Sony Entertainment is in the limelight for all the wrong reasons again this week, this time upsetting Her Majesty the Queen and other token Royals at Buckingham Palace.
Last week, the entertainment giant fell foul of the Church of England after news that the extremely violent game Resistance: Fall Of Man used Manchester Cathedral as a backdrop for its gory action. Sony, it has been alleged, did not seek the Church's permission to use the Cathedral as a setting.
Now, a new game, Revolution: Royal Flush, showing intricate plans of the interior of Buckingham Palace, has triggered an angry reaction from Clarence House, with regard to "the increased lack of security the monarch has to put up with".
Officials are upset at the apparent ease with which the gamemakers have been able to recreate the layout of Buckingham Palace and its 'more private areas', and are thought to have threatened Sony executives with Diana Spencer-style retribution if the game is not withdrawn.
Mr House said:
"The cavalier use of the Palace setting in this way is traiterous, treacherous and intrusive, and in any case, the game is far too easy."
In the game, players choose to take the part of either Anarchists, the Queen or other members of the Royal household. The Anarchists mission is to infiltrate the Palace, and to seek out the Queen to try to flush her head down any of the 116 'lavatories' situated therein. Several of these are blocked, and it takes skill, concentration and a good memory to avoid becoming knee-deep in Royal Ablutions.
Randy Twatt, Sony's Marketing Director, said:
"It's just a game about a bunch of guys roaming around a big house trying to get the old lady's head down the can. What's wrong with that?"
The game is rated 18, and is due for release on Wednesday 13th June.
