A scandal that seems to have exploded over the weekend despite actually happening two months ago:
Sony, who has some problems in the PR department, decided to throw a big event to celebrate the launch of God of War 2 in, appropriately enough to the game’s story, Athens.
They also decided to go the extra mile in keeping with the theme and have a “goat sacrifice” and topless serving girls.
The sacrifice was later revealed to be a pre-decapitated goat that they had bought from a nearby butcher’s shop, which they returned it to afterwards. However, there were still contests to eat dishes that they claimed to the party-goers were intestines.
Kotaku, which received an official statement from Sony decrying some of the allegations made in one of the British tabloids about the event, has had some really typical comments. Lots of them are saying that it’s not a big deal because we eat animals all the time. (I don’t, but most people do.)
The issue really isn’t the animal rights issues that could be raised it. It’s a question of sense and taste in marketing. What are two common complaints about video games? One, they’re too violent (so they advertise using a decapitated goat as a prop), and two, they alienate women (so they advertise using topless women.) Does this not seem totally insane to anyone else? When did Sony stop being a business with a certain level of professionalism and start just appealing to the lowest common denominator?
I can’t honestly say that I would mind being at a party where topless women feed me grapes. But it’s definitely not a professional thing to do, and if I were at the party for business reasons as a game journalist, it certainly wouldn’t make me want to review the game any better. Add a dead animal carcass as decoration while I’m trying to eat, and it doesn’t sound like the time of environment that would make me interested in the product.
(original link via Boingboing)
I think I agree. I mean, I would love to go to a party with the topless women, but I would want to know that is what I signed up for. The goat, however… sad. Even if it was already dead.
That is sick. How messed up do you have to be to think it’s okay to have a dead goat as a theme decoration?
What if they had it on a spit roasting it? Would that be okay?
Intent, condition, and use matter a lot in this situation… this is not even close to the same thing as a roast. Besides, who roasts a goat?
If it was on a spit roasting and they were going to eat it, that would be fine. Because it’s food, not decoration. Huge difference.
So wait…it’s worse because they’re NOT eating it? I find it hard to believe you actually consider it better to have a goat as decoration, and then return it to the source none the worse for wear, then to have a goat feast with a big dead goat in the center of the table? I agree with the Game that it’s surprising a company like Sony did something to this caliber, but I personally don’t care much one way or another, it’s definitely gotten them the publicity they wanted.
The most surprising thing to me is that they feel they need to hype such a universally recognized magnificent game any more then it already is?
Part of the reason why it would be put on a spit is that it would be decoration.
At least if they were to eat it, there would be a reason for it to be there. Having it for display is just senseless.
Dr Scotto: I ate goat a number of times when I went to Greece.
To be honest, goat decoration or no, I would’ve loved to have been at the party for the sheer ridiculous/hilarity factor of it all.
O, having been to Greece and being in Vet training has probably made you the best one among us to have handled that party… assuming the wife would be OK with you being fed grapes by topless girls 🙂
Of course she’d be fine with it. 1 she’s from Greece, and b. she was fine with my bachelor party, wasn’t she? 😉
I think Cratos should have chopped it’s head off with flaming swords or possibly done some other equally ridiculous thing like kill it by scalping it’s beard and wearing it on his head which would of course involve some button mashing video game.