Sony respond in Manchester Cathedral storm
Sony offer assurances but Church still concerned
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have responded via letter to the Church of England's demands, related to the controversial inclusion of Manchester Cathedral in the PlayStation 3 title Resistance: Fall of Man. The letter of response, acknowledges the Church's concerns over the Cathedral, but the CofE have already responded demanding more action of Sony - with the threat of litigation still lingering.
The letter to the Church from Sony was recently posted online:
Dear Dean Govender,
Thank you for your email of 11 June 2007.
Please understand that Resistance: Fall of Man is a work of science fiction.
It is fantasy entertainment set against a backdrop of an alternative reality of 1950's Britain. History has been rewritten and the Second World War has not happened but a race of alien creatures has attacked the earth and the human race is engaged in a struggle to defend itself from this alien invader.
Early in the time line of the story, Manchester Cathedral is utilised as a field hospital to tend to the human casualties of the war. When the story line reaches chapter 8, the Cathedral is empty and abandoned, no longer used as a place of worship and the sequences that take place inside are to defend the building from the aliens.
We do not accept that there is any connection between contemporary issues of 21st century Manchester and a work of science fiction in which a fictitious 1950's Britain is under attack by aliens. We believe a comprehensive viewing of the work will make its content and context clear.
Accordingly we would be pleased to demonstrate it to you at a mutually convenient time.
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.
In conclusion we note that you are consulting lawyers. We confirm that it is our policy to seek all necessary permissions for our products and services, and we believe with this particular work we have done so.
Yours sincerely,
Dr David A Reeves
President
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
The Church of England's take on Sony's conciliatory noises has also arrived on the internet.
"We acknowledge the admission by Sony that the building in the game is Manchester Cathedral. We thank Sony for the apology they have made. However, we do not move from the position that we are against violence and especially the gun violence seen in this portrayal of the Cathedral," responded the Dean and the Chapter.
"We are pleased that Sony wish to come and meet with us in Manchester as today we offered them such an invitation."
"In the meeting with Sony we will discuss our outstanding demands, how this game came to be produced and where the images of the Cathedral came from."
More on this scuffle as we get it.
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