Mass: We Pray: Yeah, It Was a Hoax

[Andy Chalk]

Mass: We Pray: Yeah, It Was a Hoax

We called it: The Mass: We Pray [http://www.masswepray.com/] website that purported to offer a new videogame system that let people go to church every day without leaving their house is in fact a hoax.

Earlier this week we stumbled upon a website advertising a new game system called Mass: We Pray that promised to let truly devout gamers take part in worship-friendly virtual activities like Lighting Prayer Candles, Transubstantiation and Genuflecting. As elaborate and convincing as it was, it was also very weird and most people were fairly certain it was a hoax; some particularly astute observers (Dante's Inferno [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/96208-Mass-We-Pray-A-Holy-Hoax-or-Just-a-Really-Bad-Game].

And you know what? I was right! The company behind Mass: We Pray said it would begin taking preorders on the system today but clicking the preorder button takes you instead to an all-new trailer for Dante's Inferno, EA's upcoming epic journey into Hell. Actually, it's an age gate for the trailer which takes a little bit of the zing out of the experience, but the net result is the same: Another look at EA's interpretation of the general unpleasantness that is eternal damnation.

The newest video focuses on the Sixth Circle of Hell, reserved for heretics. "He who betrays the beliefs of the church blackens his soul with the sin of Heresy," the site says. "A Mass not celebrated by ordained priest or on consecrated soil is naught but false ritual condemned by clergy. Thou hast befouled thine eyes with the filth of profane works and betrayed all things sacred. For thy punishment, thou shalt be damned to burn in flaming tombs and hang from enflamed crossed. And an eternity of infernal fire will not cleanse thee."

Wow. So much for going to church every day, eh? Dante's Inferno is scheduled for release on February 9, 2010.


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[Kollega]

Heh heh heh. Heh. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Predictable, but hilarious nontheless. I'm intrested what actual church officials will say about that.

And wouldn't it be sin of unbelivable laziness (AKA sloth) instead of heresy? Or maybe both?

 

[w-Jinksy]

Epic manuevres on both parts me thinks.

 

[Amnestic]

Shame. I was kinda hoping it was real.

If Dante's Inferno isn't God's Gift to Gaming it's going to make all this excess (but awesome) marketing seem a bit of a waste

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Dante's Inferno really does have the best marketing campaign ever. All those cool things they've been doing.

 

[War Penguin]

I wonder what the people who took this seriously thought when they saw that it was just a marketing gimmick to Dante's Inferno.

 

[ravensshade]

Shame. I was kinda hoping it was real.

If Dante's Inferno isn't God's Gift to Gaming it's going to make all this excess (but awesome) marketing seem a bit of a waste

actually i think people will be dissapointed in dante's inferno seeing this large scale marketing operation means people will/are expecting alot from it and you know what happens then...

(p.s i do hope i'm wrong though )

 

[Teh_Doomage]

What a great hoax though. Because it was feasible on the Wii...and would more than likely move about 100,000 units, maybe.

 

[ravensshade]

And wouldn't it be sin of unbelivable laziness (AKA sloth) instead of heresy? Or maybe both?

no heresy is the one indeed since it's a game about going to church WITHOUT the church

"A Mass not celebrated by ordained priest or on consecrated soil is naught but false ritual condemned by clergy.

but sloth would figure a bit aswell (but those probably get an entire circle of hell to themselves aswell..

 

[Distorted Stu]

All this advertising and i bet Dantes inferno isnt even good lol

 

[stonethered]

Heh heh heh. Heh. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Predictable, but hilarious nontheless. I'm intrested what actual church officials will say about that.

And wouldn't it be sin of unbelivable laziness (AKA sloth) instead of heresy? Or maybe both?

Cough*ninja*coughcough


Yep, we called it this time; at least no hammers were needed in this hoax.

Normally I look at advertising and think, "Oh great, another thing people want me to buy." But this advertising campaign has actually got me intersted in seeing how the game actually plays. I may buy it just to show support for the clever advertising; this level of effort should be rewarded.

 

[GoldenRaz]

If only we could see the numbers for how many actually wanted to pre-order that game. Even more hilarity if some of them would have been priests or clergymen. I mean, just imagine that huge slap in the face when you should be a pro on these things.

I'm getting more and more interested in this game due to it's hilarious marketing, and I hope it'll be any good.

 

[HardRockSamurai]

Wow. This is quite a marketing campaign they have going here. I think EA is trying to be the new ROCKSTAR...

 

[Poomanchu745]

I wonder what the people who took this seriously thought when they saw that it was just a marketing gimmick to Dante's Inferno.

Im pretty sure everyone that saw this on the escapist, at least, knew almost right away that this was a fake. I dunno why this got another post about it other than the fact that it links to Daunte's Inferno which is kinda funny.

 

[Obhraonian]

They must be really having fun marketing this game it's a prankster dream. As long as the final product end up being worthy of all this attention.

 

[Roamin11]

I find they are promoting Dante's Inferno in the oddest ways, any other game that was promoted like this?

 

[Pigeon_Grenade]

Big suprise