LittleBigPlanet Recall Was 'Absolutely the Right Thing,' Says Former Sony President

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With many lamenting the one-week delay of LittleBigPlanet, caused by the inclusion of a song containing verses from the Islamic holy book Qur'an, former Sony Worldwide Studios president Phil Harrison believes the recall was the right move.

"It was absolutely the right thing to do, because LittleBigPlanet set out from day one to be a game for the entire world," Harrison, now the president of Atari, told GamesIndustry. "If there was anything that accidentally detracted from that vision and made the game not fun for the entire world, then the game would have fundamentally failed in its mission."

The inclusion of Toumani Diabate's 2006 song "Tapha Niang" caused Media Molecule's PlayStation 3 platformer to be recalled from retailers mere days before its release on October 21. The title is now expected to hit North America the week of October 27.

While some found the the song's use of two Qur'an verses offensive, the American Islamic Forum for Democracy has condemned the delay and removal of the lyrics as religious censorship, with artist Toumani Diabate, himself a Muslim, claiming that the tune was a "way to attract and inspire people toward Islam."

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    October 22, 2008 9:07 AM

    Yeah because as we well know, extremist Muslims are HUGE consumers of videogames.

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      October 22, 2008 9:10 AM

      Lemme rephrase, "The population that fears extremist Muslims are HUGE consumers of videogames"

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      October 22, 2008 9:12 AM

      They do actually have electronics in those countries.

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      October 22, 2008 9:18 AM

      ...and Muslims are HUGE consumers of Danish Newspapers.

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      October 22, 2008 9:37 AM

      I don't think those that were bothered are necessarily extremists. A good friend of mine is Muslim and far from extremist. He's extremely laid back. But he has told me that Muslims do not put the Koran on the ground, as it is sacred text. I wouldn't think twice about putting a Bible on the floor. They also do not tend to sing their scriptures. Again, coming from a protestant background, singing is half the service.

      I think it's foolish to confuse extremism with cultural differences. It's only fair to respect the wishes of ALL consumers you hope to reach.

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        October 22, 2008 10:09 AM

        "I think it's foolish to confuse extremism with cultural differences. It's only fair to respect the wishes of ALL consumers you hope to reach."

        This

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        October 22, 2008 10:11 AM

        There's a clear division within Islamic groups though, as indicated by the news post. That part is the most confusing of all.

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          October 22, 2008 10:17 AM

          which is not uncommon within religions. i don't even know how many sects there are for Christianity, each having their own little nuances.

          However, it is a majority view that singing Qu'ranic verse is a no-no

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      October 22, 2008 9:38 AM

      Wait... is the view that setting Koran passages to music is unacceptable only shared by those that consider blowing up civilian buildings acceptable? Or were normal everyday Muslim people upset?

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        October 22, 2008 10:09 AM

        depends on how you were raised. if your parents were strict, you'll find it offensive.

        if not, it is still looked down upon. you're really not supposed to sing verses of the Qu'ran, and the music artist should have known about that as well. it is kind of like refusing communion (although i am not sure how bad that is, comparatively)

        i am a muslim and i am not offended by the singing, but i don't condone it.

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          October 22, 2008 2:15 PM

          why is it deemed disrespectful in Muslim culture for music and Koran verses to be brought together?

          in most religions it seems that music is part of the celebration of faith, just curious as to why it isn't in Islam.

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        October 22, 2008 10:25 AM

        *ONE* person was upset. Not any groups (in fact one came out and said that it was the wrong decision)

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