According to the Church of England, Sony did not seek permission for its use of Manchester Cathedral as a backdrop for its PlayStation 3 game Resistance: Fall of Man.
The game, which has sold over one million copies, involves a virtual gun battle where hundreds are killed inside the cathedral. The Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch, the bishop of Manchester, has accused Sony of being highly irresponsible, especially in light of the city’s gun problem. The cathedral itself has held memorial services for gum crime victims.
Sony spokesman David Wilson told The Times, It is game-created footage, it is not video or photography. It is entertainment, like Doctor Who or any other science fiction. It is not based on reality at all. Throughout the whole process we have sought permission where necessary.
Church leaders are demanding an apology, withdrawal of the game or removal of the cathedral interior, and that a substantial donation from the game’s profit go to the cathedral’s education department.
