大象传媒

The Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch

The Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch has described the decision to feature the city's cathedral as "highly irresponsible, especially in the light of Manchester's history of gun crime."

David Wilson, a Sony spokesman, told The Times newspaper: "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."

As a result of the Cathedral鈥檚 inclusion in the game, The Church of England is considering legal action against Sony.

Sony said the game was not based on reality

While the games firm have issued a statement saying that "we believe we have sought and received all permissions necessary for the creation of the game", the Church says that they did not obtain the specific permission to use the interior in the war game 'Resistance - Fall of Man.'

The debate

In a debate on 大象传媒 Radio Manchester's Eamonn O'Neal and Dianne Oxberry programme, the University of Bolton's Phil Carlisle and Erinma Bell of Carisma (Community Alliance for Renewal, Inner South Manchester Area) discussed the arguments for and against the Cathedral's use in the game and the influence of violent games on young people.

So the question is whether it is acceptable to set such a game in a place of worship. Is it, as the Bishop says, 鈥渉ighly irresponsible鈥� or have the games firm done nothing wrong?

Should Sony do as the Church asks, withdraw the game and issue an apology or should the Church simply accept that, as Sony put it, 鈥渋t is not based on reality at all鈥� and that in the cyber world, all locations are fair game?