Mad Max Won't be Set in Australia

[Steven Bogos]

Mad Max Won't be Set in Australia

Avalanche Founder Christofer Sundberg says that it doesn't matter where the game is set in the world.

Fans of Mel Gibson's Mad Max films were tickled pink when the trailer for Avalanche's new Mad Max game [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124862-Mad-Max-Goes-Open-World-in-2014] showed up on the big screen at E3. This excitement soon turned to disappointment, as we realized that Max's iconic Australian accent had been replaced with the bog-standard "Marcus Phoenix Voice" that seems compulsory to all male videogame protagonists these days. When asked about this shift in setting, Avalanche founder Christofer Sundberg said that "The setting - where it is in the world - has really nothing to do with the Mad Max video game."

The original movies were set in a post-apocalyptic Australian outback. Sundberg wants to move away from this though, telling us that "We treated [the Mad Max game] as a completely new property, and that was really the only way for us to take on a licensed game." He says that the studio wants to treat it like an original IP, and hopes that it can "transcend" backlash from fans of the movie franchise.

What's a bit confusing is that despite Max's out-of-place accent, the rest of the trailer appeared to be a pretty accurate portrayal of the films. They seemed to feature the Australian outback, and even had Ford Falcons - an iconic Australian car.

Sundberg says that the setting isn't important because "It's really a game to do with the relationships between different people in this world." When asked if anything could be done to give Max his proper Australian accent back, Sundberg replied "I don't know. We'll see."

Mad Max is slated to come out in 2014 for the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PC.

Source: IGN [http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/18/what-happened-to-mad-maxs-aussie-accent]

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[Dark Knifer]

Boo, I wanted to feel some national pride from this game but now its going to be gravel beard macho voice.

"Dom. Locusts. ************."

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Oh. So they're using a known name to sell an at best loosely inspired IP. Sounds about right.

Funny that they'd use the name of Mad Max and now have to contend with backlash from fans. I wonder what response they were going for, selling a Mad Max game that pisses off the fans who may have bought it.

 

[Limpnoodle]

Is it because Americans won't buy anything that doesn't feature americans?

 

[SweetWarmIce]

Well what's the point? The chance to do something even slightly different and they piss it away.

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

"Mad Max Won't be Set in Australia."
Then it won't be Mad Max.
It'll be Gears of Roadwarrior.
Just saiyan.

 

[ThatDarnCoyote]

Is it because Americans won't buy anything that doesn't feature americans?

No. It's because stupid marketing people think that's the case. What makes this doubly silly is that they are using the IP to appeal to fans of Mad Max, who evidently don't have a problem with an Australian accent, since they're fans of Mad Max.

 

[CriticalMiss]

So they're just cashing in on a well known name? Well two can play at that game! I'm going to make Moby Dick, except it's not about one man's obssesion with a whale. It's about a grizzled veteran with a gravel-throat voice who battles against chest high walls. Set in New York. In the near-future. With zombies. Guns. It'll sell five million easily.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

BOOOOO!

I wanted to run down bandits in the outback with a Holden Commodore, this sucks.

 

[TheKwertyeweyoppe]

But... why NOT set it in Australia if it doesn't matter so much?

 

[knight steel]

FUCK YOU-FUCK YOU-FUCK-YOU-FUCK YOU-FUCK YOU-FUCK-YOU-FUCK YOU-FUCK YOU-FUCK-YOU-FUCK YOU

Finally after all this time we FINALLY get a game that supposed to be set in Australia which is entirly ignored for the most part by the game industry and what do you do?

You fuck it up thats what you do-seriously if it's not Australian then what's the gosh darn point it might as well be generic apocalyptic shooter number:39954

If the setting really doesn't matter why couldn't you make it Australian it wouldn't hurt you and would win you fans but by doing this all you have achieved is piss people off you dumb oafs T_T

 

[wulfgar_red]

we wouldn't want to do something different, would we

 

[Chaos Marine]

Of course it isn't going to be set in Australia. Australia's not 'MURICA!!!! enough.

 

[NickBrahz]

And suddenly i have lost all interest in this game, why even bother getting the name Mad Max for your game, your not going to get all of us Mad Max fans to buy the game, your just pissing us off so now we don't want it, i love Mad Max trilogy and i was excited for this, the outback scenery, actual accents that are different not in 5000000 other games, some iconic Aussie places, maybe out at Uluru.

I will not be buying this game at this point, it's going to have to do something beyond great and epic to get me interested again, this is just going to be one of the many post-apoc games with bland accents, no thanks.

 

[infohippie]

It would have been nice to have a game set in Australia for once. I am really, really tired of hearing American accents every time I start up a game. One of the things that made Skyrim really stand out was the fact that most of the voice actors did not have American accents for once.

Is it because Americans won't buy anything that doesn't feature americans?

No. It's because stupid marketing people think that's the case. What makes this doubly silly is that they are using the IP to appeal to fans of Mad Max, who evidently don't have a problem with an Australian accent, since they're fans of Mad Max.

 

[Evil Smurf]

Fine, I'm no longer interested. Australia is important you know.

 

[Kiya]

WTF... Why?

Wait for it to get disappointing sales/not meet ridiculously high sales estimates (which will be blamed on piracy/used game sales/unicorn farts) which will then put an end to any hope of a sequel.

Why would anyone make such an asinine decision for such an iconic Australian franchise? I was so looking forwards to this game.

Idiots.

 

[BanicRhys]

If it prevents John DiMaggio/Steve Blum/Nolan North/Tara Strong and such from butchering my accent, I'm okay with this.

Of course, I've never seen, or wanted to see the movie(s?).

 

[Nazulu]

Treat it like an original IP? It already was original! You stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid...

Sundberg says that the setting isn't important because "It's really a game to do with the relationships between different people in this world."

Then make the setting important you bloody asshole. It was important in the movies in case you forgot. Why are there so many dumb asses in the gaming industry?! Fucking Oath!

 

[Lono Shrugged]

So it's just Fallout then?

I remember when Alien 3 came out the test audiences apparently could not stand the English accents in the film and never understood what they are saying. They even considered dubbing the actors over with American accents. As much as I love the cast of Alien 3, part of me gets it. It's a big budget business and they need all the customers they can get. But honestly would anyone be put off a Mad Max game if it was set in Aus? I don't see the point of playing a Mad Max game not set there. Absolutely everything about the first film is Australian minded and spirited, the last frontier stocked with criminals and gangs. A futuristic wild west isolated from the rest of the world filled with mad characters who all talk in a different and interesting way. That's a compelling world to explore. Shame I am not getting this game and it will end up just being an action shooter with a few throwbacks that are 'cool' like the bladed boomerang and the thunderdome. But totally miss the point of the appeal of the movies.