SCEA has registered the phrase "Shock and Awe" as a trademark in the USA and plans to launch an online game for the PS2 using the title.
The registration of the phrase, which is reported in British online news service MediaGuardian, took place on March 21st, one day after the war started. The phrase was used by the American government to describe the saturation bombing of Baghdad on the second night of the war.
A spokesman for Sony PlayStation in the UK, however, said that the Shock and Awe game might never appear in Britain and Europe – where the phrase is often seen as evidence of US arrogance and disregard for civilian life by anti-war commentators.
“Sometimes registering trademarks does not necessarily mean the product will be launched,” the spokesman told MediaGuardian. “But if it was deemed unsuitable then we might not ship it here… If indeed it is related to the Iraqi war rather than just using that phrase then, yes, it might well be something we would be very sensitive to.”
Sony is, of course, only one of the many companies attempting to wring cash out of the conflict in the gulf, and a variety of goods carrying slogans such as “Operation Iraqi Freedom” and “Battle of Baghdad” are expected to flood into the American market shortly. There’s even an “Axis of Evil” board game on the way.
As MediaGuardian points out, over 5000 soldiers and civilians have died in Iraq in the past three weeks; and whereas we’re used to American opportunists selling “patriotic” goods by now (remember the slew of tacky memorabilia that appeared after September 11th?), there must be a serious question mark over the decision of a respected multinational such as Sony to elbow into this particular arena before many of the bodies of those killed have even been buried.
Poor taste Sony….
Source: Gameindustry.biz
