A Dead Space 2 viral campaign launching this weekend took plenty of chutzpah, I’ll give it that. Electronic Arts brought in 200 middle-aged mothers under the auspices of a focus group looking at a new game. They were, aptly, horrified.
Four videos that released yesterday show mums walking into a conference room where they’re greeted by a disembodied voice and a video monitor. They then watched some of the worst Dead Space 2 has to offer. All of this goes into a campaign called “Your mum Hates Dead Space 2.” Which implies you’re going to love it.
I cringed throughout the four one-on-one videos, not because of what they were watching but because put-ons like this involving unsuspecting victims always make me feel a little bad for them. I was always the guy hanging up before someone could tell me whether or not his refrigerator was running.
But the mums are tough ladies. They take it like pros and it seems their disgust for the game is genuine (well, Celestine, “No. 0124″ seems to bear it in a slasher-flick/rollercoaster way.) Video links below.
Braaains
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 9:52 AMSurely this whole “your mum is going to hate it” angle kind of undermines the industry’s claims that they don’t market adult games to kids?
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against the game itself – I loved the first Dead Space and I’ll definitely be getting this one. But this kind of marketing just has more than a hint of hypocrisy about it.
Dogmeat
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 10:18 AMAgreed with Braaains. Marketed at kids pushing ultra violence. What the hell? Thanks for the step back EA.
Mr Waffle
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 12:24 PMExcellent point, this sort of idea is aimed straight at 15 year old boys…
5footassasin
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 12:40 PMTotally agree with both comments, this whole campaign makes me cringe as someone interesting in furthering the social standing of gaming
Strange
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 10:44 AMSurely they’re actors? Their make-up and eyebrows are all perfect, what “Mom” has time for that? :P
Jiffy
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 10:46 AMMaybe so, but i know my mum would absolutley hate this and im 23, i thought these were hilarious. Did anyone else catch at the end of #0124 the “Your mum will medium disapprove of this” that cracked me up!
Jagji56
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 12:10 PMUm…. this is the sort of advertising I don’t like. Specially since the game will be R18+ everywhere. Or at least should be.
*Waits for EA to get sued.*
Thermal Ions
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 9:13 PMNah, it’ll be MA15+ here.
Random
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 3:00 PMWhile I lol’d at the woman claiming “This isn’t a game, its a kind of mind-altering demonic weapon”, this is the sort of juvenile nonsense I thought we’d long seen the end of. It was usually used to promote games as being ‘extreme’ to cover up just being bad. They may as well have ended with “Jon Romero will make you his bitch”…
At the end of the day, you could have put any modern shooter in front of these women and got the same response, as they clearly had no idea of the standard of games these days – its hardly an indicator of the ‘extreme’ nature of the game.
Its a shame EA felt it necessary to resort to this, as the first game was great, and I’m sure this one will be too.
v4next
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 5:23 PMIts interesting to note how these “adult” woman, dont seem to understand that this is a “Horror” game, and also that you are battling this evil to save your own (characters) life. And some people just never face their fears in any form – just hide in the closet ladies, they wont find you there…
v4next
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 5:25 PMAnd is it really us gamers who cant tell the difference between Reality and Virtual Reality…
tsengan
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 8:22 PMI’m glad they’re marketing Dead Space 2 on the amazing gameplay!
Oh wait.
gman
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 11:54 PMYeaaaaa….no.
EA you might want to reshuffle your marketing staff.