Sony has issued an "unreserved" apology to Manchester Cathedral for using it as a violent computer game backdrop.
Resistance: Fall of Man shows a gun battle inside the historic building.
The firm published an apology in a city newspaper but has confirmed it will not be withdrawing the game or making any changes to it.
Cathedral Dean, the Very Reverend Roger Govender, said that he still feared another religious building could be "cloned for virtual desecration".
The Sony apology, in the Manchester Evening News, followed a meeting between the cathedral and the firm.
"We still fear that the next buildings to be cloned for virtual desecration could be a mosque, synagogue, temple or other church"
Dr David A Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said: "It is clear to us that the connection between the congregation and the cathedral is a deeply personal and spiritual one.
"As a result, it is also clear that we have offended some of the congregation by using the cathedral in our science fiction game.
"It was never our intention to offend anyone in the making of this game, and we would like to apologise unreservedly to them for causing that offence, and to all parts of the community who we might also have offended."
Dr Reeves also said the firm would ensure that Manchester Cathedral was not used in any of its games again.
The Dean said: "We asked Sony to withdraw the game. They have refused to do this.
"We asked Sony to make a substantial donation to community groups nominated by the Cathedral. They have refused to do this.
"We also asked them to sign up to the Sacred Digital Guidelines. They have refused to do this."
"We fear that the next buildings to be cloned for virtual desecration could be a mosque, synagogue, temple or other churches."
Anti-gun groups
Manchester Cathedral's new sacred digital guidelines call on computer games manufacturers to respect sacred spaces and not to assume their interiors are copyright-free.
Computer firms should get permission from faith leaders for the building interiors they wish to "clone".
Finally, they should support the work of anti-gun crime groups.
The guidelines will be discussed at the Church of England's General Synod in York this weekend.
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