Konami cited "safety of participants in mind" as its reason for the cancellations. The launch events planned for U.S. will proceed as planned, according to a representative.
[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Konami cancels Japan MGS4 launch events after Akihabara tragedy
by Ross Miller 
on Jun 11th 2008 6:00PM
41
Konami cited "safety of participants in mind" as its reason for the cancellations. The launch events planned for U.S. will proceed as planned, according to a representative.
[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Reader Comments (41)
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:04PM Pojomofo said
WOW, I didnt hear about this, tragic indeed.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:04PM (Unverified) said
That's sad.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:09PM Knight Marquise said
My deepest regards for the families. Very suprising to hear of this in the land of the Rising Sun.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:12PM SheppyReturns said
Well, a Japanese Psychologist claimed the logic was a suicide he couldn't stop himself from doing since he faces the death penalty. I prefer to think of him as a tragic fuck that should have taken the popular teenage ideology and just done himself in.
Reply
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:36PM BananaBoat said
Do they even have the death penalty in Japan? If so I guess there would be no more perfect a candidate for it.
It's sad for the families involved, but it would only add to the tragedy if this were to spawn the second coming of the Otaku panic caused by the last Otaku to go batshit insane. Censorship and fear mongering would only lead to Otaku being even more marginalized than they are right now in Japan, and probably a repeat of what happened =/
Canceling the launch events is wise though. Not really a time for a celebration. It's not going to stop me from picking up the game when Bestbuy opens tomorrow morning though.
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It's sad for the families involved, but it would only add to the tragedy if this were to spawn the second coming of the Otaku panic caused by the last Otaku to go batshit insane. Censorship and fear mongering would only lead to Otaku being even more marginalized than they are right now in Japan, and probably a repeat of what happened =/
Canceling the launch events is wise though. Not really a time for a celebration. It's not going to stop me from picking up the game when Bestbuy opens tomorrow morning though.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:44PM (Unverified) said
Do they even have the death penalty in Japan?
FYI yes they do and sometimes they are public executions.Thank you Rotten.com.
Reply
FYI yes they do and sometimes they are public executions.Thank you Rotten.com.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:20PM juju187 said
Only gonna get worst before it gets better...
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:20PM (Unverified) said
!
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:21PM (Unverified) said
It was a very respectful gesture by Konami and the right thing to do.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:25PM F1 Basu Gasu Bakuhatsu said
Man its very rare to hear about this in Japan. Especially since they have such strict laws against fire-arms.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:52PM F1 Basu Gasu Bakuhatsu said
Whoops! I miss read the article. Thats what I get for skimming!
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Posted: Jun 11th 2008 9:02PM JRMG said
yeah, that's why everyone is taking this so hard. Luckily, homicides like this are very rare, and not a lot of "copycat" stuff happens.
In some places in america however, an event like this would just be another shopping weekend ("5 stabbings?!? Ha! That's child's play!").
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In some places in america however, an event like this would just be another shopping weekend ("5 stabbings?!? Ha! That's child's play!").
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 1:27AM (Unverified) said
actually they've had quite a few weird, crazy random crimes recently, so people over here are starting to get pretty worried about them all.
I think this one was on the anniversary of another big stabbing last year.
(generally japan is a REALLY safe place, but there are also a lot of weirdos!)
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I think this one was on the anniversary of another big stabbing last year.
(generally japan is a REALLY safe place, but there are also a lot of weirdos!)
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:26PM (Unverified) said
...you mean *seven* killed, right?
Four was the original tally from the first day. The man killed seven people.
Four was the original tally from the first day. The man killed seven people.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:26PM Snipermike said
Tomohiro!!!!!Tomohiroooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!Tomohirooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:30PM (Unverified) said
*The assault began when a driver crashed a rental truck into a group of pedestrians, killing three of them. He then jumped out of the truck and slashed his way through the crowd, fatally stabbing four people. Another 10 were injured.
The attack horrified Japan, where news reports and talk shows have focused on what may have prompted the assault, Kato's troubled personality and a string of messages he sent to an Internet bulletin board warning he was planning to kill.
Amid rising concerns about street violence, gamemaker Konami canceled three launch events scheduled in Tokyo - including one in Akihabara - on Thursday for "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots," an action game in which a grizzled commando shoots and stabs his way through enemy lines.*
I don't think Konami cancelled the event because Snake "shoots and stabs his way through enemy lines" ... It is probably more out of respect for the victims and a matter of public safety ... I do not know all of the details but it seems that the majority of these mass murders and spree killers are done by extremely sick people who have stopped taking their medicine like the VT killer.
I feel very sorry for the families of the victims but I hope the asshole that did this tragic crime dies a horrible death thats more like a Gears Of War curb stomp than anything else.
It just serves as a reminder how sacred life is and how you should cherish everyday you have because nothing is guaranteed. The only thing in life that is guaranteed is what we have in front of us right now.
The attack horrified Japan, where news reports and talk shows have focused on what may have prompted the assault, Kato's troubled personality and a string of messages he sent to an Internet bulletin board warning he was planning to kill.
Amid rising concerns about street violence, gamemaker Konami canceled three launch events scheduled in Tokyo - including one in Akihabara - on Thursday for "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots," an action game in which a grizzled commando shoots and stabs his way through enemy lines.*
I don't think Konami cancelled the event because Snake "shoots and stabs his way through enemy lines" ... It is probably more out of respect for the victims and a matter of public safety ... I do not know all of the details but it seems that the majority of these mass murders and spree killers are done by extremely sick people who have stopped taking their medicine like the VT killer.
I feel very sorry for the families of the victims but I hope the asshole that did this tragic crime dies a horrible death thats more like a Gears Of War curb stomp than anything else.
It just serves as a reminder how sacred life is and how you should cherish everyday you have because nothing is guaranteed. The only thing in life that is guaranteed is what we have in front of us right now.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:35PM (Unverified) said
Wow you actually almost sound like a real decent person there...
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Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:36PM Levi Partridge said
Akihabara? Don't kill the geeks! You're supposed to off the cool and trendy people at Shibuya, numbnuts!
In all seriousness, I'm very sorry to hear this news. Kudos to Konami for considering people over promotion. I hope everyone who was planning on going to one of the events spends time with their family or friends instead, and spend a moment to reflect on the things that truly matter in life.
In all seriousness, I'm very sorry to hear this news. Kudos to Konami for considering people over promotion. I hope everyone who was planning on going to one of the events spends time with their family or friends instead, and spend a moment to reflect on the things that truly matter in life.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:36PM Anticrawl said
This is terrible and all but come on, who are they fooling canceling in Japan but not the US? One is more liable to get shot here than in Japan. Plus after a tragic even more things are likely not to happen because of the increase in security.. blah blah blah. Yeah, I could even see some crazy fanboy shooting up the place just to get his 15 minutes of fame like this deranged guy did. Sad and sick but true.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:49PM (Unverified) said
I suppose just to pay their condolences to the families
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Posted: Jun 11th 2008 7:03PM Anticrawl said
100's over overly anxious, paranoid kids carrying large amounts of cash in a small shady area at midnight is never a good idea. I don't see why we do these whole mid-night releases, they just serve to create unneeded tension and often chaos. Hell after the Halo 3 release two overly anxious kids slammed into each other in the parking lot and were takin off in a hospital. The Sony PS3 launch event I was planning to attend was met with a small shootout between two kids and several innocents. The list goes on.
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Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:39PM Gwr said
Lol that dude just went GTA:Akihabara there.
If it was US,it would be blamed on videogames.
Also,guns dont kill people,people kill people and they can find a way without guns (see guns and trucks).
Did they drop something or was he just grinding them?
.....
If it was US,it would be blamed on videogames.
Also,guns dont kill people,people kill people and they can find a way without guns (see guns and trucks).
Did they drop something or was he just grinding them?
.....
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:46PM Ahmedz said
wow that sucks...i guess i'll go back to playing MGS4 then :P
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:57PM (Unverified) said
I think this is the right move
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 7:13PM RKN said
So that person was depressed, sick of life but yet ended up killing several innocent people and now will continue to live his life in a prison cell.
WAY TO FUCKING GO ASSHOLE.
WAY TO FUCKING GO ASSHOLE.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 7:15PM Transcedental Protagonist said
Run, Jill. He's insane!
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 7:29PM (Unverified) said
a couple things. I walk through Akihabara to and from work every day. Since Sunday, there have been a crazy amount of police and news cameras there 24/7... like 3 cops staring diligently from one corner.
But everyone knows that this was a one-time thing, and that there isn't really any risk of it happening again, much less in the weekdays immediately following. It's more a show of force on the part of the establishment. And it's deeper than just this one incident.
The Otaku culture is not well liked by the fuzz, not because they are "geeks", but because a lot of the media culture involves some pretty fudged up shoot. The culture is a standout for creepiness and amorality not just in Japan, but around the world. No one trusts them, and the cops in particular haven't forgotten the "otaku killer" of the 1990s.
As for the midnight events, those don't exist here. People line up in the mornings. I'm sure there will still be line ups for mgs4, but no bikini chicks. Which will please the cops. So much so that I expect that they put a fair amount of pressure on konami to straighten up and fly right, at least today.
But everyone knows that this was a one-time thing, and that there isn't really any risk of it happening again, much less in the weekdays immediately following. It's more a show of force on the part of the establishment. And it's deeper than just this one incident.
The Otaku culture is not well liked by the fuzz, not because they are "geeks", but because a lot of the media culture involves some pretty fudged up shoot. The culture is a standout for creepiness and amorality not just in Japan, but around the world. No one trusts them, and the cops in particular haven't forgotten the "otaku killer" of the 1990s.
As for the midnight events, those don't exist here. People line up in the mornings. I'm sure there will still be line ups for mgs4, but no bikini chicks. Which will please the cops. So much so that I expect that they put a fair amount of pressure on konami to straighten up and fly right, at least today.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 7:48PM (Unverified) said
Didn't see this coming.
It's respectful, I get that... But I just don't see a point it in. If anything, the whole spirit of Akihabara is something of continuing the devotion and passion to the gaming, comic and anime/manga fandom lifestyle...
I'm not saying there's no respect deserved, but a memorial services would be more suiting... Or maybe a donation from Konami or Kojima or something to the families.
This move seems more like they're taking a precaution than being respectful. I don't mean to be a pessimist but again, I just... can't see a USEFUL point to this.
It's respectful, I get that... But I just don't see a point it in. If anything, the whole spirit of Akihabara is something of continuing the devotion and passion to the gaming, comic and anime/manga fandom lifestyle...
I'm not saying there's no respect deserved, but a memorial services would be more suiting... Or maybe a donation from Konami or Kojima or something to the families.
This move seems more like they're taking a precaution than being respectful. I don't mean to be a pessimist but again, I just... can't see a USEFUL point to this.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 8:04PM Mr Khan said
I kinda see what you're getting at, and if it were an event of terrorism, i would probably agree. If the killer was specifically trying to intimidate the business establishments of Akihabara, the best thing to do is to come back stronger than before, and not let terrorism intimidate
A "go out in a blaze of glory" murder run, however, is kinda the opposite, since you want to respect the dead more than to counter the killer
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A "go out in a blaze of glory" murder run, however, is kinda the opposite, since you want to respect the dead more than to counter the killer
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 11:31PM (Unverified) said
I suppose so. Again, my biggest confusion behind it is why all they're doing is just postponing the event or cancelling it altogether.
A dedication or something of the like I think would've been more suiting. :)
But still props to Konami for doing it as they did. It is respectful and definitely unexpected.
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A dedication or something of the like I think would've been more suiting. :)
But still props to Konami for doing it as they did. It is respectful and definitely unexpected.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 8:03PM (Unverified) said
Bummer that Konami was put in that position, but it's pretty cool to see a company that still has reality in check. Very classy move by them, but sucks for all the huge MGS4 fans in Japan. Oh well, they get to play non stop...well they probably already are!
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 8:04PM Ethan said
The streets of Akihabara aren't any less safe, but Japan does have a problem with how it deals with it's underachievers. They need stoner culture or something because there's a bunch of people who just hate themselves, even if from an outsider's perspective they seem to have done well.
Yeah, it's absolutely the right thing to do for any organization right now, and I stand in solidarity with Japan.
Yeah, it's absolutely the right thing to do for any organization right now, and I stand in solidarity with Japan.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 8:21PM Tez said
What a sad thing to hear about happening.
On a slightly lighter note; It's also for the best- Konami probably didn't plan out the launch too well, anyway.
On a slightly lighter note; It's also for the best- Konami probably didn't plan out the launch too well, anyway.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 8:50PM snarfoogle said
"*The assault began when a driver crashed a rental truck into a group of pedestrians, killing three of them. He then jumped out of the truck and slashed his way through the crowd, fatally stabbing four people. Another 10 were injured."
Sounds like me playing GTA, only I try not to crash.
Sounds like me playing GTA, only I try not to crash.
Posted: Jun 11th 2008 8:57PM drun said
Actually, he attacked 18, injured 10, killed 7, with a knife.
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