PlayStation defends domestic abuse in trailers: "A game made by adults, to be played by adults"

Jim Ryan, President of Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, President of Global Sales and Marketing for Sony Interactive Entertainment, and onstage host of the PlayStation Media Showcase at Paris Games Week, has responded to accusations the event featured unnecessarily graphic and disturbing depictions of violence.

[ziggurcat]

what was controversial about it, exactly?

[Majin-vegeta]

The so called "Violence".God damn is there anything these crybabies nowadays won't wine about?

[UltraNova]

Bitching and crying wolf for everything, apparently, is the new trend these days.

[TheKingKratos]

I understand them though
I mean in part 1
you hold roses and give them to clickers to hug you and become friends and then you take Ellie and walk away into the sunset while smiling and looking at rainbows
This part 2 is vastly different from part 1
So i get it and understand it completely

[NewMonday]

@Gamer4lifz

LOL

love the response from Jim Ryan

[Eonjay]

@NewMonday

'Games by adults for adults' - Jim Ryan
'
Its weird because you see that for a while, the target for many developers was the young agro male. I want to see someone explore different target audiences over generations. All the way back to Sega/Nintendo days.

[Kratos_Kart2007]

Zombie apocalypses should be hearts and rainbows and holding hands...

[StormSnooper]

Let's all stop watching movies and shows with violence then? Did someone force this guy to watch the trailer?

[fiveby9]

I thought the trailer was fantastic. Gritty. If someone thinks the game is too violent, then don't play it. I know I'll be playing it.

[PurpHerbison]

Recreational outrage.

[KickSpinFilter]

I don't think it was the violence per-say look at Doom much more violent. It's the realness of the situation that made people uncomfortable. Kinda like Aliens 2 or Star Wars vs (Alien 1st one only). I been waiting for that
"Alien 1" feel in my games for awhile. Thx ND

[Markusb33]

Your not cool unless your offended by everything or calling someone a nazi racist

[Count_Bakula]

The worst part about this rising culture is that they attempt to change content that everyone else consumes. They don't just say "Wow, this is too heavy for me. Not watching this trailer. Made me uncomfortable" or something. No, they say this should not exist, be out in the world because of ME. God these people are weak, thin-skinned, demanding, entitled assholes.

[Skull521]

A big part of why Trump won the election

[IGiveHugs2NakedWomen]

@Majin-vegeta
Exactly. There are movies being shown on cable and network TV that are even more violent than that trailer. Some people need to get a life.

[REDGUM]

Just wait till they start complaining about Concrete Genie and how it insights graffiti around the world.

SERIOUSLY......
IT'S A GAME DAMN IT!!

[badz149]

When Sony is dominating and there's nothing to stop them, journalist is finding a way to bash Sony. Suddenly now violence in video games is an issue again. WTF? So desperate. If you love rainbow so much, Mario Odyssey just launched. Go play that!

[joab777]

You can’t even depict violence anymore. You can’t even reference history prior to 2000 without being a racist or bigot.

I play their game sometimes and listen to them talk and try and pick out anything that could be conveyed in the same manner or perspective in which they do. And it’s easy to take just about any statement someone makes and twist it to fit your agenda.

And they complain about publishers having a responsibility, blah, blah, but when is the last time you heard an uproar over the fact that anyone can access porn in 3 seconds on any device? Ya don’t. Maybe they can make their next platform highlight the intrusion into how I raise my own kids.

[GamingIVfun]

It's part of the story, same as in a movie or TV series (where domestic violence is shown often), it being in a game doesn't show approval of the action any more than it being in a movie or TV show show's approval of the action.

[indyman7777]

Guy SLAMS her to the flood puts a rope around neck and hoists. You see nothing wrong with even that part? Female getting beat with a mallet does not bother you huh?

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Dang I am a Sony fan but if that video does not make you have a heart all I can say about you 95% voters is your all satanic and have lost your conscience. The biggest proof is your mocking everyone as cry babies for not liking wickedness? Maybe video games does make some people have no feelings. SOME

I guess this is one of the signs of the LAST generations before Armageddon . People will not CARE. No conscience........check and check.

[UltraNova]

indyman77,

If i decide i dont like you, would that be reason enough to question your existence or ask for your termination?

Two more things: 1) Its a fictional scene-key word } fictional.
2) You dont have to buy/play it and I'm sure no one will force you to if you dont want to.

[ravinash]

indyman77 - You've missed the point of the scene.
The violent actions are being committed against you, your not the one in power in this scene.
It's meant to bother you...that's the whole point.

This isn't GTA.

[bluefox755]

It was "graphic", which is why they had a warning before the trailer. People complaining about this being violent, even after seeing the warning, are idiots.

[naruga]

i damn agree with that Sony statement ...all games are not for all people

[Aceman18]

I winced at the clipped bird wing part, but that just made me want to play the game even more because I want to know more about these characters.

Same goes for Detroit I want to play it more now after that part of the story.

[Vizigoth04]

Was on the phone with my brother last night the "Clip Her Wings" part he thinks is a connection to Firefly and their group.

People should judge a book by it's cover nor a video game by a 5 minute clip. I swear the people who cry out in violence has never sat down and read a book in there life. Where there is story and plot behind the violence. And then you have your heroes as well like, Joel, Ellie, Nathan Drake, Aloy an Krotos who have to come in and save the freaking day. Hell Master Chief won't even show his face. Oh damn I went too far.

[Aceman18]

@viz

I was thinking the same thing.

[KickSpinFilter]

Detroit was much tougher to watch, but again OK. I'm gonna murder that "dad" when I play it first chance I get.

[babadivad]

Anyone know when these games are supposed to launch??

[andrewsquall]

The way everyone exposed themselves for being "TLOU fans" when they couldn't even clearly tell a character looks and sounds nothing like Ellie. It was especially controversial when well known gaming journalists and and websites made the mistake too.

Lol.

[ColonelHugh]

I know what you're saying, but I'm a pretty big TLoU fan and I thought that was Ellie at first because of how low quality bit-rate the stream I was watching was. I recognized Laura Bailey's voice but my brain tricked me into thinking it was Ellie because I was certain the trailer would be showing Ellie.

Even with beer goggle vision it seemed weird that Ellie would be so jacked, so I guess I should have known.

[Goldby]

^not to mention blonde

[babadivad]

Elle was a child in the first game. I thought this was her as an adult. And I've beaten TLOU at least 3 times. Does that mean I'm not a "True Fan"

[Ceaser9857361]

seriously!! These type of games are for adults and not kids and weak hearted people... Last of us has violence written all over... People needs to stop whining ... Dont like it dont play it .... I loved it and getting it on day one ish..

[Ittoittosai]

It wasnt the violence, we have had pretty violent games in the past. Its that it depicted violence against women.....boooo whoooo. You want more women depicted in game, ya got it now stop crying they are being treated equally and real world problems are beening to be addressed in gaming just like books, comics, movies and teleavision. Whay are people surprised by this ? If people were shocked they've been live under rocks.

[CyberSentinel]

Realistic violence is an invasion of their “safe space”.

[DarXyde]

Put simply? It made someone cringe.

Of course it did. That was the point. How exactly is this domestic violence? There's no evidence of cohabitation. It's more about brutality, which is not uncommon in game trailers.

Meanwhile, the Metal Gear Rising trailer had Raiden showcase zan-datsu, resulting in bifurcation and ripping out a spine. Nothing wild about that.

Naughty Dog cares about narrative and making you feel a certain way. This is a sequel to a very brutal game. A trailer tailored to fans of the first totally isn't going overboard.

Stop being so sensitive, folks.

[Clunkyd]

People crying about frivolous BS again?
...Why am I not surprised.

[rainslacker]

Beats me. If talking about detroit Anyone who felt that Sony was showing that as an endorsement that it was ok needs to be slapped and sent back to grade school. The whole.point was to make it uncomfortable and show that the player had the chance to intervene. Given many of the responses of people saying what they would do, it's pretty obvious that most people who viewed it weren't on board with the father being an ass

If talking about tlou, that wasn't domestic violence, just regular violence

[kneon]

It will be interesting to see what percentage of people end up killing that asshole, I'm guessing it will be 80%+

[343_Guilty_Spark]

The teddy bears.

[Tru_Ray]

The controversy is about whether the violence is excessive or whether it is necessary to the story. Further, why would the developers choose this clip in particular to promote the game? Is their target demographic young males that are titillated by this kind of violent content?

Don't get me wrong, I don't think that the content should be censored, but admittedly I was a bit taken aback by the level of violence in the trailer. We don't want to get to the point where ultraviolence has become so civilized that we don't even question the potential ramifications of promoting this kind of content. It is at least worthy of an intelligent discussion.

Tru_

[ziggurcat]

the violence, in the case of TLoU at least, was appropriate in the context of the story and its environment, though...

[Goldby]

I wouldn't even call that ultra violence. Realistic, absolutely. Was it necessary, personally I think so on two fronts.

The first being that they decided to show off what the trailer was for after the trailer was done (title post trailer) making us believe it may be a different game at first.

And because there is something about "clip her wings" that will be unraveled in the game. That scene is an important scene most likely.

[rainslacker]

From what I've seen, most people found it cringeworthy in a way that made them uncomfortable. Given that, I'd say that people aren't desensitized to it, nor are people complacent with viewing such violence.

Showing graphic violence doesn't civilize it. It's used as a way to evoke an emotion for the purpose of story. Empathy allows people to connect through the characters this way, and it's why it's an effective narrative tool. So long as people have some emotion evoked in this manner, it won't be civilized.

[iceman06]

Considering the context of he violence, it makes complete sense. The clip was chosen to create discomfort with the violence and not promote it. Which is exactly what it seemed to achieve. This is an adult game with adult themes and, hence, a mire intense level of violence IN CONTEXT with the narrative. The way people are complaining, it seems like some clip from a back alley snuff film.
In the end, Sony decided to appeal to people in a more visceral way using violence as a means. That visceral response was meant to be reflected upon. But, instead of reflection (why did I react this way?), some people decided to just lash out. (like an adolescent who can't contextualize emotions)

[Seraphim]

I miss the 80s and 90s where everyone didn't give 2 shats and said it how it is. This BS is getting old. Everyone is offended and outraged by a million things these days. It's truly quite sad.

[joab777]

It’s about, I need hits and I’m bored so I’m gonna try and destroy someone with nonsense!

Quick poll: how many people think Sony promotes domestic violence? Oh, none of you. Ok then.

My kids’ kids are gonna grow up in a world in which they are only allowed to see, think and say certain things, and any example or human action will be punished severely. That’ll be a much better world!

[frostypants]

Yeah I don't get it. It's not portrayed in a positive light. Meanwhile lots of games feature people blowing each other to pieces without much context and nobody makes a peep. But portray realistic violence, in a way that makes it clear said violence is a bad thing, and NOW they complain? LOL wtf... So little Timmy can murder people all day in CoD or GTA...but show him a violent scene that might actually make him feel sorry for the victim? OUTRAGE!

[babadivad]

I applaud Sony for this response. I wished MS had the balls to say/do stuff like this like they used to. I still can't get over the fact that Microsoft passed on Heavy Rain[which was supposed to be an exclusive to them] because it had child kidnapping in it.

That's the sign of a company that's forgotten who and what their core audience is.

[GamingCentaur]

Just SJWs being sensitive pansies as usual.

[Uken12]

You people know that the dude Kills his daughter in the trailer right? And the theme from what I can tell is that you are an Android sent by a company the has service android. This man has a female Android for what the fuck ever. And then it shows his true colors that he is a White Trash abusive male who hates his child for the mother leaving him. Kills her and you can stop it by hitting X, O, or Square every so often. Nothing about this seams appealing. Hate it for being stupid. It doesn't support Domestic Violence in any way and I don't think they should be scolded for that. But it's just a dumb thing to make a gamer go through, seriously why would you want to play through an experience like this?

Personally I think it just looks bad as a game. Stupid concept. All of David Cages games are trash. A mix of a bad game and a bad movie.

[babadivad]

This comment is so stupid I can't tell if you are being sarcastic or not.

[Uken12]

How's it stupid? LOL, I am just giving a third person perspective.

I am saying the subject matter is stupid. Which is just my opinion btw. Yay I want to be an android who has the choice to stop a violent "White Male" from killing his wife and child. So I get to play quicktime events through a boatload of cg story. It doesn't sound compelling at all.

Let me ask you this, do you like watching realistic rape scenes in movies or TV. Like graphic ones that are extremely realistic and long? I know I don't. I already know it's a horrible act, i don't need a first person perspective on the whole thing.

I don't think the problem is that it supports domestic violence, I think it's a stupid subject matter to base a video game off of.

[AKS]

@ziggurcat You'll probably hear plenty of nonsense as to why, but the truth is the brutality wasn't towards a man. We've seen thousands of adult males slaughtered in games without a peep. Men are viewed as being relatively disposable. Women and childhood are viewed as deserving protection from harm or even discomfort. The huge double standard is the reason it's perceived as "controversial."

[jambola]

It wasn't just violence
It was violence against a woman
and that's much much worse

[babadivad]

Hilarious

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Seriously stop crying

[shuvam09]

Seriously dude...
Last I saw someone make Mario jump off the top of the building in SMO, no one complained...
Imagine the impact that would have on kids :O

[Relientk77]

It was dark, it was brutal, and it was violent.

Cry baby media, get over it. The Last of Us Part 2 looks amazing

[Cupid_Viper_3]

Here is my favorite part about this whole alleged e controversy. Minutes before the trailer for TLoU2, I watched countless men murdered in Call of Duty... I watched a sniper extinguished at least 2 people, then chased another man down and killed him up-close with a handgun. I watched in vivid details as a machine gun tore through people on the ground forcing them to run for their lives, only to turn the corner and find that a man waiting with a flame thrower was lying there in wait.... Burned them alive and we heard them scream... Another man got stabbed with a bayonet.... I mean, I could go on and on but what would be the point? Obvious agenda is obvious, lol.

I tried reading an interview with Eurogamer.net did with David Cage and I couldn't finish it... Like, I just felt so bad for the guy as he was being attacked for no real reason. I can't stand bullies, because I know with 100 percent certainty that they're cowards, and I must say that I'm glad that it wasn't me being interrogated/instigated in such a manner because I probably would have 'clipped the wings' on that mofo...

[madforaday]

It is also free advertising, in reality, Sony doesn't care an ounce about what the media or certain people think. of course, they have PR for this kind of stuff so you don't have titles coming in saying, We asked Sony about domestic violence and they didn't give us an answer. Sony knows this means nothing, and if anything gives them more publicity to a game that is going to be huge. In a way, it is a win win for Sony. In reality, it is like come on now, video games get stuck in this class that can't express themselves just because we have a controller in our hands playing it. The game is going to be so much more than just brutal, violent and dark.

[opinionated]

Devs have been doing a lot of “defending” lately. It’s pathetic and sad in all cases.

[uth11]

At least they are defending now, for the past few years it seemed like they were more likely to roll over to the demands

[InTheZoneAC]

I know they're not devs, but your argument doesn't apply to Kellogg's and corn pops

[opinionated]

No, it’s pathetic that they have to defend themselves from a bunch of snot nosed pricks. Not pathetic that they are defending themselves. I worded that wrong lol.

[BuildTheWall]

You mean like a bunch of little coward Liberals after one person says their feelings got hurt? People need to stop being such pussies & actually stand for what they believe in / how they feel instead of apologizing every time they hear they may have hurt someone's feelings. These bitches screaming about a game need to get a life & address actual cases of domestic abuse.

[The7Reaper]

The new trailer was controversial? lol I hate this world, people get offended when the wind blows now adays it's pathetic.

[Relientk77]

^ This

I hate it

[isarai]

You're not even wrong...

https://www.youtube.com/wat...