Video Game Delayed Due To Tsunami/Earthquake Reference
Japan is still reeling from the horrendous tsunami that struck its shores in early March. As such, it should come as no surprise that the Japanese are ultra sensitive right now—so much so that one of their top video game producers is delaying the launch of a Nintendo game that kind of makes mock of tsunamis and earthquakes.
Video game maker Namco Bandai is the producer of the One Piece series. It’s a action adventure / 3D fighting / platform game that first came on the scene in 2000. Since, it’s dropped for the Game Boy Color, Nintendo GameCube, Playstation, Playstation 2, and now, the Nintendo 3DS.
Originally slated to drop on April 7, One Piece Unlimited Cruise SP (2011) has been delayed until a day to be determined in the future? Why? Because one of its characters, Edward “Whitebeard” Newgate, can gain the power to summon earthquakes and tsunamis by eating some Gura Gura no Mi fruit.
Not only has the game been delayed, but Namco Bandai has ordered all its retailers to destroy any promotion materials related to the game, including a special DVD featuring a trailer (which you can watch below).
Now, we don’t know when the game will finally be released, but we do know that Namco doesn’t plan on removing the earthquake/tsunami attack—though that would probably be the easiest solution.
Unfortunately, fans of the One Piece series haven’t been receiving this news well. Many feel that Namco is being overly sensitive, citing that Unlimited Cruise SP is a “non-realistic anime game.”
Regardless of the merits or drawbacks to this decision, one thing is certain: tragedies have the power to affect everything, even video games.
By V Saxena on 05-04-2011
V Saxena
