E3: Dante's Inferno protest [UPDATED]
Update June 9, 3:14 pm: Electronic Arts Spokeswoman Tammy Schachter has confirmed that the "protest" was a publicity stunt. But that hasn't stopped some journalists, including ourselves, from thinking it was real. After the recent ruckus over EA's Godfather 2 gag, the score appears to be rogue viral marketing 2, game journalists 0.
It now appears that the protest against the Electronic Arts game "Dante's Inferno" that we posted about Wednesday was actually a publicity stunt arranged by EA itself. A brochure handed out by the protesters -- or is that actors? -- points to a website, wearesavedgroup.org, which appears designed to promote "Dante's Inferno" as much as bash it. There's a video full of game footage, a link to the trailer, and a link to the official Dante's site.
The site was registered on Monday, June 1, through Domains By Proxy, a company that lets people set up websites without disclosing their identity.
-- Ben Fritz
ahh i knew when i saw them standing no the corner yesterday that they were planted there by EA. they just didn't have protester vibes for some reason.
Posted by: s | June 04, 2009 at 12:44 PM
I saw this yesterday, and took one of their pamphets, which is pretty cleary more promotional than condemning. I am disappointed that EA is alright with usurping the voice of religious people to promote a game. Past viral/guerilla marketing campaigns have been more clearly divorced from reality, and I think this crosses a line. If EA had "protestes" who were of an ethnic group out there with literature and costuming that made them look foolish, I think the inappropriateness of this campaign would be more clear.
In a world suffering because business seems to feel that the ends justify the means, I hope we see the return of basic ethics to business soon.
Posted by: Thom Olson | June 04, 2009 at 01:36 PM
You guys are silly. Some video game bloggers uncovered that it was fake the moment it came out. I guess they have some inside sources.
http://hellforge.gameriot.com/blogs/Hellforge/E3-2009-Christians-Protest-Dantes-Inferno
Posted by: Jonathan Brosef | June 04, 2009 at 04:19 PM
¿Return of basic ethics to business?, that has never existed. Anyway it´s a game about an inferno, if religious people were actually protesting one should laugh at their inmadurity
Posted by: Shatten | September 12, 2009 at 11:24 PM