Deep Silver Apologizes for Mutilated Dead Island Torso

[1337mokro]

No it doesn't regret fucking shit!

That bust (no pun intended) was nothing more than a publicity grab, they only made one of those things to stir up controversy. Nobody is stupid enough to ACTUALLY think people would like that. No they knew they would hate it and tried to use it as a cheap publicity stunt.

The bad news for them being that I only heard of it now. Meaning nobody gave enough of a shit to raise a big enough issue like with the Hitman Nuns.

 

[FEichinger]

So if it was a DUDE, folks wouldn't be up in arms?

Damn sexists!

You know who's been considered a trophy, a thing to look at, a lump of primary sexual characteristics, a faceless object with no agency, to be sold throughout history?

Not dudes.

This is the first time I actually see the reason for this being deemed sexist worded. By now it was for the most part "How would anyone even think of this?!" or "Yep, it's sexist, and creepy." No exploration of why it's sexist.

When I saw it this morning, I thought, "Wow, that's tasteless. Gamers will probably eat it up."

For people who keep asking what the problem is, for me, the problem is that they've clearly made it into a sex object. She has no face. She has no identity. She's just a meat sack with incongruously unspoilt tits. Because apparently, that's all Deep Silver thinks male gamers want. And apparently male is all Deep Silver thinks gamers are. [...]

And here comes the second. Awesome. Now to answer them:

It makes sense. Reducing a woman to what is perceived as the most defining - and most sexual - parts, and then placing "her" on what is essentially a trophy bloc, is definitely in very bad taste, and regarding recent events not exactly the brightest of decisions.

But, as I said before: I agree with that. It is sexist, it is yet another pretty poor statement about the games industry. What it not is, however, is a carefully executed plot against women. That, is how it felt to me with news posts not only on the Escapist, but all throughout gaming magazines, though.

If I had the money, it was available where I live and I actually liked the game, well, I'd probably buy it. Not because TITS, but because it is fitting for the game, if you take out the implications. If "she" was a male torso, any other body part, or didn't have such obvious ... uhm, adjustments made, "she" would be perfectly fine. Great idea, lacking big in execution.

 

[porous_shield]

It's repulsive and in poor taste but the thing about taste is it's subjective. I've seen lots of weird collector stuff around for movies, particularly horror, and I don't see how this is any worse than that. It's a zombie game so why is a torso such a weird idea for a collectors edition? I don't see what all the uproar is about.

I would think this thing had anti-sex appeal since it's horrid.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Oh... LOL. Rather than work up a new post I'll just quote one I just finished making in Discussion on the same subject before I read this.

"... it just reinforces my opinion that too many game developers are so lacking in basic social skills and sensibilities they should never be let out of their coding cubicles, because it's just embarassing for the rest of us when they are."

Really, some of these studios need to hire a fully functioning sane person to give an opinion on things like this before it ever gets this far.

This. Who honestly thought a dismembered bikini-clad torso would sell? Whoever seriously thought that deserves to be chemically neutered.

 

[XMark]

Before this thing, I had forgotten about Dead Island, and I had no idea about the Riptide expansion.
Now I've been reminded about Dead Island and I know about the Riptide expansion.

I pronounce this obvious PR stunt a success.

 

[Cecilthedarkknight_234]

Ok, I have a question for you folks:

Would you buy this? And if so, would you still buy it if it were a male torso?

I'm not judging anyone, I'm genuinely curious.

That depends does the male torso come with a speedo??

 

[Phlakes]

Really? This is an issue? If you don't like it then don't buy the collectors edition. Move on and stop getting your shorts in a bunch ( i would have said panties in a twist, but the overly sensitive nature of some, would have taken that as some kind attack on woman *roll eyes*). It's pretty easy to see what happened here. They wanted to add a different gory bust as a bonus for the collectors edition, and didn't want to go the normal full on body route. Most of the players of these kind of games are men, so they chose a female bust. It's not some sinister plot to attack woman. Grow up. You are adults now.

Fighting for women's rights is a great issue to pursue, this here isn't an attack on those rights. It's a statue meant for young men who like zombies and boobs. If woman were the main group for this game, it would have likely been a male bust.

This isn't about women's rights. If it was a statue of a man's torso it would still be fucked up.

Because it's a mutilated torso.

That's fucked up.

Seriously.

This coming from someone who spent the elementary school shooting aftermath on /r/imgoingtohellforthis.

 

[Daft Ghosty]

Ok, I have a question for you folks:

Would you buy this? And if so, would you still buy it if it were a male torso?

I'm not judging anyone, I'm genuinely curious.

Yes I would. I'm more then a gamer. I love horror films, among other genre as well. I see it for what it is. A kind of art. It isn't appealing to allot of people who are wound to tight. Something everyone has to keep in mind. This is not real. It isn't for everyone, but neither is the game. So again yes I'd buy it, and place it on top of my desk along with about two dozen other figures from other games and movies. But I wont. I enjoyed the first game for the most part, but it really lacked in allot of parts, and was buggy. I'm afraid that while I like the statue, I wont buy the game to get one.

 

[Hagi]

So...

Let me sum this up,

People are outraged because the collector's item of a horror game is horrifying?

 

[Mr C]

Is it wrong I think the torso is cute and I want one?
I don't really see a problem with it except maybe people in Britain might get upset that their flag is a bikini.

I welcome my flag over the chests of women anytime.

 

[Daft Ghosty]

This isn't about women's rights. If it was a statue of a man's torso it would still be fucked up.

Because it's a mutilated torso.

That's fucked up.

Seriously.

This coming from someone who spent the elementary school shooting aftermath on /r/imgoingtohellforthis.

That's funny because a few posts mentions it being a problem because it is a woman. But lets put that aside. The statue is nothing compared to what you see in the game, much less other games that do far worse. I could care less that it is a chopped up torso. Why? because it isn't real. It is for a mature rated horror game, but a G rated kids game. There are things in this worlds that should rile people up. This video game, and its collectors edition isn't one of them. When the company hacks up a real body, and tries to sell that, then get back to me. Until then they can pop out statues that would make a sailor blush, and I could give two cents about it. I'm an adult. When I don't like something that has no affect on me, I just ignore it totally.

There really is worse things in this world, than a statue for a horror game.

*edit corrected a spelling error

 

[lacktheknack]

To everyone asking "What's the problem?":

It's a nasty sexualization of dead things. That's the problem.

It would just be creepy and gross if it was a fully clothed torso (although the mutilated additions are just begging for attention and controversy), but it's outright disgusting when they've put it in a bikini because sex.

http://cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/417/417838.jpg

Mmmmmm, sexyyyyyyy.

See the issue?

And no, "It takes place at the beach" isn't a good rebuttal. Bikinis are rarely that skimpy.

 

[Callate]

Ah, but is it the torso of "Feminist Whore Purna"?

(For the short of memory, before you prepare to call me a misogynistic ass: http://kotaku.com/5838387/dead-island-maker-gives-leading-lady-a-feminist-whore-skill )

 

[VoidWanderer]

So if it was a DUDE, folks wouldn't be up in arms?

Damn sexists!

Probably. I think this more of an outcry of "No violence against women", rather than "OMG Skimpy Zombie in a Bikini". Does this remind anyone else of the goat sacrifice for GOW3?

 

[CardinalPiggles]

You know I only glazed over the first news post about this because it's only a zombie torso, big deal. How many horror films and zombie games have dismembered limbs and such on screen? How many heads have we decapitated?

"For the limited run of the Zombie Bait Edition for Europe and Australia, a decision was made to include a gruesome statue of a zombie torso, which was cut up like many of our fans had done to the undead enemies in the original Dead Island."

Except you can't actually do that in Dead Island, you sleazy hack. Don't try and spin this like it was some kind of playful homage to the gameplay.

Did we play two different versions? Because I remember doing this whenever I got angry with the game.

Spoiler: NSFW or children

 

[EvilChameleon]

I welcome my flag over the chests of women anytime.

That's the spirit! For the record, there is also an American Flag version folks.

 

[Lugbzurg]

Was adding the statue a really stupid idea? Well, yeah. There's really no point to that.

Was the level of outrage justified? I don't think so, no. It was a frivoless move, but I don't think people should freak that much over a fake chunk of a fictional character, if that even is anyone specific. I can't imagine anyone would really be interested in keeping any such object, but people shouldn't freak out as much as they are.

a decision was made to include a gruesome statue of a zombie torso, which was cut up like many of our fans had done to the undead enemies in the original Dead Island.

It was pointless to manufacture this object, sure. But if it's something available to players in the game itself, then why are people freaking out over this, when anyone can get the same effect multiplied in the game, itself?

 

[Daft Ghosty]

In the same vein as Smilomaniac above. The walking dead season 2 collector's edition blu ray is a zombie head with a screw driver in the left eye socket. In short gory packages is nothing new.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Walking-Dead-Complete-Limited/dp/B007MS5B6Q

 

[likalaruku]

Guy 1: "We sincerely regret the decision to include a dismembered female torso with the European collectors edition of Dead Island: Riptide."

Guy 2: "Yes, next time it will be male."