ESRB Defends Dead Island Logo Decision

Logan Westbrook

Transform, Roll Out, Etc
Feb 21, 2008
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ESRB Defends Dead Island Logo Decision

The hanging zombie on the original Dead Island broke the videogame industry's marketing guidelines, says ratings board.

Following the news that the Dead Island [http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Island-Xbox-360/dp/B004PAGJOC/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1300966505&sr=1-1] box art logo would be altered [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108651-Dead-Island-Publisher-Tones-Down-Logo-for-North-America] for the North American market to make it slightly less graphic, the ESRB has issued a statement defending its decision to ask for the change. The original version of the logo - which will still appear in the game itself - featured a corpse hanging from a tree, where the new version shows a zombie shambling forward.

The ESRB's statement said that it never dictated or censored the content that appears in a videogame, but that a game's packaging was seen by more people than just those who played it. It said that the videogame industry had put guidelines in place about what was and wasn't appropriate in advertising and marketing materials, and that in its original form, the logo had broken those guidelines. All the ESRB had done, the statement read, was get developer Techland and publisher Deep Silver to follow the industry guidelines.

This isn't the first time that the box art for zombie-themed games has fallen foul of those guidelines. The ESRB took exception to the box art for Valve's Left 4 Dead 2, which featured a hand missing all but two fingers. Much like Dead Island, the fix was relatively minor - Valve changed the art so that the missing fingers were merely folded over - but that was enough to appease the ESRB.

Dead Island is scheduled for release on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 in the third quarter of this year.

Source: IGN [http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/115/1156850p1.html]




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BENZOOKA

This is the most wittiest title
Oct 26, 2009
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...gone mad. Sigh.

Let's deal with this outrageous disgusting profanity next:
http://www.featurepics.com/FI/Thumb300/20100405/Hangman-Help-1503719.jpg

I mean, someone might get seriously offended, even internally injured.
 

Zirat

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May 16, 2009
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Bah, all this drama over a game. First the commercial for it and now this logo issue.

Yet I still think it will result in a mediocre game at best riding on a wave of publicity...

Ah well, this isnt about my opinion but the article. To which I say... okay... not much else to comment on, it's just like the Left 4 Dead 2 package problem like the article pointed out, no biggy
 

Olikunmissile

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Jul 16, 2008
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BENZOOKA said:
...gone mad. Sigh.

Let's deal with this outrageous disgusting profanity next:
http://www.featurepics.com/FI/Thumb300/20100405/Hangman-Help-1503719.jpg

I mean, someone might get seriously offended, even internally injured.
I need a new god, be mine?

Infact, I really can't say much more than that image.

What is wrong with the world today?
 
Feb 13, 2008
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As I said before
It would be as bad as a Zombie silhouette being guillotined in France, nailbombed or carchased in a tunnel in England, kneecapped in Ireland, or having it's hands amputated in Arabia.

Certain things don't sit well with certain cultures because of their past. Having a "shadow" man hanging from a tree doesn't work well in America. Don't make me have to spell it out why. (KKK)
 

Adzma

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Sep 20, 2009
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For the land of the free, you guys sure do have some odd fine print when it comes to these things.
 

Trogdor1138

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May 28, 2010
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If it's displayed publicly then it should be changed if they feel it's for the better. There's nothing wrong with that. The logo is still in the game itself, everybody is happy in this situation.

I dislike seeing public box art that has some graphic content on it, I feel it gets out of hand at times, there are plenty of other ways to sell your game. They've done the right thing with this game.
 

josemlopes

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Jun 9, 2008
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It makes some sense, people that dont know what it is about may not understand that it is about zombies
 

ANImaniac89

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Apr 21, 2009
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Normally I hate censorship but this time I don't really mind. In fact I really didn't care for the "hanging zombie" logo to start with so it didn't really bother me when they changed it.

Also I can remember back when I was little having horrific nightmares from seeing the cover of a horror movie at the video store, so I understand what they are talking about.
 

DTWolfwood

Better than Vash!
Oct 20, 2009
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well if the rating board wanted it changed than so be it.

not a big deal in the long run.
 

Vanguard_Ex

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Mar 19, 2008
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The_root_of_all_evil said:
As I said before
It would be as bad as a Zombie silhouette being guillotined in France, nailbombed or carchased in a tunnel in England, kneecapped in Ireland, or having it's hands amputated in Arabia.

Certain things don't sit well with certain cultures because of their past. Having a "shadow" man hanging from a tree doesn't work well in America. Don't make me have to spell it out why. (KKK)
I have to say, I actually support the decision upon reading this. Such a tiny cosmetic change may be annoying because it seems so pedantic and irrelevant but when you consider the shit-storm we may be dodging, well...
 

Jezzascmezza

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Aug 18, 2009
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Zac Smith said:
Dead Space has a cut off arm floating in space. People didn't seem to complain then
Same with the Left 4 Dead 1 and 2 game covers, they're pretty graphic as well, but didn't cause a fuss.
 

emikochan

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Oct 24, 2009
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Yeah I support this change, it's public box art on a game that's not blatantly about zombies. We often champion the "games have ratings so stop whining about content" to the uneducated public, but we should also accept that certain advertising is not acceptable due to said ratings.

I think this is a win win anyway, more positive publicity.
 

DeadDodo

Undead King of the Dodos
Apr 2, 2010
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Adzma said:
For the land of the free, you guys sure do have some odd fine print when it comes to these things.
It isn't the first time I've had the exact same thought. I guess we'll just chalk it up to cultural differences and move on with our lives/games.
 

valkeminator

404Th Ravens. No.04
Nov 19, 2009
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First thing that popped up in my mind the moment I read "Dead Island box art logo would be altered for the North American market" was this :



BEHOLD!!!

Rings any bell ?
 

uguito-93

This space for rent
Jul 16, 2009
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dont see why anyone would make a big deal out of this. "Oooooo the fact that the I is not a hanging zombie on the boxart ruined the game for me" At least itd not another atrocity like the one you can view in the comment directly above