Stolen Pixels #145: Re: Your Box Art

Shamus Young

New member
Jul 7, 2008
3,247
0
0
Stolen Pixels #145: Re: Your Box Art

Hey BioWare, we saw you were running out of ideas for Mass Effect 2's box art, so here are some suggestions.

Read Full Article
 

Doug

New member
Apr 23, 2008
5,205
0
0
Hmmm, your theory is probably right - its likely designed to pull in the shooter fans. As for putting off the RPG fans, I don't know...

I mean, if someone is a RPG fan, I would be surprised if they've never encountered a bioware game before, so just sticking a BioWare label on it or having the words "Mass Effect" big enough should be enough to get the 'casual RPG buyer' to pick it up.

EDIT: Also, Evony - are they really doing well? Thats depressing....
 

ccesarano

New member
Oct 3, 2007
523
0
0
There's always the possibility this is one of many covers that went through focus testing, and in the end this is what people liked the best. Personally I don't want to see Commander Shepard on any of the covers as he's always different. Or, at least, he's drastically different for me. Much rounder face, hair in a graeco-roman style, more pale, etc.

Still, considering Bioware's marketing tactics for Dragon Age (which doesn't at all play or come off the same as in the trailers), I imagine they're trying to get the fratty-bo-batty interested in higher-art by making it look a Hell of a lot more basic.

The downside is, those kids will always prefer games like Halo or Call of Duty. They don't even play those games for story. It's all about the competition, and until Mass Effect has multiplayer that can compete no one will care so much about how deep the universe is, or how often your moral standing is tested with countless gray areas.

So yeah, it's pretty generic box art. But honestly, what else would you put on there that wouldn't come off as generic?
 

Swaki

New member
Apr 15, 2009
2,013
0
0
funny as always, but then i tried to think of a company that went broke promising boobs to nerds, after i couldn't think of any (and got reminded about a few that made porn for nerds) i got depressed, nerds where once viewed/stereotyped as being smart *sniff*.
 

UtopiaV1

New member
Feb 8, 2009
493
0
0
Random argument man said:
That EA symbol seems very big in the last frame.
EA want everyone to know that Halo is their *****... It's not true, they just want everyone to think it...

I think their design is very clever. People who liked the first will buy this game anyway, REGARDLESS of the cover art, so their custom is a given.
People who like space shooters will buy this game because they, you know, like the look of it and stuff. That's more money in the bag.
The undecided about the first game will look at this box art and think "Hmm, this looks A LOT different from the first game. Maybe they changed it for the better?" The sad, hopeful idiots. Cha-ching.
Finally, it looks a little less generic and dark grey/blue than the first one (and like most serious games out there). Parents pick it up for their kids cos it looks a friendlier alternative to the other FPS's the kid wants (eg GoW2). Now they're swimming in the money.

Clever Bioware bastards. I want to work for them!
 

oppp7

New member
Aug 29, 2009
7,045
0
0
I lol'd at the Evony reference. I really hate that game. It exploits women so much in their game.
 

dududf

New member
Aug 31, 2009
4,072
0
0
Wow, that Halo/Mass Effect 2 one was pretty good, now all you need is some explosions to get in the Micheal Bay fans...and a naked vampire, as the video game world needs more women *duh dum tish*...what not funny?... *sigh*
 

Yog Sothoth

Elite Member
Dec 6, 2008
1,037
0
41
Shamus Young said:
What happens when the wrong audience shows up?
Probably about the same thing as when all the Halo fan-boys picked up Fallout 3... You guys should've seen the forums on xbox.com... it was hilarious!

Great comic, BTW... really made me chuckle...
 

Aedes

New member
Sep 11, 2009
566
0
0
The last cover is hilarious.

Good comic. Now, I wonder if they will keep that cover. It is just meh.

GodsAndFishes said:
Is it bad that I really like that Halo 3 Mass effect 2 cover?
Yes it is! Now repent your sins before it's too late!
 

DTWolfwood

Better than Vash!
Oct 20, 2009
3,716
0
0
RoFL can't believe you actually went there! XD that last slide is brilliant.

Evony comment is also win! XD
 

Avatar Roku

New member
Jul 9, 2008
6,169
0
0
Yog Sothoth said:
Shamus Young said:
What happens when the wrong audience shows up?
Probably about the same thing as when all the Halo fan-boys picked up Fallout 3... You guys should've seen the forums on xbox.com... it was hilarious!
Oh, god, that does sound funny. I think I can imagine it, but do you remember any specific quotes?
 

DeadlyYellow

New member
Jun 18, 2008
5,141
0
0
It seems odd to paste a character's mug up there when their appearance is rather random. Same as the first, but quite a bit of his actual face was masked on that cover.
 

Geo Da Sponge

New member
May 14, 2008
2,611
0
0
Oh, it's the new installment of "I know better than all the people who make their living doing this". I can't believe that people have nothing better to do to complain about than the box art of a game, especially when they've almost certainly already decided whether they want to buy the game or not.