Media Molecule comments on LittleBigPlanet delay, new dates revealed

by Jem Alexander { Oct 17th 2008 at 2:15PM }

Media Molecule has made a statement regarding the disappointing LittleBigPlanet delay. It's clear they're gutted about the situation (as are we), but overall the blog post remains upbeat. Apparently a patch and an updated master disc was ready less than 12 hours after the offensive material was discovered. This patch is ready to go the second the game is launched and will somehow fix the problem (we suspect it will just replace the music in question with something else -- perhaps some 50 Cent would be less offensive?).

Sony has seen fit to recall the game and delay it, regardless. This is an ass-covering move to make sure that even those without internet access have nothing to complain about. Media Molecule apologises and looks forward to a time when this whole messy situation is put behind us and people are happily playing the game.

Update 1: A new PlayStation Blog post tells us that the game will now ship the week of October 27th in America.

Update 2: UK site Electronic Theatre has obtained an updated mailout which shows the UK release date as October 31st. Funnily enough this is the game's original release date in the region, before it got pulled forward a week. Funny how things work out, isn't it?

Tags: delay, littlebigplanet, media-molecule

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Plankfan @ Oct 17th 2008 2:20PM

Wow, I'm canceling my preorder now!

UncleCheeto @ Oct 17th 2008 2:24PM

I am canceling my pre-order as well. This was the first game I have pre-ordered since the Nintendo 64 days.

You can't go through life scared that someone might be offended. Sony can suck my balls.

pasteymofo @ Oct 17th 2008 2:33PM

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h254/Jolee666/waaahmbulance.jpg

Wow. You two are spoiled.

Gaucho @ Oct 17th 2008 2:36PM

Both of you would cancel your pre-orders because the game is delayed for 1 week? damn. thats moral devotion right there.

UncleCheeto @ Oct 17th 2008 2:44PM

So, I'm spoiled because I don't get offended easily...and because I think it is ridiculous for Sony to respect one religion more than another?

Is it really Sony being respectful or Sony being afraid?

JohnHype @ Oct 17th 2008 2:46PM

I was going to pre-order this weekend. Now, not going to bother. I'm sick of people caving in to every zealot hiding behind a holy book and I'm not going to support that sort of cowardice with my money. Giving in to all of their demands will lead to the death of modern civilization.

Hopefully someone who does buy LBP makes an artistic protest level about the various human rights that are abused daily by, and for the sake of, these religions.

Gaucho @ Oct 17th 2008 2:54PM

Personally I don't think its sony being "respectful" or "afraid", I think its sony being careful. If you think this is a big debacle imagine what it would have turned into if someone offhandedly found the song or the lyric that may or may not be offensive. it would have been an even bigger deal. A one week delay is nothing. People can say that we shouldn't be so extremely politically correct and careful when it comes to all this religious stuff because it seems that some people get favored over others, but the truth of the matter is that the world is the way it is. if its more dangerous to say bad things about one religion then another you have to appease that one religion (looking at it from a business standpoint) for the sake of maintaining the peace (and not losing business).

pasteymofo @ Oct 17th 2008 3:04PM

Ah, I thought you were cancelling because of the delay, not because of the actions for the delay. Your comments about how you can't go through life being scared seemed to be a tangent. If you've been waiting for this game for as long as I have and decided to cancel because of an extra week, you should get your head checked. I can understand otherwise... well, sort of...

So, you don't mind it when Sony ignores a churches requests to have the came pulled from shelves because of some of the symbolism in a game and how they find it offensive... but you mind it when they try to be respectful of a religion before the game is out by removing offensive material and delaying it only 1 week? Yeah, let's just ignore these 1.4 billion people's beliefs in something that can be remedied with a small delay.

HAAS599 @ Oct 17th 2008 3:17PM

In America we have this thing called freedom of speech.

Their is no reason for the game to be delayed here in America.

If this muslim person lives in America, then maybe he should move to a country whose laws and policies are more liking to his own.

pasteymofo @ Oct 17th 2008 3:21PM

Yeah, there's also this thing called Freedom of Religion, whereby people can practice and maintain their own faiths without scrutiny from other people.

HAAS599 @ Oct 17th 2008 3:23PM

nobody is saying he can't be muslim, he is telling us what music we can and can't listen to though. Sorry if being a proud American offends you.

pasteymofo @ Oct 17th 2008 3:40PM

Your incompetance is astonishing.

You said he should move to his own country where the laws and policies are more to his liking, which basically means he shouldn't be here and be practicing what he believes in. So yeah, in a way, you just said that he can't be Muslim.

I too am a proud American. I actually respect my fellow Americans in that they can choose to believe in what they want to without judgment. I also believe that any fellow American should voice their opinion when objectionable material is brought up, which IS Freedom of Speech. Shouldn't you be in history & government class right about now?

Aaron @ Oct 17th 2008 4:11PM

pasteymofo:

Actually, freedom of religion means you can practice any religion you want, but it does not immunize you from scrutiny.

Ultramania @ Oct 17th 2008 4:20PM

I totally agree with HAAS599.... I dont see why a game should be edited and content taken out because of certain peoples ideas of what is morally right or wrong... Myself, not being islamic, should have the liberty to enjoy the game with that song included, but muslims offended because of (in my opinion, very stupid) customs have stopped me....

Now, any idiot who gets offended by references to their religion in a song must be really unsecure in thier beliefs, and should possibly consider converting to a real religion....

Think Adrian @ Oct 17th 2008 4:53PM

Cancelling your pre-order will only make your game arrive even later.

Whoppy @ Oct 17th 2008 5:26PM

I cancelled mine as well. They should've given the same response they gave the Church of England in regards to RfoM.

Not impressed at all.

SeneorGoat @ Oct 17th 2008 5:15PM

@Gaucho
I'm not but this is real kick in the nuts for me in Australia seeing we were getting it 10 days later originally, hope it doesn't become like rockband in Aus because i have just pre-ordered LBP

PSN: John-Paul-Jones @ Oct 17th 2008 5:21PM

@ HAAS599

America has freedom of speech? Since when?

343 Guilty Fart @ Oct 17th 2008 5:26PM

C'mon guys, you obviously aren't thinking this through. To say that a game shouldn't be edited because of "certain people's ideas of what is morally right and wrong" is just silly. If it were the other way around and it was offensive to Christians but not Muslims you'd probably see things differently.

America was founded by people escaping persecution for their religious beliefs. You're way of thinking is actually more in line with the British than the American Colonies, so please don't play the patriotism card, ya torries!

Khaled @ Oct 17th 2008 6:32PM

SPOILED BRATS

Hife @ Oct 17th 2008 7:18PM

@ pasteymofo

Freedom of religion works both ways buddy. Yes they can practice their religion, but it also means that we are in absolutely no way obligated to act in accordance with their beliefs. Thus, Sony should have no obligation to make games that conform to their religion.

jon @ Oct 18th 2008 8:49AM

.....are you kidding me we let a dope run the usa and becuase of that we have a game delayed a freaking month becuase it involves the quran....grow up america

Dave @ Oct 17th 2008 2:20PM

This is not good news... with all the great games coming out at the end of this month and the beginning of November, it looks more and more likely that this game will not sell well.

I might buy it out of pity.

zaxonzaxon @ Oct 17th 2008 2:22PM

Sony is retarded. Just produce future batches without the song, and allow anyone who's offended to exchange their copy when those batches are done.

John Giotta @ Oct 17th 2008 2:43PM

Does anyone read or see the issues regarding patches?
No online = no patch. Plus, this would affect their bottom line if a bunch of offended people started boycotting Sony.

So my question is, do you want PlayStation 3 to succeed or don't you? Because what I'm seeing is a majority of dumb-ass PS3 owners whom would rather see Sony with a epifail on their hands.

JohnHype @ Oct 17th 2008 2:51PM

Yeah, because a few religious nuts really are going to take down Sony by protesting the background music on a couple of songs in non-patched offline versions of a largely patched online game. Right. And it's not like recalling, reprinting, and reshipping all those discs won't cost Sony millions anyway.

Arnon @ Oct 18th 2008 12:32AM

I guess you haven't read too much on history.. Religion is a big issue to people, and since the world pretty much revolves around it.. SONY could get in a lot of trouble lol.

Dave @ Oct 17th 2008 2:23PM

And Muslims need to get a grip... simply quoting a book which they hold so dear is offensive?

adolson @ Oct 17th 2008 2:37PM

You speak the truth... Especially considering that the song in question is by a Muslim...... This situation is very bad.
I'm still buying the game, but seriously, a delay less than a week from launch, when the game is already sitting in boxes at retailers - it's dumb.

ryan @ Oct 17th 2008 2:56PM

if i put in a song for my game that contained lyrics which had NOTHING to do with the game and sent a semi-negative message, i'd delay and patch it too.

oh, well. a week isn't so bad.

francisco @ Oct 17th 2008 2:24PM

GOD DAMN IT!

LET THEM PUT EMINEM THEN GRRRRR

Tyler @ Oct 17th 2008 3:39PM

I find you comment offensive. I am Christian, and using Gods name like that makes me very angry. I request that a forum admin delete your post immediately!

JK

But seriously, that is a great example of exactly how retarded this whole Muslim thing is... only it was not quoted from the Bible... But there are plenty of things that do that anyway, and it doesn't bother me!!

Draco @ Oct 17th 2008 8:39PM

Tyler a more accurate statement would be.

as a Christian I find your taking the lords name in vein upsets me and my beliefs, administrator please delete this entire story and make it better so no one will use the lords name in that way.

Gaucho @ Oct 17th 2008 2:24PM

I was on the fence about getting it (the beta kinda turned me off from it) but i know i'm in the minority when i say that i'm kinda relieved that it will get delayed. these next two weeks will already be insanely full 'must have' games. its a small breather i suppose. I do feel bad for people who've been anxiously waiting for LBP.

LJ @ Oct 17th 2008 2:58PM

Well man.. I'm not getting LBP neither.. But the week after that is Naruto which i really wants but it no online multiplayer I'm not getting it and more importantly we got RESISTANCE 2!!!! So.. i don't know about you but i got bills to pay! I'm broke! Hate you sony!

P.S. CyberConnect2!!!! Online Multiplayer PLEASE!!!

Gaucho @ Oct 17th 2008 3:36PM

I hear ya buddy. Bills and mortgage to pay. I already had to cut my game list to be able to pay everything in the next few weeks. . . in related news I'm losing a lot of weight.

GerrywithaG @ Oct 17th 2008 2:31PM

i just called my gamestop and they said they were still having a midnight release, but im gonna assume their just retarded and dont know about this yet

Hashbrown Hunter @ Oct 17th 2008 2:45PM

I'm guessing they will have the first shipment and sell it but the second shipment may take a while to come out. So if you're there early don't worry about not getting the game.

scribble @ Oct 17th 2008 2:27PM

They should turn the beta back on.

FindingNeo @ Oct 17th 2008 2:28PM

Oh well, gives me an excuse to buy BioShock.

JDEdward @ Oct 17th 2008 2:28PM

I'm cancelling my pre-order from Play.com right now. I'm fed up with waiting and with all the other games I got ordered right now it doesn't look like my PS3 will be getting much love at all this holiday season - my computer has stolen the limelight.

I gotta say though I'm really not very impressed. I don't agree with offending people or causing trouble - but I have listened to the track and it seems to me like Sony are causing the trouble here. Bad play Sony, bad play...

Popfrogs @ Oct 17th 2008 4:39PM

If I was running those forums, I would have deleted all that troll's posts and banned him for life. Sony would have been smarter to bury this until after launch.

James @ Oct 17th 2008 2:29PM

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2008/10/17/littlebigplanet-release-update/#comments

The delay is only a week.

StalkingSilence @ Oct 17th 2008 2:30PM

Yeah, instead of 50 Cent though, they could use LL Cool J's Gangster Paradise. That song quotes "As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" which is straight out of the Bible. But alas, it is not against Christian law to use words of the Bible to music.

I'd like to see a 1st hand source that explains that MOST muslims (and not just those that interpret the Qu'ran this way) would be offended by this song.

Hashbrown Hunter @ Oct 17th 2008 2:37PM

I am Muslim, but I was born and raised in the US. I know many artists use religious scripture in their work and I've come to accept it. But now I live in a Muslim country (Bahrain if you must know) and if I told people here about this there would definitely be an uproar. I'm not exactly sure why, but in my opinion this should have been taken care of quietly with a patch.

Gambit07 @ Oct 17th 2008 2:55PM

Uhh, that song is from Coolio.

strike @ Oct 17th 2008 2:30PM

Bring on the religion comments.............

leatherface @ Oct 17th 2008 2:38PM

yeah. i say put Deicides " when satan rules this earth" track. people will love it, it says nothing bad bad about the devil.

nakedatthecomp @ Oct 17th 2008 3:11PM

or vital remains - dechristianize

hahaha

\m/

Hashbrown Hunter @ Oct 17th 2008 2:30PM

"...we suspect it will just replace the music in question with something else -- perhaps some 50 Cent would be less offensive?"

The use of the words of the Qu'ran are not offensive, they're just misused in the song. THAT's why Sony is taking a safe route with this little controversy rather than standing idly by and letting it become a much bigger controversy that the mainstream gets a hold of.

I know you and all other PS3 fans are disappointed by the delay but that's no reason to lash out against Sony. They are doing the smart thing and making sure that they don't offend anybody. Don't be spiteful for no reason.

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