LittleBigPlanet Controversy Makes BBC News

by Patrick Steen on October 20, 2008 at 2:33 pm

Mix Islam and entertainment to find the media lapping it up. Religious controversy sells, and even the BBC picks up on the trend.

We recently reported that LittleBigPlanet had been delayed due to its soundtrack featuring Qur’an references. It’s been a hotly discussed topic, some showing disgust, others sympathy. In the following BBC news clip Media Molecule’s Alex Evans explains how the matter was brought to their attention.

LitleBigPlanet will be available from the 27th October in the US, the 30th October in Japan, and the 3rd November in Europe. You can read my personal thoughts on the controversy in the comments section of our original report, with an extract here:

…Neither art nor entertainment should be censored for faith reasons, that is unless something is said which incites hatred. Not all Muslims find the combination of music and the Qur’an offensive, indeed there’s a whole genre of music doing just that.

The fact that the artist is Muslim is enough to illustrate that one forum poster saying they are offended by the use of words in a song which in no way attacks another human being, is not enough to justify the censoring of art or entertainment. If it offends you, don’t play the game. Or note that it offends you, and simply ignore it.

Since the national media, both the BBC and CNN, has picked up on the story, Chad Lakkis’ view that Sony was making a purely business decision could gain more significance. Perhaps Sony’s decision to recall the game was a publicity stunt to get LittleBigPlanet in the national media. It’s certainly a better tactic than buying a brief mention from British television presenter Jonathan Ross with knitted dolls that hardly resemble the lovable Sackboy: