Japanese Metal Gear launch events canceled after fatal stabbing rampage
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Jun 11th 2008 at 5:21PM }
Kato began his rampage by crashing a rental truck into a group of pedestrians, killing three. He then jumped out of the truck and started slashing through the crowd, killing four and injuring ten.
Konami has canceled three launch events for Metal Gear Solid 4 in Tokyo, including a scheduled event in Akihabara. Konami stated the cancellation is for the "safety of participants." Other launch events in the US will be unaffected.
[Thanks, Budman!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
anthonyjh @ Jun 11th 2008 5:28PM
Jesus...
ADPolicenaut @ Jun 11th 2008 5:33PM
This is why we can't have nice things.
Zombie Huggles @ Jun 11th 2008 5:46PM
No disrespect to the dead but this is the first context I have ever found this line funny.
Zombie Huggles @ Jun 11th 2008 5:47PM
No disrespect to the dead but this is the first context I have ever found this line funny.
-Jad- @ Jun 11th 2008 5:33PM
Japanese culture is pretty equal like around the world... Christ o.O
houston3000 @ Jun 11th 2008 5:34PM
That's insane, wonder what the hell made him do it at the MGS launch event though
Paul (PSN: heypaul) @ Jun 11th 2008 5:44PM
I was gonna say... sounds more like a GTA launch event.
Christian @ Jun 11th 2008 6:06PM
He didn't do it at the MGS launch event, but the fact that the killings happened recently and happened in the gaming district, made Konami cancel the event.
min @ Jun 11th 2008 9:45PM
Lol@Paul. Couldn't have said it better myself. I feel bad for the people who couldn't play MSG4 before they died. You never know when shit like this will happen. Meh what ever.
will @ Jun 11th 2008 10:41PM
he should have hid in a cardboard box first
BL4CK @ Jun 11th 2008 5:34PM
Holy...A moment of silent for the deceased...
DrCooltC @ Jun 11th 2008 5:36PM
It was totally CQC....tool should know the difference between RL and VR...
Paul @ Jun 11th 2008 5:37PM
While I agree that this is a horrible thing and that the events should be canceled out of respect for the deceased and their families I don't understand why anyone is worried about safety. The dude was arrested, are they actually afraid someone will try and copy him? Japan has a very low murder rate, I'd say everyone is pretty safe now that dude is behind bars.
doom saber @ Jun 12th 2008 6:49PM
I think the event was cancelled to pay respects to the dead and at the same time, be sensitive to what happened. I mean, if Konami didn't cancelled, I am sure some folks will get pissed and call Konami insensitive for having an event about a violent videogame that involves a guy goin around knifing ppl.
It is like those hollywood films about terrorist or airplanes being delayed because of 9/11; Guns of the patriots and the murders that happened a few days before have no connections to each other, but somemay find it in bad taste not to cancel the launch event since the game is about sneakin around and shooting/knifing ppl from behind.
Playboy X - PSN: ummfada @ Jun 11th 2008 5:36PM
He should've waited for the Saint's Row launch
borst @ Jun 11th 2008 5:39PM
this didn't occur at the actual launch. it just happened in a district where alot of the video game stores are.
Da @ Jun 11th 2008 6:23PM
Really? Kind of like what the article says right?
uh-oh polio @ Jun 11th 2008 6:18PM
who does that? really?
Alistair judson @ Jun 11th 2008 5:45PM
it will come out that this guy played a videiogame once and they'll blame it on that, happened with Virgina tech, it will happen here.
this guy should be locked in a cell for the rest of his life but without the room to move his lower body.
Katotetu @ Jun 12th 2008 11:44AM
nah, I doubt they'll blame it on him, Jack Thompson won't be around to do it.
Not only is he here in America, he's finally getting his just desserts!
Jonathan @ Jun 11th 2008 5:46PM
man thats...just horrible, and i bet no Japanese people are going to blame gta4 for that!
Mike @ Jun 11th 2008 5:49PM
However SCEJ are holding a large party and giving out fake plastic knives...
I would not put it past them, considering some of their previous shameful marketing and PR...
RatBoy @ Jun 11th 2008 5:53PM
It sounds like we're the ones jumping to conclusions. No one said it was video game related, just that Konami has decided to be cautious in the wake of the event.
boltu222 @ Jun 11th 2008 6:01PM
Reminds me of the recent "Dream" Concert in Korea where fans of certain artist apparently ended beating up fans of other artists among other things even going as far as rape...
This is what they should've done in Korea canceled the concert not show it on TV and have stuff cut out such as a girl group getting pretty much booed off stage and everyone being silent as they preformed instead they put in crowd noises on TV.
chunk @ Jun 11th 2008 6:02PM
Sounds like an upset xbox fanboy who's pissed off he aint gettin any mgs4 action.
anthonyjh @ Jun 11th 2008 9:35PM
Really bro, shut up.
NineT9 @ Jun 11th 2008 6:01PM
wow that is sad for the friends/family :(
Though I agree, why MGS4? GTA4 would be completly understandable (You know what I mean)
anthonyjh @ Jun 11th 2008 7:41PM
Mr.Thompson?
HarryPS3 @ Jun 11th 2008 6:20PM
Sad news. :(
ADPolicenaut @ Jun 11th 2008 6:30PM
By the way, there's another 'l' in 'cancelled'.
Wayne @ Jun 11th 2008 7:23PM
That's debatable...
doc j @ Jun 11th 2008 8:05PM
"Well that's debatable. There are basically two schools of thought"
Victor @ Jun 11th 2008 6:32PM
It's the Patriots. This is their doing.
Seriously, I'm sorry for the victims
ADPolicenaut @ Jun 11th 2008 6:51PM
The La-li-lu-le-lo? How's that possible!
Niko_Bellic @ Jun 11th 2008 6:33PM
This is sick.
crazypenguin @ Jun 11th 2008 6:43PM
ok, fanboys, seriously, this is not something to poke fun of. as you can see the blog post is written in complete seriousness for a reason, don't post stupid things like "should've been gta IV" i mean seriously, have some freaking dignity. i would completly forget about the game if i were in japan right now.
theblackandwhiteknight @ Jun 11th 2008 6:49PM
damn, he must have had his knife mastery up to level 3
Popfrogs @ Jun 12th 2008 11:49AM
I'm going to hell for laughing at that, but anyone who played the MGO beta will get it.
frankym @ Jun 11th 2008 7:00PM
Would not have been surprised if this occurred stateside. In Japan, however makes this highly unusual.
ZEBRA NINER @ Jun 11th 2008 7:20PM
Well, Japan has strict gun control... So when somebody decides to go on a rampage, they are forced to use more brutal instruments.
Yay for the the 2nd Amendment!
Vote McCain!
Eddie @ Jun 11th 2008 9:47PM
Not funny.
Glad I didn't loose any relatives/friends to this sick coward. But can't even imagine how those that did feel.
Fucking coward. Face life with some cojones.
golden sapphire @ Jun 11th 2008 9:47PM
damn motherfucker couldnt do that after the launch???
^^ sinical joke lolz pls dont get mad at me
Andy @ Jun 11th 2008 7:25PM
I hope you idiots know that none of your jokes are even remotely funny in wake of an event like this.
have some respect you 12 year old losers.
rip
AnyColourYouLike @ Jun 11th 2008 7:31PM
i thought the knife mastery level 3 was funny.
but thats all.
alice @ Jun 11th 2008 9:47PM
This always happens in Japan - events canceled or delayed due to tenuously (at best) related issues in the news. It's absurd to cancel an event for safety from a man who's already been arrested, is it not?
This reminds me: There was an incident recently where the day before a rather violent episode of an animated television show was to air that some girl went and killed her father with an ax or hatchet or something. Anyway, the airing of the episode was canceled (despite it being set to air around midnight anyway) and replaced with a half-hour long montage of nature scenes set to music for "sensitivity to the families of the victims." Yes, as though the family of the victim was going to stay up until midnight to watch the last episode of a violent anime. :/
Fiefdom @ Jun 11th 2008 10:02PM
Nice boat.
Twinturbo120 @ Jun 11th 2008 7:29PM
goes to show crazy ppl come out when great games are about to come out
stacy daniels @ Jun 11th 2008 7:53PM
its nothing about the game its about the Akihabara district. area where killings happend, Akihabara district is where most people(gamers) go to get there games and eletronics.
Game_playa @ Jun 11th 2008 7:57PM
First off let me get this out of my system, . Holy F. cow, this game is awesome!!!! I bought this game with extremely high expectations, and this game exceeded my highest hopes. This game has without a doubt the most detailed graphics I have ever scene on a console. The game play is true to the Metal Gear Solid legacy, but with a few much welcomed additions. The Solid Eye being one of those additions.
It is your full range multi personal vision tool, what make it unique to all other video games period is that its performance is dependent on Snakes metal state. I #4 Old Snake has a metal conditioning meter. If he is calm and relaxed his accuracy and spacial awareness are sharpened, objects in the Solid Eye become more focused and easier to spot. If he's fatigued or stressed objects at distance are nearly invisible, enemies taking cover are lost/ no longer show on map. Its a completly unique system that greatly changes the battlefield for the better.
Speaking of Battlefields, the level designs are better than any other game I've seen, incredible detail and shear vastness of levels are mind boggling. I don't' want to reveal any major secrets but lets just say you get to return to were MGS all started, every detail is identical to the PS1 title but with truly Next-Gen graphics.
Lets just say that all games every created will have a much higher standard to achieve, if they wish to be mentioned in the same breath as MGS 4. The video game world has been slit into two time lines from now on. As of June 12, 2008 the game world will be referred to as BMGS4 & AMGS4, (Before Metal Gear Solid 4 and After Metal Gear Solid). BC & AD have become absolute.
Graphics 10
Sound 10
Gameplay 10
Got2havit 10
Replay 10
Multiplayer 9
Easily the best Game ever made for the PS3.
Papichulo18_2000 @ Jun 11th 2008 9:47PM
Thanks for the review dude but seriously fucking wrong place to put it!! DO YOU NOT SEE WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED??? IDIOT SHOW SOME FREAKING COMMON SENSE BRO!!
HEY PS3FANBOYS!
Lets show some fucking class and pay some respects here ok! So what if its in Japan its still human freaking beings that are no different then you or I, hell they play games just like us love MGS just like us!
SO CUT THE SMART ASS COMMENTS OUT AND GROW UP!!
Secondly I think its a good call by Konami to cancel the events that shows respects, I also wouldn't put it past Hideo to actually speak out about this event due to his very political standpoints *they are evident in the games he makes* I honestly hope no jack ass here in the states tries to be a copy cat! And if he shows up to my midnight release acting a fool I'm gonna fuck them up period!!
*moment of silence for the fallen*