Rumor: Sony Cancelling MotorStorm Apocalypse in New Zealand

[Scott Bullock]

Rumor: Sony Cancelling MotorStorm Apocalypse in New Zealand

Out of respect for those people affected by the earthquake in New Zealand earlier this week, Sony has decided to pull MotorStorm Apocalypse, which features an earthquake-ravaged city, from New Zealand shelves.

On Tuesday, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Christchurch region of New Zealand, and has reportedly killed over 100 people and caused serious damage to buildings in the surrounding area. With that in mind, it isn't too hard to understand why Sony Entertainment has decided to cancel the release of a game whose primary setting is a disaster-stricken city.

MotorStorm Apocalypse [http://www.amazon.com/Motorstorm-Apocalypse-Playstation-3/dp/B003O680ZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298659813&sr=8-1] is the fourth game in the MotorStorm racing series, and the first to have a mainly urban setting. It takes place in a city creatively called "The City" which has suffered massive devastation from natural disasters. Many of the levels feature obstacles like falling buildings and collapsing bridges, which Sony believes may be too close to reality for some New Zealanders.

Reports are coming in that New Zealanders who pre-ordered MotorStorm Apocalypse are being notified that the game will not be released any time soon, but that Sony may still release it there at a less sensitive time.

MotorStorm Apocalypse will remain on schedule for other countries, and will be out March 16 in Europe and April 12 in the US.

Source: Kotaku via MCV [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/43233/MotorStorm-pulled-in-New-Zealand?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+mcvuk/oXMK+(MCV:+games+industry+news)]

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[Korten12]

<MotorStorm Apocalypse will remain on schedule for other countries, and will be out March 16 in Europe and April 12 in the US.

Woah, why does the US get it almost a month after?

 

[Vunts]

Oh, yay. Finally one game that I look forward to that is NOT released in the US a month or more before Europe.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I can see how Sony has good intentions, but pulling a game because a fictional city might be associated with New Zealand just seems silly. Now those poor New Zealanders miss out on MotorStorm

"Ah crap, that earthquake thing was terrible, oh well, at least I have MS to look forw-Cancelled!? RAAAAAAGE!"

 

[terror_ninja]

Im about 5 hours drive from Christchurch. It kind of makes sense. When you see this stuff happening on the news in other countries it doesnt really seem that bad...when its just down the road its kinda of always on your mind.

 

[qbanknight]

They will likely delay it for a few months to a year, same thing happened when studios delayed "Phone Booth" a film about a sniper stalking Colin Farrell in a phone booth with the at-the-time DC Metro Snipers

 

[theultimateend]

Would have made more sense just to say their hearts are with everyone and put part of the proceeds towards the recovery.

 

[Dexiro]

Urgh why?? I don't understand this kind of over-sensitivity >.>

The game clearly doesn't have ANYTHING to do with the earthquake that happened in New Zealand. They might as well start taking disaster movies off the shelves incase people accidentally buy them and become all sad and offended.

 

[Angron]

A game that comes out in europe before america yay!

i feel so special

 

[Kermi]

Man, New Zealanders are so fucking chill about shit that you could make a game ABOUT an earthquake in New Zealand and they'd play it at parties and go "pretty schmik, ay bro?" over a few beers. Sony are being too cautious.

 

[pinchy]

As someone who actually lives in Christchurch I don't see why it has to be all or nothing- stick a warning label on the front or ask retailers to keep copies behind the counter or something and warn people of what's in it so that the earthquake content doesn't surprise people (and of course not advertising it in a way that people could be upset by).

For me the issue is more about people picking up a game and not knowing about the collapsing buildings and stuff until they see it (which one has to admit could be hurtful if you'd lost someone close to you) than the fact that the game includes such content.

Wasn't going to buy it anyway but it just seems kinda insulting for Sony to be saying that I couldn't buy it if I wanted to (at least not without ordering it in from overseas)- it's pretty much a comment on ones mental health. Either that or they are counting on launching it to greater marketing fanfare at a later date (which probably wouldn't be appropriate at the moment) in order to make more money and are in fact passing this off as being "sensitive"- if so I think I'm even more offended.

 

[Taawus]

No, that's silly.

Sony, why u doing this?

 

[Exort]

Can someone tell me how this have to do with respect?

 

[Scubamike1978]

As a gamer and a member of the military on the ground assisting the police I'm getting up close and personal with the devastation spend a fair bit of time chatting to a lot of people at cordons.

I don't think this has anything to do with respect.

I think it has more to do with Sony getting some spin on its international marketing with a minimal loss in sales (NZ is 4 million people so small potatoes sales-wise). But then maybe I'm just cynical after dealing with ghouls, looters and sightseers early on in the crisis.

The vast majority of people remain friendly, cheerful, laid-back and appreciative (which is pretty normal for us Kiwis). Today we saw a lot more regular people and I don't think a game is going to bother anyone. Especially not the majority who will never even be aware of it's existence (I'd never heard of it for a start...)

 

[terror_ninja]

...Lol after reading these comments... I really dont think that many people in NZ would buy this. Really its more likely the video stores will buy one copy each just so its there if we want to rent it later.

I think we would all be pissed the hell off if Bethesda decided to delay Skyrim ..for what ever reason.

 

[Autofaux]

Yes. Because its not like New Zealanders can't hop to the next shore, or import it from Australia.

 

[Kaymish]

delaying it is just going to piss people off i know some band cancelled their tour "out of respect for Christchurch" it got people real riled up
and i don't see how its going to offend enough people to make a problem Christchurch is only a small percentage of the population and im pretty sure only people who were there during the time or are helping with the clean up are going to have a problem and then those people are not likely to play it

though to be fair there will probably be some busybody somewhere who has a problem and will ***** and then organise a group to ***** and they will draw more people who like to moan and then Sony will be drowing in bitches and the pleas for help from Christchurch will be smothered by the bitching of people who are not really even offended by the game but feel they should be a proxy for people who are not offended but the people who are doing the bitching think they are supposed to

 

[CINN4M0N]

As a gamer and a member of the military on the ground assisting the police I'm getting up close and personal with the devastation spend a fair bit of time chatting to a lot of people at cordons.

I don't think this has anything to do with respect.

I think it has more to do with Sony getting some spin on its international marketing with a minimal loss in sales (NZ is 4 million people so small potatoes sales-wise). But then maybe I'm just cynical after dealing with ghouls, looters and sightseers early on in the crisis.

The vast majority of people remain friendly, cheerful, laid-back and appreciative (which is pretty normal for us Kiwis). Today we saw a lot more regular people and I don't think a game is going to bother anyone. Especially not the majority who will never even be aware of it's existence (I'd never heard of it for a start...)

Are you one of the guys who was in port in Lyttleton at the time?

 

[Don't taze me bro]

I have friends in Christchurch, that are thankfully unhurt from the earthquake. I am still of the opinion that canceling this due to the earthquake is silly.

It's like how I was eagerly anticipating Propeller Arena on the Dreamcast. A dog-fighting aerial combat game. Come September 11, and they decided to cancel it for 'similarities' between the real life events and the game's box art. (The game's box art showed 3 WW2 style fighters dogfighting over a city)