[EA] Why hasn't the Dante's Inferno marketing team been fired yet?

[vagrant_winds]

Okay, so we already had the fake protest in bad taste that also made religious groups look bad.
Then we had the "molest booth girls for sweet prizes and a night of lust" fiasco.
Marketing gems like they were sad about cutting out the part of the game where you go up a demon's anus...
And now they're sending $200 checks to game journalists. (http://kotaku.com/5355784/electronic-arts-tests-journalists-greed-with-cash/gallery/#)

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/4673/500xcustom1252524398096.jpg

"In Dante's Inferno, Greed is a two-headed beast. Hoarding wealth feeds on beast and squandering it satiates the other. By cashing this check you succumb to avarice by harding filthy lucre, but by not cashing it, you waste it, and thereby surrender to prodigality. Make your choice and suffer the consequence for your sin. And scoff not, for consequences are imminent."

I'd hope all the game journalists that get these just cash them and give them to charity. That goes dirrectly against EA's dumbass marketing campaign at the same time as being for a good cause.

[Eurhetemec]

You've really answered your own question here, by making a post on a messageboard about this latest stunt. They haven't been fired because whoever is in charge of this regards the generation of publicity about what could easily be an overlooked game as the primary goal for the marketing team.

As such, they have been very successful.

They have been less successful about informing me as to why I'd want to play this game over, say, any other DMC/GoW-type deal, but to honest, most game marketing campaigns seem terminally shit at informing people about the game, so that's nothing new. They seem to think that that will come naturally as people read previews etc. - I'm not sure that they're wrong, either.

[vagrant_winds]

What about being offended and not buying the game on principal?

[Chikahiro]

Bad taste? Yes. Effective? Yeah, we're talking about it.

I don't know how many journalists they send those things out to, but its likely to have done more to get folks talking than that amount of money would've done in advertising.

Color me impressed.

<-- has been working in newspaper advertising for ~8 years, and been doing ad/promotion stuff longer than that.

[Chikahiro]

What about being offended and not buying the game on principal?

They probably assume that'll be the minority of people. Likely the folks who will not buy the game on principle are mostly people they spoofed in the religious ad, women offended by the booth babe stunt (and are outside the normal demographic anyhow), good parents who check ESRB ratings and won't buy it for their teenager anyhow or wouldn't have been interested in general.

[nonsense]

What about being offended and not buying the game on principal?

They're banking on the fact that most prospective players won't be offended, and they're almost certainly right.

[Eurhetemec]

What about being offended and not buying the game on principal?

Let's be real, would have bought this game with a different marketing campaign? I strongly suspect not, despite any protestations. More to the point, do you REALLY think this sort of marketing offends the average DMC or God of War afficionado, who can stomach terrible anime-cliche heroes, sulky psychopaths who murder screaming, pleading innocents to progress with the level or for health-ups, and so on? Seriously?

Because no.

[vagrant_winds]

/shrug. I guess I'm in the minority here. This shit just puts me off.

[Calliope]

I have to admit, I think this promotion is...at least kind of clever, in contrast to the stuff they've pulled so far. Sure, it's still kind of tasteless, but at least the concept for this one isn't "molest booth models LOL".

All the same, I look forward to their "pie-eating contest in front of starving third-world children" promotion, sure to be in the works.

[Chikahiro]

They're banking on the fact that most prospective players won't be offended, and they're almost certainly right.

If anything, they might be begging for more.

Lust and greed are covered so far. So what's left? Sloth? Rage? I forget...

They'll likely do lust again too :P

[Chikahiro]

/shrug. I guess I'm in the minority here. This shit just puts me off.

So what you're saying is you're a sane human being with a sense of tact and responsibility, personal, public and corporate? ;)

I have to admit, I think this promotion is...at least kind of clever, in contrast to the stuff they've pulled so far. Sure, it's still kind of tasteless, but at least the concept for this one isn't "molest booth models LOL".

All the same, I look forward to their "pie-eating contest in front of starving third-world children" promotion, sure to be in the works.
I think doing it in front of Curves, Weight Watchers, a eating disorder clinic, etc., would be a little easier.

"Hey, you bulimics! Wouldn't you like to be throwing this up? Mmmm... its good! C'mon, show your Roman roots!"

[vagrant_winds]

Okay, so it's apparently a fake check. The routing numbers are invalid. And it's just marketing.

I withdraw my comments.

People have called to confirm the checks at the banks (going off of Joystiq's pictures and not Kotaku's). They're real. Joystiq is giving theirs away to charity.

[Chikahiro]

I think this one might've gotten under your skin for one additional reason - its probably a little close to home for gamers. Remember Gusterman at Gamespot?

[ryven]

I can't be the only person on this board who thinks these promotions are freaking awesome, can I? I mean, not only is the theme great, but you get a bunch of people who weren't going to buy your game anyway worked up over it, and I have a great love of watching people get angry over things that don't matter.

I'm super sad to hear that the checks weren't the real deal, though. It kills the impact.

[PMAvers]

Okay, so it's apparently a fake check. The routing numbers are invalid. And it's just marketing.

I withdraw my comments.

From what I understand, they're real, they just changed the routing numbers on the checks in the photos for obvious reasons.

And yeah, I love odd-ball marketing like this as well.

[Naxuul]

All the marketing really tells me is that the game will be /terrible/.

Super marketing pagentry and terrible games just seem to go hand in hand.

-Naxuul

[Ikselam]

Lust and greed are covered so far. So what's left? Sloth? Rage? I forget...

Gluttony, sloth, wrath, pride, and envy.

[Chikahiro]

I can't be the only person on this board who thinks these promotions are freaking awesome, can I? I mean, not only is the theme great, but you get a bunch of people who weren't going to buy your game anyway worked up over it, and I have a great love of watching people get angry over things that don't matter.

I'm super sad to hear that the checks weren't the real deal, though. It kills the impact.

For wrath they need to do something to piss off PETA.

edit: One thing I will say, though - this doesn't exactly do anything to improve the image the game industry has.

[Matthew]

Bad taste? Yes. Effective? Yeah, we're talking about it.


Well, if they were selling their marketing campaign, you'd have a point. As it is, I don't even know what *genre* of game DI is, and I haven't heard anyone say anything about it, other than to talk about it's marketing.

So, as far as driving sales...looks like a colossal failure.

[vagrant_winds]

From what I understand, they're real, they just changed the routing numbers on the checks in the photos for obvious reasons.

Kotaku did. Joystiq didn't. They were just confirmed real by Joystiq's numbers and the routing number belongs to Key Bank of Alaska. Thus, Alaska is the gateway to hell.

[Stephenls]

Well, if they were selling their marketing campaign, you'd have a point. As it is, I don't even know what *genre* of game DI is, and I haven't heard anyone say anything about it, other than to talk about it's marketing.

So, as far as driving sales...looks like a colossal failure.

It looks to be a God of War-type game.

[Stantz]

I think I'm going to respond to this all with Sloth.

Mostly by totally failing to care.

[evilmrhenry]

They still got nothing on Acclaim:
http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/june03/dumbestmoments/index13.shtml
"a $10,000 offer for any parent willing to horribly scar their precious child by naming them "Turok" for a year."

"There was the case of Jason Read, a 25-year-old "gamer" who, on July 18, claimed he was planning on breaking the world record for the longest time standing in line. What was he waiting for? Why, the September 6th release of Turok: Evolution, of course. He was equipped with a tent, a game console, TV, and portable generator supplied by Acclaim. Oddly enough, the next day, Mr. Read was nowhere to be found -- and after the papers had made such a big deal over him! Funny how that works."

"There was the decision to offer to pay for the funerals of the recently deceased in return for the right to place a small billboard on the headstone advertising Shadowman 2."

"Acclaim would have had plenty of clients had its Burnout 2: Point of Impact stunt been allowed to go off. To celebrate (or commemorate) the release of the game, Acclaim offered to refund the fines of any driver caught by speed cameras."

[Rowsdower]

People have called to confirm the checks at the banks (going off of Joystiq's pictures and not Kotaku's). They're real. Joystiq is giving theirs away to charity.

That's pretty dumb on Joystiq's part.

I mean, if they'd auction it, I think they'd get more that $200 for it.

[The Scribbler]

Huh. Based on the plaque about it being as real as the "consequences that follow" I'd have thought it was fake.

Although I suppose that because they're going, "We sent everyone these checks!" the consequence for anyone who doesn't publicly reject it or donate it or something is that they look like total shills.

[EOT]

Dr.Fun k doesn't giv e a shit. Besides silly colonialscan't spell cheque correctly. can;t be arsed breaking out my PS3 so i'm not getting GOW 3. ill probably buy it anywayt. atleadst they're not activision.

[Jack]

What about being offended and not buying the game on principal?

That's adorable.

No offense, but as much as I'd like that to be the case with stuff like that it doesn't happen all that often. Hell, I think the whole thing is silly and I freely admit if the game is kickass I'll buy it. If its not I won't. Marketing is mostly there to make me aware of the product. Reviews, word of mouth, the developer's record of making good games, etc... are what will make me buy. And for many of the people who are super swayed by marketing? Well, there's no real evidence this won't work on many of them. This "in your face and totally blatant" style actually works on many people - look how well All Star Batman and Robin sold and it's utter crap.

[chiguayante]

All the marketing really tells me is that the game will be /terrible/.

Super marketing pagentry and terrible games just seem to go hand in hand.

-Naxuul

I played it at PAX. It's a mediocre GoW/Devil May Cry type game. The graphics are kind of cool for a Hieronymus Bosch-esque gore fest. I'd buy it out of the discount bin, but it didn't really pique my interest.

[Sedar]

I'm excited for the inevitable rage pinata beating immediately followed by a gluttonous candy feast.

You know, to appeal to the kids.

[Geza Echs]

I don't know anything about the "booth babe" scandal, but this particular marketing stunt is pretty clever in my opinion. Don't think I'll buy the game based on the little bit I've read about it. But I can still enjoy the marketing.

Reminds me of when King of the Hill premiered -- they sent a package to various television reviewers including a letter of intent for the series... and a propane fueled small grill.

[nonsense]

I don't know anything about the "booth babe" scandal, but this particular marketing stunt is pretty clever in my opinion.

I would agree. Particularly because the game review media has such a reputation for shilling. This is unlikely to ingratiate them with reviewers, of course, but if the game's as forgettable as folks are saying, I don't know if that's an issue.

[Ratman_tf]

Eh. It's at least a semi-clever idea. Making a play on the concept that game reviewers are bribeable.

Not that I'll buy the game unless I hear something good about the actual game itself.

[J. R. Henderson]

Eh. It's at least a semi-clever idea. Making a play on the concept that game reviewers are bribeable.

Yeah, although the checks are genuine and they're sent out in the form of bribes, everyone knows they aren't real bribes, but rather marketing tools. I can see that some people consider them to be in bad taste, but the real problem lies with advertisement dependency, not bona fide bribes.

Real bribes are of course subtle and secretive, are usually agreed upon beforehand (rather than sprung by surprise), and tend to come in the form of very plain checks devoid of fancy art.

-----------------------------------------

As for my opinion of this marketing campaign... hm. On the one hand, I do see vagrant_winds' side of it, and at first blush, I'm inclined to roll my eyes and regard this as a shamelessly crass bit of advertising strategy.

On the other hand, at least they're attempting to innovate. These are gimmicks, but for an industry currently rooted in fearful conservatism (stick to game formulas that sell, don't experiment), maybe it's for the best.

At least they aren't using breasts and sex to sell the game (yet, anyway). The video game industry is pretty blatant about this, and personally I'm very glad when scantily-clad vixens don't adorn a game box these days.

[Mengtzu]

At least they aren't using breasts and sex to sell the game (yet, anyway). The video game industry is pretty blatant about this, and personally I'm very glad when scantily-clad vixens don't adorn a game box these days.

Did you miss the "lust" phase of this campaign?

[J. R. Henderson]

Did you miss the "lust" phase of this campaign?

Its existence as part of the campaign didn't escape my notice (though I haven't actually seen what they're doing with it yet), but in this case, I feel there's actually some justification for including it. Lust is, after all, a legitimate part of the seven deadly sins theme.

Games like Guild Wars, on the other hand, do it (please pardon the pun) just to do it. There's a female character on all of their game boxes, front and center, usually with a nice cleavage shot and moist, pouty lips prominently displayed.

EDIT: And, if memory serves, only a female character on each box (and no one else), in extreme close-up. I'd have to check on this to confirm.

[Asmodai]

Real bribes are of course subtle and secretive, are usually agreed upon beforehand (rather than sprung by surprise), and tend to come in the form of very plain checks devoid of fancy art.


Corruption has no sense of style these days. I bet half the time they don't even bother to cackle madly. :(

[J. R. Henderson]

Corruption has no sense of style these days. I bet half the time they don't even bother to cackle madly. :(

To receive full style points, bribes must be delivered in the form of a sack of coins by a tall, slender villain, wearing a black hat and grinning evilly whilst twirling his pencil mustache.

For bonus points, once the bribe changes hands, he must slink off behind a nearby tree and vanish, cackling ominously.

[Mengtzu]

Its existence as part of the campaign didn't escape my notice (though I haven't actually seen what they're doing with it yet), but in this case, I feel there's actually some justification for including it. Lust is, after all, a legitimate part of the seven deadly sins theme.

Games like Guild Wars, on the other hand, do it (please pardon the pun) just to do it. There's a female character on all of their game boxes, front and center, usually with a nice cleavage shot and moist, pouty lips prominently displayed.

EDIT: And, if memory serves, only a female character on each box (and no one else), in extreme close-up. I'd have to check on this to confirm.


Guild Wars' box art abstractly objectifies women as a gender (arguably).

The "Lust" promotion explicitly asked contestants to objectify actual women in person.

[J. R. Henderson]

The "Lust" promotion explicitly asked contestants to objectify actual women in person.

Interesting....

Don't really know what to make of that. Are people supposed to ogle? Wolf whistle?

I'll go read up on it now.

[Chikahiro]

EDIT: And, if memory serves, only a female character on each box (and no one else), in extreme close-up. I'd have to check on this to confirm.
The original box had Eve on one side and some generic fighter dude on the other. That's been about it thus far.

[Matt David T.]

So, as far as driving sales...looks like a colossal failure.

Bit early to be saying that eh, unless you were making a prediction?

Since product awareness and sales can be causally linked, I think it's going to do better than most folks here are hoping/assuming.

...but to honest, most game marketing campaigns seem terminally shit at informing people about the game...

They're also terrible at making toast, fighting plaque, and lots of other things they're not trying to do.

[Royal Heart]

I do not understand how the cheques are in bad taste.

[Guts]

For (probably) a few thousand bucks, EA got a huge amount of publicity for their game. Again. Well played.

[Quasar]

They're banking on the fact that most prospective players won't be offended, and they're almost certainly right.

Certainly I haven't really been offended. I'm more bothered by the concept of making a gow type game out of this piece of literature.

[Peregrinefalcon]

I'm in the got us all to talk about it camp, and think its funny.

Now it would have been funnier if for the lust campaign, someone had gotten arrested for doing something stupid to a woman, then used the defense that EA told me too. Because then video games would have been responsible.

Will it make me buy the game. No

Seeing it at Gencon will make me buy the game. At least once the price drops/or used.

[Matthew]

Bit early to be saying that eh, unless you were making a prediction?


I'm making the point that, like the Palm Pre ads (which they changed after the backlash) the idea that "getting us to talk about it" is universally good is begging the question.

I agree with the premise that there's no such thing as bad press. However, we're NOT talking about Dante's Inferno. We're talking *purely* talking about the *ads* for Dante's Inferno, which they are not selling. So "getting us to talk about it" is NOT good since "it" is the ads, not the game. They're not selling us their advertising campaign. They're trying to sell us a game and since no one's talking about the game, I call the ad campaign a failure.

Compare it to the much smaller, Shadow Complex promotion which was basically all PR and community building, but which said as loudly as possible, as often as possible, that it was a "Metroidvania" game. So you really couldn't learn anything about the game without learning what genre of game it was. And SC is a big hit.

I also think the game will probably tank, but that's besides the point.

[Furious Fish]

Certainly I haven't really been offended. I'm more bothered by the concept of making a gow type game out of this piece of literature.

http://ui16.gamespot.com/431/dmc1dante_2.jpg

Oh hi there.

[nonsense]

Certainly I haven't really been offended. I'm more bothered by the concept of making a gow type game out of this piece of literature.

I'm waiting for the Pride & Prejudice go-kart racer, myself.

[JoshWaDesigns]

It's really sad to me that some people are praising these marketing techniques as creative and clever. These are the same video game designers who are supposedly wracking their brains trying to discover ways to get women into playing video games, not understanding that the women would play the same video games guys do without the unnecessary exploitation they decide to throw in at every turn.

I'm a huge fan of God of War games, as is my girlfriend. We like those type of games, and also are offended by marketing techniques that invite you to molest women and further perpetuate this concept of the woman as an object or commodity, to be traded and disposed of as needed.

WAKE UP VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY! Women play video games, and like video games. Guys will still play video games WITHOUT having to show that 10 second clip of a topless chick. Guys will still play video games WITHOUT having to play with a chick running around in bra and panties the whole game. But you would have the added bonus of girls playing the game too.

It's not rocket science, it's decency.

[Matt David T.]

They're trying to sell us a game and since no one's talking about the game, I call the ad campaign a failure.

I dunno about that, I've read the term "God of War clone" multiple times in every thread about it (including a few times in this one). There's room to talk about both, and if discussion of one promotes discussion of the other, then Bob's your uncle.

Regardless, they're currently at a different stage of advertisement for this title. It's not "there's new Halo coming, FYI" it's "hey have you heard of Dante's Inferno game yet? Like at all?"

Building product awareness through false (or even real) controversy is a tried and true method - it might not be perfect, it doesn't always work, and it's fraught with peril - but I personally think it's way too premature to call this a failure.


Compare it to the much smaller, Shadow Complex promotion which was basically all PR and community building, but which said as loudly as possible, as often as possible, that it was a "Metroidvania" game. So you really couldn't learn anything about the game without learning what genre of game it was. And SC is a big hit.


That's pretty apples and oranges isn't it? I mean, one game is a $15 XBLA title - of course a direct to consumer word of mouth driven campaign focused on the nostalgic take on the gameplay was the way to go (especially since the game had no characters, technology, developer pedigree, story, license, celebrity involvement, or really anything else worthwhile enough to sell it on).

If Dante's Inferno sells the same number of units as Shadow Complex, it will comparatively only be somewhere between success and failure (as opposed to a "big hit").

This sales and marketing game is being played at a much different scale, and the rules have to change.


I also think the game will probably tank, but that's besides the point.

I think it has the potential to do quite well, but I guess we'll have to wait and see - for a game like this, the critical reception is going to be key no matter how good or bad this particular marketing gambit is.

Regardless, I certainly don't think tank is the right word. At a minimum I bet it does as well as Visceral's other offerings.

[Seiberwing]

http://ui16.gamespot.com/431/dmc1dante_2.jpg

Oh hi there.

That is not the same thing at all.

Especially since Dante in all that tight leather (?) is providing a bit of fanservice to the other side as well, so to speak.

[Ben W Bell]

Maybe this is for wrath?

http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20090911

[Royal Heart]

I'm waiting for the Pride & Prejudice go-kart racer, myself.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (http://www.amazon.ca/Pride-Prejudice-Zombies-Classic-Ultraviolent/dp/1594743347)

Guys will still play video games WITHOUT having to play with a chick running around in bra and panties the whole game.
At the very least, even the playing field. If you're going to have a female protagonist run around in bra and panties the whole game, give us ripped dudes in briefs running around the whole game. Equal-opportunity exploitation! Whee! :)

[E.M.Balin]

I'm waiting for the Pride & Prejudice go-kart racer, myself.

There's certainly room for such a game, even though its sales numbers will be tremendously overshadowed by John Madden's Silas Marner 2010.