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EA's mock religious protest draws real religious protest

  • By Matthew Peters, GameSpot
  • Posted Jun 11, 2009 12:19 pm PT

E3 publicity stunt featuring actors in a faux protest of its upcoming game Dante's Inferno has upset some Catholics.

Abandon all hope, all ye who thought a PR firestorm would not erupt. Catholics across the blogosphere are angry with Electronic Arts, who hired several actors to stage a mock protest of its Dante's Inferno game outside the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

This guy was not one of the actors, to the relief of the Los Angeles Fire Department

This guy was not one of the actors, to the relief of the Los Angeles Fire Department

The staged protest included signs such as "Hell is not a game," "My high score is in Heaven," and "Trade in your PlayStation for a PrayStation." The actors were convincing enough to fool the bloggers at the Los Angeles Times, who also wrote that protesters promoted a multimedia antigame Web site. EA reps later confirmed to the Associated Press that the whole affair was staged by a marketing agency.

Now, GamePolitics is pointing out that the stunt has angered many real Catholic bloggers. Margaret Cabaniss of InsideCatholic wrote, "It's been clear for a while now that the entertainment industry views Christians on the whole as priggish, thin-skinned fun-killers... Has anybody at EA actually read the Inferno?"

Another blogger, at Catholic Video Gamers, wrote, "Gamers of all varieties will buy this product if its, well, actually a good game. So instead of engaging in a shamelessly anti-Christian stunt to promote your poor excuse of a product, maybe you ought to work on making this game, you know, something better than a blatant God of War rip-off and make it, ya know, something worthwhile?"

EA could not be reached for immediate comment on the backlash.

Based on 14th-century author Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, Dante's Inferno is a fantasy action game from Visceral Studios (Dead Space). As outlined in GameSpot's recent preview, it will follow the eponymous protagonist as he descends through the Nine Circles of Hell to save his love, Beatrice. It is currently scheduled to come out in the first quarter of 2010.

260 Comments

  • Sporaktu

    Posted Dec 1, 2009 3:36 pm GMT

    I thought it obvious that the game wasn't anything like actual story since the developers themselves said that the game would be remarkably boring with the main character represented as a poet. It is right there in the Dante's Inferno Developer Diary: Greed, here on Gamespot.

  • Mutiman

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 3:07 am GMT

    I don't see what the big deal is about this game. I am a Christian and have no problem playing a game based on hell and fighting your way thought it. Some people are just looking for an argument.

  • khornedeadra

    Posted Aug 11, 2009 10:00 am GMT

    @kaijukrash

    christian's are not mad that people are making a game about there mythology there mad because people did mock protests that makes them all look bad. @juuhammertime
    so if someone is catholic and they like videogames then there "epic fail". man those 2 words are the most over used words on the internet.

  • juuhammertime

    Posted Jul 28, 2009 8:37 pm GMT

    lol catholic videogamers
    epic fail

  • juuhammertime

    Posted Jul 28, 2009 8:35 pm GMT

    ps Crusades, Inquisition and Every native people in the world

  • juuhammertime

    Posted Jul 28, 2009 8:33 pm GMT

    protest sells
    kevin smith once protested dogma with his wife
    fundamentalist christians only weapon they have is guilt
    im not going to feel guilty about playing this game
    maybe what EA did was shameless a little
    Honestly i think the real protesters where mad that EA got there first

  • Fists1

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 10:26 pm GMT

    P.S. when they do run into a physical opposition they get jesus to come and wave it away in his glowing white omnipotence (they is Dante and Virgil)

  • Fists1

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 10:22 pm GMT

    the way I see they are both right, they are both monpolistic abusive over-hyped global institutions. The game is horribly innacurrate aswell, I am reading the book at school currently and I havnt noted dante slaughtering any demons with a scyth, he is a freaking poet. Also the book features alot more slime than fire.

  • kaijukrash

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 1:48 pm GMT

    "It's been clear for a while now that the entertainment industry views Christians on the whole as priggish, thin-skinned fun-killers..."
    I don't believe that on the whole but I'll say I've def come across waaay many more intolerant and up-tight Christians than say... Buddhists or Pagans or Atheists or Agnostics or Hindus or whatever.
    It just seems that if you want to create any type of entertainment involving the mythology of the Christian diety that doesn't involve grovelling and singing his praises than somebody's gonna wanna jump on you hard with both feet.
    But than again, Christians don't really have the best track record for letting folks alone to do their own thing.

  • khornedeadra

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 6:11 pm GMT

    and people tell you to shut up because they realize that you spew more bs than radical feminists.

  • khornedeadra

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 6:10 pm GMT

    "people like to have control, but no accountability..
    think about it especially the faithful.

    they put all responsibility on to their "god" oh it was god's plan.. god's will... or fate, or god works in mysterious ways... or god will protect me or come and save me.."

    im sure you came to that foolish conclusion after seeing only one or two examples. if i had that same mentality i could say that most atheists are teenagers who have no idea what there talking about(i draw that conclusion from you) most people do take responsibility for there actions. when something good happens they just say that god HELPED me to do this. not that god did it himself. and when they do something bad most people say there is no one to blame but MYSELF and ask god for guidance. oh and most wars WERE NOT religious. i would have to say only 10% of all wars are religious. maybe even less

  • khornedeadra

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 6:10 pm GMT

    "and a lot of these "traditions" change to accommodate the new times.. if so then why even have traditions in the first place? kind of redundant. and 90% of religions are: Fear and Guilt led series of traditions. backed by some mythology"

    WHAT! what are you talking about traditions change to accommodate the "new times". by new times i'm thinking that your referring to how traditions normally change after a progression of time. the change in tradition is usually by a new leader or new way of thinking in the ruling class like in fashion or politics or whats wrong and right. traditions are not changing to accommodate anything. and your very VERY wrong about fear and guilt leading religion. 95% of religions have a very different mix of emotions in a very different mix of subjects that those emotions are attached to. and mythology is the back bone of religion. you have NO idea what your talking about. im guessing you just like to spew anti-CHRISTIANITY(since that's the only things your whole atheist mentality is equipped to attack.) without any base.

  • khornedeadra

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 6:09 pm GMT

    @ lach0121

    WTF are you going on about? i think you need to lay off the drugs for a while.

    "traditions are irrelevant in how the world actually works.

    because everything in our known reality changes after a while. its called progression."
    WHAT? that makes no sense. stop trying to talk like you view things on a cosmic scale where small things like how people act are irrelevant to you.tradition is VERY relevant to how the world works. if we did not have tradition like your suggesting we get ride of humans would have probably died out long ago. and yes things in this universe do change in a manner of successive events but that does not mean that traditions will necessarily change. you could control all outlets of media and enforce the currents norms to a variety of various means. that way you could keep said tradition going forever(in theory a meteor could strike or something equally disastrous)

  • khornedeadra

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 5:33 pm GMT

    @jbentkowski2

    so if somone started to mock your beliefs you would not be offended? yeah that's what i thought its time for YOU to stfu and stop complaining when someone gets made when someone else disrespects there beliefs.

  • Jbentkowski2

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 7:08 pm GMT

    For the love of God.... Everything pisses catholics off, its time for them to stfu and grow a pair.... Another thing, games and religion don't mix, pick one or the other moron, otherwise you'll end up very confused.

  • TheSargeGuy

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 5:50 pm GMT

    It's official EA has pissed off "Everyone"

  • JustusCF

    Posted Jun 20, 2009 4:47 pm GMT

    Eh so typical of the anti-religious crowd, just makes you wonder how many people have embarrassed the religious crowd that were actually undercover as anti-Christians. These fake atheist teenagers here also piss me off, they're arrogant SOBs who just love attacking the religious people, they embarrass the real atheists and slow down the advancement of that movement.

  • Lach0121

    Posted Jun 19, 2009 11:58 am GMT

    @ELEDDO
    I have been off of gamespot for a few months. secondly, i will post here and have a right (temporary privilege) just as you do.. if you do not agree with what i say then dont agree.. but dont tell me to shut up sir, when i am only speaking what i think to be a logical point of view.

    see people like you who scream shutup without even listening or taking into account, are what start wars, and most of humanity's wars have been in the name of a god or religion.. all because one group didnt like what the other group thought. billions have died this way.

    and im not going to tell you to shut up. for you must speak your mind too, as long as its your mind your speaking, and not some bandwagon trend or trying to fit in.

    @georgeverity
    thanks and yes it is very true, one thing just about every religion has done to "god" is turn it into a human.. Christianity did actually very literally turn god into a man.

  • georgeverity

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 8:58 pm GMT

    Lach0121 your display picture is hilarious. It's so true.

  • reznahawks

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 12:14 am GMT

    I'm religious... and this game looks like fun. bfd if this game is based in a biblical setting (if you can call it that). If your offended by it, don't play it. I for one hope it turns out to be a good one.

  • GhostofDanzig

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 6:45 pm GMT

    I wasn't all that convinced about this game ripping off god of war untill I watched the trailer. That guy that pops up near the end seemingly out of nowhere and shouts 'you did this to me' reeks of the barbarian leader that kratos kills in one and then re-appears as a boss in two. Dante looks boring as hell as well, allthough it does seem to have a bit of LOK vibe to it, so I'll be watching this.

  • eleddo

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 5:37 pm GMT

    @ lach 0121 dude shut up please. i see all the comments and ur sh!t comes up almost every other one. by the way this should NOT be GS news and the games looks good

  • Gezquester

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 1:12 am GMT

    I don't belong to any kind of "organised" religion so this doesn't bother me, to be honest, it is just a game based upon something someone else wrote. At the end of the day people act in a way they believe God would like them too, with out having any actual idea what God's true intentions are, if there even is a God to have any intentions. At the end of the day, God doesn’t need a proxy. If this game truly offends God, if God even cares and doesn’t have more important things to attend to, then I'm sure God's omnipotent wrath will rain down upon the all those involved with it, until then I say just live your life and quit wining about some less than important PR stunt.

  • gameking5000

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 11:12 pm GMT

    Doesn't EA have any serious religious people?

  • zeniftan

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 7:12 pm GMT

    Good publicity in term's of the response good or bad... Bit over the top on EA's part, should've been more crowd friendly... I don't believe in the existence of a god(heaven) or a devil(hell) in any form. (please do not be offended, this is simply me stating my belief's, I'm not forcing them down your throat's. But should you believe this to be true, then please by all mean's stop reading this comment, I implore you).

    I believe that we live on this planet for a time, we each do our own thing. We find a partner/s, We create children, Then we die. Simple.... Which mean's in my view that we just evolved from cell's into fish, into lizards into...etc, etc.

    I won't buy this game anyway, it ain't my thing. But to EA: "sort yourselve's out, your like a brash 13 year-old on his/her birthday. Spoiled..."
    You have so many game's developer companies under your wing's nowadays that you think you can do anything and believe that no one will say anything. When will you learn that even if you do make a few good game's (which you have been doing recently.) you can't say everything you want. You just can't!

  • azureblade89

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 5:23 pm GMT

    Gotta give it to the Catholics. That was pretty f*cked up on EA's part.

  • sieg6529

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 9:02 am GMT

    heh, one reason people dislike religious establishments is that they get so worked up over such inconsequential things. don't they have anything better to do?

  • Lach0121

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 7:22 am GMT

    traditions are irrelevant in how the world actually works.

    because everything in our known reality changes after a while. its called progression.

    and alot of these "traditions" change to accommodate the new times.. if so then why even have traditions in the first place? kind of redundant. and 90% of religions are: Fear and Guilt led series of traditions. backed by some mythology.

    people like to have control, but no accountability..
    think about it especially the faithful.

    they put all responsibility on to their "god" oh it was god's plan.. god's will... or fate, or god works in mysterious ways... or god will protect me or come and save me..

    where is the responsibility in your own actions then???

    people talk about being smart, yet they throw logic completely out the window when it comes to mythology/religion.

  • mad_gamer23

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 7:12 am GMT

    Irony is not an asset religious people possess. Whining, however, is.

  • SirCroft

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 5:58 pm GMT

    When religious people don't fuss about a game, EA makes sure it's going to happen, even if it's fake.

  • Lach0121

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 3:40 pm GMT

    @toadman.
    faithful of just about any religious group has done stunts like this throughout history. religion instills segregation. and difference... think about it. gods chosen people. or the saved, the sinners, the evil, the heretics. and billions have died over this.. sad thing is: is our mythologies rule our realities.

    but one thing i do agree with you on is humanity needs to get over this segregation. and start showing something of the more positive side for one another. but we need to get rid of the control/greed mainstays in this system before it can happen anywhere near on a reality level.

  • Lach0121

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 3:36 pm GMT

    @riverwolf007
    you are right.

    the only difference between a cult and a religion/church is political power, and even then its blurry.

  • toadman682000

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 3:21 pm GMT

    I'm not Catholic, but I could understand why they'd be upset by this :\

    Are Atheists really so deluded as to believe they are the 'tolerant' ones of the bunch, when they pull intentionally offensive stunts like this?

    In reality, the Catholics WERE NOT in the streets protesting the game, how dare EA promote unjustified hatred (I'm also against the KKK). Humanity needs to get over its segregation and start showing some tolerance towards their fellow human beings.

  • aura_enchanted

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 1:48 pm GMT

    whos with me like seriously there heretical. im not out to be some fanatic over this but they've been lately quite greedy in rounding up and assimilating all the small time developers. it seems like just deserts they get treated to some righteous fury

  • HOMIE_G64

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 12:44 pm GMT

    Did EA honestly think they could get away with something like this? The first thing I thought of when I read about EA's stunt was "backlash."

  • Riverwolf007

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 9:07 am GMT

    cults are always pretty touchy about how they are percieved

  • Vambran

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 4:44 am GMT

    i best not say anything.

  • Massacher

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 4:13 am GMT

    this game looks sick, can't wait!

  • Ridonkeykong

    Posted Jun 14, 2009 3:01 am GMT

    behead those who insult islam!

    oh wait... they'll just blog

  • cloud345

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 9:29 pm GMT

    Why does it matter? Honestly im catholic and i dont care at all! Its a video games, get over it.

  • zeroking420_666

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 5:33 pm GMT

    so only some catholics are upset? wow what news!

  • Lach0121

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 4:31 pm GMT

    @trashunreal

    you are prolly more right on your statement than you may realize..
    its why i said religion and patriotism aren't too much different.

    Iceland's economy collapses (most people in america didnt even know, much less care) but if america's does, the entire world knows.

    wiccan.. druid... muslim... jew.. hindu... buddist... most of these same people posting here and posting about it being all mad and uptight, wouldnt be that way if it was any of these religions i stated here..

    but let it become catholic/christianity... being proud of being a christian is no different than being proud of being an american. or being proud to be irish, or proud to be a woman, or black... or a man... or military... or proud to be an al-quida... not much different.. if you think about it..

    it all promotes difference and segregation.. religion being the worst...
    seperates those who are good little followers/lambs.. from those who are "sinners" and evil people.
    lets not forget billions of people have died and killed over this "difference" which was instilled by religion.

  • Lach0121

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 4:24 pm GMT

    @feardarkness..
    yes it is true those are the definitions..
    though what i stated was not a definition.

    faith by concept.. by the very idea of faith itself. in order to really have it you have to: disregard any knowledge or evidence (if it opposes your views) just so you can stay true to an idea...

    now regardless if that idea is a person.. a god.. a religion... yourself...
    inorder to have "faith" you must go thru this process.. if you dont.. then you will not have "faith"..

    sad thing is faith is taught to everyone on the globe in some form or another, whether it be religion.. or patriotism.. (which isnt too different)...

    bottom line if you are taught to disregard something anyone may say or an idea they may present... then you are taught "faith" in some way.

    but like i said, what i was talking about was the entire concept of faith, the process behind it.... not so much the written definitions. Also, I have not lied in anything i have posted. if you "think" about what i have posted, you may then understand that.

  • jmartin1016

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 4:20 pm GMT

    I'm still interested In Dante's Inferno. They Made Dead Space. This team knows what their doing. Nothing else matters.

  • rob_dAmAgE

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 1:18 pm GMT

    if you are that much of an uptight person to get mad at something as funny as this- don't even bother playing games!! ALTHOUGH: i must say that i enjoyed what the catholic gamer wrote, especially about this game being a "blatant god of war rip-off"

  • W3En

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 12:22 pm GMT

    What did they have to loose? Half the gaming community already dislikes them for the terrible games they spew out left and right.

  • thrashunreal

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 7:44 am GMT

    It's funny how you folks are only offended when it's Christianity they're mocking. Otherwise it's "Who cares! If you don't like it, don't buy the game!" If this were a mock Islam protest, you wouldn't be saying anything.


    "Praystation"... love it.

  • Megamanx266

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 12:53 am GMT

    Lol, I'm surprised EA had to resort to some staged protest in order to get a reaction for this game.

    But honestly... if EA wants to waste their money on some silly marketing ploy instead of actually making GOOD games then let them.

  • dvance10

    Posted Jun 13, 2009 12:42 am GMT

    IMO this was a stupid stunt. i am a christian and honestly could care less wat people have to say. but to mock my faith is low. it doesnt offend me, but it does lose my respect for EA. im all for a little good natured humor, but there are lines for reasons. if people would actually see wat those comments above stated they would see that the people were not criticising the game, but the stunt. it was childish. i play my fair share of games and dont think that its the devil ha ha. i loved reading the devine comedy and am still looking forward to this game. i just wish ea would try to focus on puttin out great games and positive advertising. the people on here arguing about science vs religion ect. just give it up. gah. one of my favorite verses is so true and can apply to anyone, anywhere, and anytime. It comes from the book of ecclesiastes. For everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven- ecclesiastes 3:1. Now if anyone wants to comment on anything i have said. feel free to

  • aura_enchanted

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 9:16 pm GMT

    @ timstuff very true.

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