Game over for Sony Playstation Move ad

A Sony poster ad for the Playstation Move that shows one man inflicting “graphic violence” on another has been banned for condoning violence.

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The ad shows the same man in three different poses punching another computer-generated man and holding him in a headlock to demonstrate the motion sensor capability of the Playstation Move controller.

The ASA acknowledged that although the ad is stylised, the computer-generated character looks human and the display of violence is likely to cause serious offence and be seen as irresponsible.

It also upheld a complaint that the ad is unsuitable to be seen by children as it could encourage violence or anti-social behaviour.

A separate complaint that the poster encourages or condones racist violence because the game player is white and the computer-generated character is black was not upheld.