I can see this campaign coming to the attention of the likes of Fox News and yet another controversy flaring up. And EA has a pretty bad track record in handling controversies.
Dead Space 2 TV Advertisement Embraces Negative Media Image
- Thread starter Lancer723
- Start date
I think it's just fine.
When it comes to game commercials, there's really only one target audience: Gamers. And since anybody who liked the first Dead Space is probably going to play this, there's no point in advertising to them. So they advertise to gamers who haven't tried out Dead Space, probably why they said "It's everything you love in a game." They are obviously not trying to advertise this to non-gamers; because they probably know that if your a non-gamer, a commercial is not going to change your mind.
When it comes to game commercials, there's really only one target audience: Gamers. And since anybody who liked the first Dead Space is probably going to play this, there's no point in advertising to them. So they advertise to gamers who haven't tried out Dead Space, probably why they said "It's everything you love in a game." They are obviously not trying to advertise this to non-gamers; because they probably know that if your a non-gamer, a commercial is not going to change your mind.
I think it's in poor taste. Seriously, you would think a marketing department could have the decency to to advertise a game on its merits. What they've done here is try to sell it to one demographic by saying a different demographic wouldn't like it. The fact that one person doesn't like a product shouldn't be used as an indication of if you would like that product.
and yes, I realize I put "marketing department" and "decency" in the same sentence...
and yes, I realize I put "marketing department" and "decency" in the same sentence...
My interpretation of this advertisement, I see this as EA satirizing the negative reputation of video games. The reason being: It's already well established that Dead Space is a violent franchise, and people who like this type of game would still do, same for people who hates it. If someone's mom doesn't like violent video games, she wouldn't buy a game with a rated M on it anyway. the comment "It's revolting, it's violent, it's everything you love in a game, and your mom's gonna hate it." sounds sarcastic in itself. It just looks and sounds ridiculous, clearly going for humor in my personal opinion.
My only problem with this ad is that it assumes everyone interested in Dead Space is some immature thirteen year old boy, or basically a kid who has their parents buy games for them or whatever. I'm in my twenties, dude. And I know plenty of people in their thirties who loved Dead Space.
This really isn't a positive message to send when there's already a misconception that "video games are only for children, therefore violent video games are also trying to be aimed at kids and corrupt them".
Besides, isn't this an 18+ rated game? How many kids in that 13-17 year old age group are going to be able to get their hands on this game at all when it's specifically said in advertising that the parents who have to buy these games shouldn't do so? Besides, wouldn't they have been too young to have played the first Dead Space? If you are a kid and you are allowed to play this then, damn, you have some permissive parents.
This really is not a very good advertising strategy when you think about it. Parents won't buy this game for their kids or teenagers because of the ad saying that it's awful and violent, and it alienates the older gamers who are really the target demographic by talking down to kids.
This really isn't a positive message to send when there's already a misconception that "video games are only for children, therefore violent video games are also trying to be aimed at kids and corrupt them".
Besides, isn't this an 18+ rated game? How many kids in that 13-17 year old age group are going to be able to get their hands on this game at all when it's specifically said in advertising that the parents who have to buy these games shouldn't do so? Besides, wouldn't they have been too young to have played the first Dead Space? If you are a kid and you are allowed to play this then, damn, you have some permissive parents.
This really is not a very good advertising strategy when you think about it. Parents won't buy this game for their kids or teenagers because of the ad saying that it's awful and violent, and it alienates the older gamers who are really the target demographic by talking down to kids.
Okay, this is wrong on so many levels.
-It markets it to kids. If you're an adult, do you really think something's good because your mom doesn't like it?
-It makes the actual audience for the game (17 and up) look like a rabble of obnoxious, immature, whiney, stupid, all around unlikeable kids in adult bodies. And this is the same audience that made hits of Bioshock and Assassin's Creed, and need we forget Mass Effect? If that doesn't spell mature intelligence, I don't know what does.
-It paints the advertising industry in a negative light, as an entity so desperate for attention that it does controversial stuff to get itself free press (which it is, who are we kidding here?)
-It could easily be used against the "games are art" perspective by the next Jack Thompson/Michael Atkinson.
-It assumes that everyone in its target audience are idiots who can't tell an obvious actor from the real thing.
-It's a real kick in the balls to Visceral. Really, do you think that the people who worked on DS2 wanted it to be seen as an "atrocity?"
-EA's digging its own grave. If they want the respect of the community, they'd better show the community respect.
Oh, but it's good marketing. Yeah, that's a point in its favor.
-It markets it to kids. If you're an adult, do you really think something's good because your mom doesn't like it?
-It makes the actual audience for the game (17 and up) look like a rabble of obnoxious, immature, whiney, stupid, all around unlikeable kids in adult bodies. And this is the same audience that made hits of Bioshock and Assassin's Creed, and need we forget Mass Effect? If that doesn't spell mature intelligence, I don't know what does.
-It paints the advertising industry in a negative light, as an entity so desperate for attention that it does controversial stuff to get itself free press (which it is, who are we kidding here?)
-It could easily be used against the "games are art" perspective by the next Jack Thompson/Michael Atkinson.
-It assumes that everyone in its target audience are idiots who can't tell an obvious actor from the real thing.
-It's a real kick in the balls to Visceral. Really, do you think that the people who worked on DS2 wanted it to be seen as an "atrocity?"
-EA's digging its own grave. If they want the respect of the community, they'd better show the community respect.
Oh, but it's good marketing. Yeah, that's a point in its favor.
interesting, mind if I ask what's the first you got me curiousmindlesspuppet said:
OT: I actually think this is a really clever "thinking outside of the box" way to go around things, and it actually works! Kudos to them for coming up with this
I would have enjoyed the commercial if I wasn't positively sure Dead Space 2 will be a waste of time. Promotes the whole idea of parents letting their children play games, gives government types another thing to shake their sticks at. Game is M, not for kids, don't try to blur that line to get my attention.
Neverhoodian said:
Thanks. I'm gamer who's married with a job and a dog (who I admit, doesn't get to use my PC. Maybe if I get a console). I don't pretend to be cool, but hey, can the whole "oooooh, your parents will hate it!" line. It's a bit annoying, and it's part of an overall attitude that's one of the reasons I don't admit to the public at large that I play games.
Funny enough, I just started playing Dead Space today ($6.80 on Steam). It's an okay TPS romp, but edgy? Amnesia is edgy, Dead Space is more like a cross between Bioshock 1 and L4D. Except Bioshock 1 was actually kind of scary at times (but then again, Ayn Rand always creeped me out. Look at a photo of her sometime).
And if we're going to talk about cool, watch a video of Jimi Hendrix. That man defined cool, and he was dead before most of us were born.
Seriously? It's meant to get negative reactions? So they want gamers to look like a bunch of obnoxious violence loving wannabe murderers? Because that is what this advertising campaign is going to look like to non-gamers, especially those who already have that preconception (which is something we need to change, not encourage.Digi7 said:I loved it! It's great! A badass piece of advertising!
It's meant to get negative reactions!!
High five to the brave and clever marketer who came up with this!
I'm gonna go play DeadSpace now...
This isn't about aiming towards a core demographic of gamers and getting them to purchase a game. It's about making an advert that 100% plays up the negative aspects of an entertainment medium which currently has a fuckton of social stigmata. I don't understand how people can't see this as a bad thing...
I thought it was funny personally.
To the people saying "So they are aiming at children?" I would say not so much. It's just appealing to the fact there is gore in it. Your mom is going to hate it doesn't mean Your living with your parents.
For example. My mom Hates south park. The fact i don't live with her does not change this fact. She still hates South Park even though I am on the other side of the province.
... Funny thing is my mom would probably think it's cool. She secretly likes horror and stuff, so says my dad.
Besides, why do you need to change anything. You don't know these people. The only way to really change there minds would be to strip all the violence out of video games. In other words, censor them.
So until your willing to help censor all video games there will be people trying to censor them. It doesn't matter what an ad, or even a hundred ads, air. As long as games with heavy violence exist people will judge you for them.
People called Rock and Roll the devil. Kiss played it up as hard as they could. Oddly enough nothing bad ever came of it.
Hostel, Saw, and all those other ultra violence movies aired ads that basically said "Violent gruesome murder gore! Very gross and senseless! Come watch!" yet, here we are. With movies still being made, with zero consequences. Hell the mainstream seems to have left the torture films alone for now.
It's not a bad thing. It's nothing. Nothing will come of it. At all. In a week almost everyone will forget about it. After everyone buys the game people will talk about it for a few weeks, maybe a month or two, and it will fade away. Just like every other game that was 'controversial'. It's not. Many people are going to get in a huff over nothing.
In the end, people are more likely to judge you based on how you look. Not on what you do anyway.
To the people saying "So they are aiming at children?" I would say not so much. It's just appealing to the fact there is gore in it. Your mom is going to hate it doesn't mean Your living with your parents.
For example. My mom Hates south park. The fact i don't live with her does not change this fact. She still hates South Park even though I am on the other side of the province.
... Funny thing is my mom would probably think it's cool. She secretly likes horror and stuff, so says my dad.
Rather then playing down the fact it's a violent game it's playing it up. Which is better to be honest, a violent game that pretends it's not or a violent game that is at least honest about it. If anything, hey, maybe one of the neglectful parents might keep 10 year old billy the borderline psycho from playing it because he saw on the teevee it might be violent?GiantRaven said:
Besides, why do you need to change anything. You don't know these people. The only way to really change there minds would be to strip all the violence out of video games. In other words, censor them.
So until your willing to help censor all video games there will be people trying to censor them. It doesn't matter what an ad, or even a hundred ads, air. As long as games with heavy violence exist people will judge you for them.
It doesn't have a fuckton of social stigma. You hear a lot about it in news and talk shows and other mass media crap but honestly in the real world very few people care. Media likes to hype this apparent 'stigma' because it brings in the steady viewers who have alreayd made up there minds.
People called Rock and Roll the devil. Kiss played it up as hard as they could. Oddly enough nothing bad ever came of it.
Hostel, Saw, and all those other ultra violence movies aired ads that basically said "Violent gruesome murder gore! Very gross and senseless! Come watch!" yet, here we are. With movies still being made, with zero consequences. Hell the mainstream seems to have left the torture films alone for now.
It's not a bad thing. It's nothing. Nothing will come of it. At all. In a week almost everyone will forget about it. After everyone buys the game people will talk about it for a few weeks, maybe a month or two, and it will fade away. Just like every other game that was 'controversial'. It's not. Many people are going to get in a huff over nothing.
In the end, people are more likely to judge you based on how you look. Not on what you do anyway.
As Yahtzee has said in his Splatterhouse review "A game selling its self on gore is hopelessly quaint"
Most games are bought because of the violence and gore
But there are a few exceptions
Most games are bought because of the violence and gore
But there are a few exceptions
Ok I get the whole people want gaming to be taken seriously as an art form but even with a different advertising campaign Dead Space 2 is not going to be the game that elevates the mediums artistic worth.
It is immature but that's not a bad thing for this kind of game. I mean it's a horror game. The genre is not exactly known for it's meaningful stories, deep characters, holding a mirror up to society thing. Honestly I think it's a good campaign and if you're getting offended by it you need to get off your high horse and stop thinking that all of society frowns upon gaming. Because it doesn't.
If they advertised a movie like Saw whateversequal like this no one would be upset or complaining how it makes genuinely good films look bad.
Also I'm not sure how ratings work in the US or where ever the M rating is from, but here in Australia it's an MA15+ game which means kids 15 and older are allowed to buy and play it so the advertising isn't really all that inappropriate.
It is immature but that's not a bad thing for this kind of game. I mean it's a horror game. The genre is not exactly known for it's meaningful stories, deep characters, holding a mirror up to society thing. Honestly I think it's a good campaign and if you're getting offended by it you need to get off your high horse and stop thinking that all of society frowns upon gaming. Because it doesn't.
If they advertised a movie like Saw whateversequal like this no one would be upset or complaining how it makes genuinely good films look bad.
Also I'm not sure how ratings work in the US or where ever the M rating is from, but here in Australia it's an MA15+ game which means kids 15 and older are allowed to buy and play it so the advertising isn't really all that inappropriate.