Hindu Leader Threatens Boycott Against Sony

[Andy Chalk]

Hindu Leader Threatens Boycott Against Sony

Universal Society of Hinduism President Rajan Zed is preparing for a worldwide boycott of Hanuman: Boy Warrior [http://www.sony.com] by May 21.

The Tech2.com [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/91079-Hindu-Organizations-Protest-PS2-Game], a technology site based in India, said, "The game boasts of being the first ever Indian game to be released on the PlayStation 2; if Indian developers are going to develop this sort of crap for consoles, let's hope it's the last."

The fact that it sucks didn't mollify Zed and other Hindu leaders around the world, however, who called for Sony to pull the game from shelves and issue an apology to Hindus for "trivializing the highly revered deity of Hinduism." Sony agreed to investigate the matter and respond to Hindu leaders "as soon as possible" but apparently declined to halt the game's sale and Zed is now saying that because of its "callous" handling of the affair, he is giving the company a deadline to either resolve the matter or face further, more tangible action from the Hindu community.

"Despite communication between Sony officials and Hindu leaders, the issue had not been resolved yet," Zed said in a press release issued yesterday. "If nothing was heard by Hindu leaders from Sony by May 21, then all the protesting Hindu groups and leaders would re-evaluate the protest and announce the future course, which might include calling for boycott of Sony products world over by Hindus and other like-minded people and supporters."

Whether any resolution to the matter short of absolute compliance would satisfy Zed is unknown, as is the impact a worldwide boycott by Hindus would have, and in spite of the threat banners of Hanuman: Boy Warrior still feature prominently on the PlayStation India [http://in.playstation.com/] website, The only thing that is clear, really, is the fact that an obscure little game released exclusively for the Indian market has attracted international attention as a result of the outcry against it. Sound familiar?

Source: GamePolitics [http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/05/14/global-hindu-boycott-sony-playstation-maker-given-7-days-respond-game-protest]


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[oliveira8]

This guy should actually thank Sony for making Hinduism, actually recognized by everyone...

Also media has been trivializing other religions for years now...

I mean, using crosses agaisnt Vampires. Thats like "Jesus died on the cross, so we could defend ourselfs from Dracula.Thank Jesus for that!"

But, the game sucks so who cares? Hindu leaders aparently.

 

[level250geek]

no, it doesn't sound familiar. what game is he referring to there?

I think Malygris may have been just referring to the old "obscure media that nobody would care about and would have faded away into obscurity, but now someone has been offended and the whole world wants to experience said media" plot that has happened numerous times before to all kinds of entertainment.

Seriously, the most effective protest against something that offends is to JUST NOT BUY IT.

 

[Cousin_IT]

GL to em. Will be fun to see how big this global "Hindu Community" of theres actually is, & how many who actually buy Sony products would stop doing so because they want them to.

also: Barbara Streisand effect, why wont these people learn?

 

[Dectilon]

The response should've simply been "Quit gettin' mad at video games."

 

[ffxfriek]

GL to em. Will be fun to see how big this global "Hindu Community" of theres actually is, & how many who actually buy Sony products would stop doing so because they want them to.

also: Barbara Streisand effect, why wont these people learn?

seconded

 

[aww yea]

overreaction just a bit?

the god guy is a hero in a game...

its not going to change the fabric of their religion

 

[Wewt]

They probably played the game, found out it's moronic and then started makin' shit up.

 

[Veacane]

This guy should actually thank Sony for making Hinduism, actually recognized by everyone...

Also media has been trivializing other religions for years now...

I mean, using crosses agaisnt Vampires. Thats like "Jesus died on the cross, so we could defend ourselfs from Dracula.Thank Jesus for that!"

But, the game sucks so who cares? Hindu leaders aparently.

Hahahaha WHAT! Making hinduism recognized, it's the oldest religion still practiced.
And if you made a game where Jesus was riding around in a hot air ballon fighting ninjas you know the Vatican would make a stink about it. Really any religion where you use the main character of there story in you game without paying royalties will be pived.

 

[Brotherofwill]

Sony is going down anyway, atleast they can do it in style and not care about requests like this.

For them to put this on the cover of the India website is pretty desperate though. A PR move perhaps? It certainly worked, for better or worse.

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

One of their deities has been deemed powerful enough to be a main character in a game. And this is trivialising him? Christians don't boycott FOX when Jesus appears on Family Guy. But yes he's absolutely right, there's no better way to make you and your religion appear revered and respectable than to throw a massive sissy fit about something so pedantic rather than just ignoring it.

 

[oliveira8]

This guy should actually thank Sony for making Hinduism, actually recognized by everyone...

Also media has been trivializing other religions for years now...

I mean, using crosses agaisnt Vampires. Thats like "Jesus died on the cross, so we could defend ourselfs from Dracula.Thank Jesus for that!"

But, the game sucks so who cares? Hindu leaders aparently.

Hahahaha WHAT! Making hinduism recognized, it's the oldest religion still practiced.And if you made a game where Jesus was riding around in a hot air ballon fighting ninjas you know the Vatican would make a stink about it. Really any religion where you use the main character of there story in you game without paying royalties will be pived.

It may be the oldest but how many people actually recognize it when they see it?

The first thing I think of Hinduism when I think of it is Shiva...and its cause she is the godess of Ice in Final Fantasy...

Also http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1132468/ Never saw the Vatican complain about that.

And the stupid name of the film is ZOMBIE JESUS! And theres comic books with that too.

Not to mention the thousand parodies running hamok on the internet of Zombie Jesus riding Raptores.

Hinduism is old and basically more than half of the world doesnt care for it.

 

[Brotherofwill]

Hinduism is old and basically more than half of the world doesnt care for it.

There is almost nothing that more than half the world cares for, except food, water and sex.

 

[GloatingSwine]

GL to em. Will be fun to see how big this global "Hindu Community" of theres actually is,

'bout a billion of them in India. Give a take a few.

 

[oliveira8]

Hinduism is old and basically more than half of the world doesnt care for it.

There is almost nothing that more than half the world cares for, except food, water and sex.

You forgot being rich and famous.

 

[iain62a]

Making hinduism recognized, it's the oldest religion still practiced.

Isn't Zorroastroanism older?

 

[Cousin_IT]

GL to em. Will be fun to see how big this global "Hindu Community" of theres actually is,

'bout a billion of them in India. Give a take a few.

your knowledge of Indias etho-religious demographics, the concept of "community," & the % of that "community" who have the consumer power to influence Sony's business practices proves lacking