not soft stomach like some Neowin members...

And this is clearly a Sony publicity stunt.

[vraev]

Yet more evidence to support my hypothesis that Sony make business decisions by consulting their mystical 8-ball :rolleyes:

lmao! rofl!

[Minchino]

You see worse roadkill, why bother censoring a picture of a goat. And where are the pictures of the topless women? :p

[gadean]

Toughen up people.

Plus. The advert worked ..we are talking about it noe.

Exactly. Everyone is talking about the game now and its crazy publicity stunt. This is marketing at its best!

And who cares about livestock? They are born and raised to be killed and used for whatever purpose is seen fit. This goat was probably chopped up and used as feed after its hair was shaven and sold for several dollars.

People are too politically correct today. Bah!

[Danrarbc]

Exactly. Everyone is talking about the game now and its crazy publicity stunt.

People would have talked about the game anyway. It's freakin' God of War!

[Kerm]

Ok, i don't know about anyone else, but the first and most important thing i see in this shot is not a goat;

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/a...d=1770&ct=5