Future confirms removal of 'depraved' Sony images

Future has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that images branded as "depraved" by the Mail on Sunday will be removed from 80,000 copies of the Official PlayStation Magazine.

The latest issue of Future's flagship games title contains images from a press event held for the release of God of War II, where a headless goat was on display to promote the 18-rated game.

Yesterday, the Mail on Sunday reported on the launch party, branding it "depraved".

Animal welfare activists were also offended by the use of a goat carcass to sell a videogame, with a spokesperson for The International Fund for Animal Welfare branding it "stupid and completely unjustified".

A spokesperson for Future confirmed that the publisher and Sony had together made the decision to address the issue after copies to subscribers were mailed out.

"It was a joint decision to remove the offending pages across the print run," said Future. "But the copies for subscribers have already been sent out so we can't recall them."

The spokesperson went on to confirm, "The decision was made to remove the pages in 80,000 copies of the magazine being prepared for the newstands."