Rob Fahey 18:19 (BST)
03/08/2006

Sony Computer Entertainment UK has condemned the leaking of forthcoming PSP title Gangs of London to the internet, after copies of an internal beta of the game appeared on BitTorrent sites overnight.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Sony spokesman David Wilson also warned consumers that the leaked version is incomplete and buggy.

"The version of Gangs Of London that you have brought our attention to here is a pre-production 'preview' version," he revealed. "It is not the complete game and it has anomalies in the code since it hasn't been through our QA process yet."

Wilson also reasserted his firm's strong opposition to game piracy - and while it's clearly not relevant in this situation, as BitTorrent piracy creates no revenues, he pointed to the oft-cited link between piracy and organised crime.

"We are wholly opposed to game piracy," he commented. "Even if people have no sympathy for games developers losing money (though in the end that damages our industry and hurts gamers) - there are proven links that exist between counterfeiting and organised crime and that has some serious consequences (and victims) that people should give due consideration."

Gangs of London, which itself has more than a little bit to do with organised crime and gangland violence, will be out on the PSP later this year, and will allow players to engage in tactical urban combat around the streets of London and the capital's most famous landmarks.

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