Caveat Emptor: EA’s Dante’s Inferno Super Bowl Commercial

The video game community has done this for a decade or more… where have you been? I am being serious, they have always done that and it’s only been recently they have started using actual in-game renders as the actual cut scenes. Sounds like you just have your panties in a bunch over nothing. The game looks sweet, I’ve seen the in-game footage and it reminds me of ninja gaiden and god of war in all of their bloody splendor. Why don’t you write about the lack of original games.

@brutalsun: the point is you and I are used to seeing pre-rendered CGI in game trailers, but a lot of the people who watched the Super Bowl are not. I’m not saying Dante’s Inferno is bad (on the contrary: I’m enjoying it). I’ll be posting my impressions on the actual game soon.

So do you post blogs like this when an advertisement for a camera phone has “Images on screen simulated” or that “objects in mirror are closer than they appear”?

Personally I don’t think you are giving the public enough credit. Yes Americans attention span can be on the shorter side of things but I agree with brutalsun. The game buying community is used to seeing commercials that isn’t game play footage. Plus all the people that are going to be “wondering where the game they saw on the commercial went” will see it within the first cut scene.

Your trite bit of journalistic trash has made its way to flipping Yahoo! I am sure you are overjoyed that you bit of asshatery has landed you some bit of notice, but if you read the comments you will how impossibly irritated you have made people.

I don’t even care about the game the game or the publisher. It is your baseless

One would have to be a complete idiot to mistake an ad comprised of the game’s cinematics with the game itself.

It’s quite clear that this person is either new to the gaming world, or is just trying to get some attention. Gaming ads have been like that for over a decade, since older consoles relied heavily on game cinematics as a selling point, and everybody knows it. It didn’t spark controversy then, and it surely won’t now, since games are as close to looking like the cinematics themselves as they ever were.

This is just another idiotic attempt to get media attention.

I agree with @mauerhan. We are all obese from our media over-consumption, but we are also more savvy. Give the populace a little credit.

people like this are why it’s necessary to put “toy does not actually fly or transform itself and etc.” disclaimers in toy commercials.

are you the person who sued mc donalds for hot coffee?
Why dont you blog about something worthwhile, like why do americans like football when its such a pansy sport? (easy to answer, pansy is for pansies) Or where are modern day gladiator battles?

I’m going to have to agree with what everyone else has said. While I understand you’re point of predominantly non-gamer viewers during the Super Bowl, you have to realize that those same people who aren’t gamers…aren’t gamers. If they’re people who don’t already play games then they won’t own a system and most likely won’t purchase a system and game only because of an awesome looking commercial. Those people would only buy a system off a friend’s recommendation. And the rest of the population, who play games, know that they would never see such amazing graphics in a game and that it is only a video.

This is clearly this first game you have reviewed….Look at the Diablo series – Blizzard spend big bucks developing cinematic trailers.

And who decided that Super Bowl viewers were not gamers?

Now, now. Give this guy a break – I’m totally with him on this one. I myself have been playing “Lord of the Rings Online” and feel the same way. I bought it because the WITCH-KING OF ANGMAR PUT HIS FACE ON THE BOX but that jerk has never once come up to me and said hi or showed up at any campfire weenie-roasts. Even if he doesn’t want to be in a fellowship, at least you’d think he’d try to slice me from behind on the road or something. And when I tried getting my money back, Turbine reps flatly refused.

Can you believe it? Let’s start a petition to stop misleading picturepages, angry superbowl-ad man, and teach these sneaky geniuses a lesson!

To horrorgasm: Hang on just a second, now, my transformers can…oh, what in the…DAMMIT! >:( LAWSUIT CITY, HERE I COME

Hey guys..you just made his day…I’m sure he knows he was going to get blasted for it but hey..whats wrong with extra attention? Like my man said..The non gamers arent going to go buy a system bc of one game…I mean we arent like that and we are gamers and have loyalty to some brands..this guy is a joke…and its kinda embarassing to hear someone say such nonsense..find something to rwrite about bro..don’t bash ea..this game will be off tha hook..and you kno it

If you have played the Demo, then you would know that the graphics in the game are just as good if not better then those shown. They use cut scenes all the time to advertise games. I don’t see you busting you ass to make something as epic as this game is bound to be.

Your kind of stupidity is exactly what causes problems in this country. I’m fairly certain that one could look at the back of the game box to get a decent idea of what the game was actually like or watch a youtube video and/or read reviews first. Do you seriously believe that people would go out and buy a game like this even though they knew nothing about it? I guess they went and bought a brand new console too probably? You probably threw a fit when you were younger after buying Sea-Monkeys and figuring out they didn’t really look like they did on the box! Dear lord man…have you no brains!?!?!?!?!

I think an oversight grossly neglected here is that while superbowl watchers may not be gamers, chances are in this day and age that they are PARENTS OF GAMERS. And how often has a kid received a surprise game gift, right? “Oh, honey, saw an ad for this and thought you’d like it.”

There is no insinuation that they go out and buy a new system based upon viewing this commercial. In no way was that inference made. Rather asinine to even suggest logically, no?

RYC@mirtzig: Seriously dude, are you even paying attention? Talking about the non-gamer population, how many non-gamers are going to do the research to look on youtube or look up reviews. Odds are, if they’re not gamers, they’re not savy enough to know where or how to find information on them either. I mean that rather inanely, obviously many people have mastered google, or understand the basic market of a “GAMESTOP”. But how would it even enter their mind to read a review of a “game” when the concept to begin with is foreign to them? Would you go and look up a review of “Scrabble” because you heard it was a good game? Maybe “Battleship” they say it’s classic! The non-gamers are out of the loop, and the point is odds are, that concept does not even enter their mind, sir.

But you come off so insulting, I suggest you take a look in the mirror before attacking someone’s intelligence. You sound 15. It would help if you paid attention to what was being said before you rushed to explain the solution, as then you would notice you kind of missed the point. At least in my opinion.

Oh sorry, I’m 16! Do you really think a non-gamer is going to get up off the couch and run to buy this game right after seeing this commercial? BTW, yeah people should review ANYTHING they buy something. Only retards such as yourself and the turdburgler who wrote this article (you’re probably the same person) would do otherwise. At the risk of sounding “15″ I’m now going to tell you to shut the hell up!

So essentially what you are saying is that video game companies are not allowed to advertise during the super bowl? I’m pretty sure it costs quite a bit to advertise during the most watched event of the year. If they were able to give up the cash they should be allowed to advertise their game. The scene from the commercial is what’s called a cinematic. They were showing the people the storyline rather than the gameplay and in fact at the end of the commercial they tell you that. How can a video game advertisement account for people thinking that it’s actual gameplay when it clearly states that it isn’t? This is an unfair accusation.

Yes McDonalds’ does display images of immaculate burgers, fries and shakes in their commercials….and by now most of the world who sees these commercials knows it’s just a show. We are not as used to “being fooled” in the video game world, and that’s one reason people are mad.

Also McDonalds’ pulls the ole “bait and switch” and gets away with it because in the end, 99 percent of people only care about the taste. We eat fast-food because its delicious (to most of us) and because it takes less than 5 minutes to put food in our mouths. My Big Mac could look like it has been stepped on, but if it tastes like a Big Mac…then baby I’m in!

When it comes to senses, food is mostly about Taste….and video games are 99 percent about what we SEE! and that’s why comparing what McDonalds’ does in their adds and what EA did in their SB add sounds like a BS excuse to me! If McDonalds’ promised me my Big Mac was now going to taste like heaven (a filet mignon if you will) and it turned out tasting like cat food (ode to District 9) I would be pissed!

How does that make you feel when every comment posted is slamming how stupid your blog makes you look? How you give no credit to the consumer (actually, that in itself isn’t really far from the truth), and the main point: that the demographic for Super Bowl viewers ARE THE EXACT SAME DEMOGRAPHIC AS GAMERS, MORON. These ad agencies pay out zillions of dollars to put their product out for display, you think they don’t know what they’re doing?

Check your stats first.

Out of the estimated 106 MILLION viewers for this year’s Bowl:
64% were male
48% were between the ages of 18-44
http://www.hozinc.com/fbdemo.html

Now the gamers demographic(As provided by The Entertainment Software Association):
68% of all American households game
60% male
49% are 18-49
Average age is 35
http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp

That means there were around 52-64 MILLION people, who knew exactly what was going on in the commercial. Those numbers seem to line up pretty good to me.

It’s common sense…How can anyone write something so stupid? Football fans ARE NOT video game fans?!?! Is that the dumbest thing ever written?

Excuse me now, I have to go quit this site as I only signed up to blast you. Idiot.

CHECK. YOUR. FACTS.

RYC@mirtzig: Sir, once again, you miss the point. Perhaps you fear having your point challenged – but again, it was NOT INSINUATED NOR SAID that products should not be reviewed before being purchased. The argument was that if you’re not educated on the subject, how would that thought even occur to you?

There was also not statement of “let’s go out immediately and get this!” nor was it, from my understanding the author’s intention to imply that. Merely, that upon seeing this ad, it would be at the back of minds of viewers for future reference. Everyone saw what the ad campaign did for Avatar, and you wonder why it grossed as much as it did…

I’d challenge you to act your age, but again you may misinterpret. You have the impulsive and judgementality nature of an adolescent, that is what I implied by my comment. And again you come out with insulting comments instead of discussing the topic at hand. I will direct you to ad hominem, an argumentative logical fallacy where you attack the speaker as opposed to the subject followed by straw man arguments to state your case. Please refer: http://www.csun.edu/~dgw61315/fallacies.html#Argumentum%20ad%20hominem. Come back when you are less hormonal.

@surfmore20 are you saying that if you saw this commercial and bought and or rented the game you would be upset about the fact that the commercial you saw was a cinematic clip rather than game play? I’m just not following your whole McDonald’s reference

The funniest part is that this is the writer’s most popular, most commented article.

Damn these amateurish, idiotic writers and reviewers getting media attention for questioning insosequential things that people already know way better than they do.

I’m sorry but where we you when all the Call for Duty or Halo games came out. I didn’t see you write a blog about it then. Plus video game commercials are not exclusive to G4 tv or Sci-Fi channel… they are shown everywhere. Which everyone who is or is not a gamer has the right to see them. Plus I thought men were supposedly the people who buy and play video games (even though I am a female and a hard core gamer. Shock and awe). The Superbowl is watched mostly by men. They are not going to play a Summer’s Eve or Estrogen replacement pills during the Superbowl like they do on Lifetime. There is a base there hence EA spending loads of money to show case the game there. Your either a gamer or your not and NO commercial of any epic game is going to sway you to either side. I’m not going to throw my 360 out the window cause I just got done playing WitchBlade and I’m not going to go and buy a Wii cause that Wii fit looks interesting.

I’ve been in GameStop many a times (too much my hubby says for God sakes they know my name) and there are plenty of soccer mom’s and non-gamers who ask is this good, is this not and can I play a demo. People are not stupid and they are not going to waste 50 bucks on a brand new game for something that is going to blow. Especially in this day and age. Hell hardcore gamers go into GameStop and have long as* conversations about what games are good and what is not. I’ve seen people in line with a sorry game and hard core people come up to them and say I wouldn’t do that if I was you. If your looking for a shooter go this way not this way. The mechanics are all off. Save your dry wall.

anonranreader and mirtzig why don’t you both just compare the size of your units and move on. Really. I find it funny anonranreader your upset or commenting about mirtzig attacking someone’s intelligence and you do the EXACT same thing. Doesn’t that make you a hypocrite no matter how eloquent you state it? Just wondering.

That’s a lot of HARD CORE HARDCORE HARDCORING there. Anyway, for the individual pulling ye olde pretentious straw man/ad hominem argument to devalue the opposition – perhaps a little less use of descriptions like adolescent ‘judgementality nature’ and consideration of your own words before jumping on the *.edu cool train and linking someone else’s smartypants werdzes.

Straw man is not applicable. Please reread your definition since you so kindly provided it, and try the analysis again.

Logic: the glorious refuge of the .edu page creators, and the eternal shame of the .edu page parroters :(

ps Someone please email the Witch-King of Angmar and ask him if he’s mad at me – he doesn’t reply to any of mine.

“I think an oversight grossly neglected here is that while superbowl watchers may not be gamers, chances are in this day and age that they are PARENTS OF GAMERS. And how often has a kid received a surprise game gift, right? “Oh, honey, saw an ad for this and thought you’d like it.”

yes because this is clearly a game any good parent would rush out to buy for their children.

The Witch-King of Angmar would buy it for his kids. Just sayin’.

Quit being a poopface anonranreader! Your desire to sound intelligent while writing your responses are hindering you from saying anything worthwhile at all. Quit trying to showcase your psuedo-intelligence by blabbbering on and on about how you’re smarter because you can argue properly without getting defensive. Sorry for all the name calling, but people like you sicken me. BTW, eat poop! Is that infantile enough for ya buddy? See ya turd lips.

@whatknot711: wow madam. How kind of you to state your thoughts and position. At least you stay on topic. Approachability may depend on location or community. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, and I’m not saying parents aren’t adapting to changing times. I’m just saying the majority are not where you’re at right now. And I’m only playing devil’s advocate in the sense that I’m not speaking in absolutes.

I was not intentionally insulting his intelligence, but educating him on the proper way to argue. For whatever reason I was struck by his comment enough to respond, but hardly a test of masculinity.

I am glad you are an educated parent who know many others. Kudos. A majority of the parents I know are blissfully ignorant. So the point stands.

I believe what you saw as hypocrisy was my way of challenging him to argue fairly. I see it as a challenge for listening/reading more than challenging his intelligence. I told him to look in the mirror BECAUSE the first thing he did was attack the speaker. I wished to illustrate how ineffective that was in both communication and open debate.

@mirtzig – I do apologize if you took personal insult, and also that I singled you out when I clearly applied crtiticsms. I do hope you were able to calm yourself enough to see what I was saying. I hope in this effort truly we may show this was not some battle of masculine pride.

yo

@Horrorgasm: Haha, sir, again, like Whatknot711, I may suggest you may just be in a privileged neighborhood. I was in Gamestop not two weeks ago when a kid not 4′ tall (9-10ish) asked the cashier, “I want the game where you shoot cops and steal cars.” Clerk didn’t bother telling the kid, “Oh, sorry sonny, you need a parent.” Didn’t even bother inquiring how the kid planned to pay as he came in alone. That said the mother followed in some moments later and her only question was “How much?”

This kind of event has been a regular occurrence where I live for years. I might say you’re fortunate to have your assumptions, and while I may be false to assume it is like my situation as elsewhere, just as you two do for yours, playing devil’s advocate, I still feel safer with my assumption. Admittedly my bias, I do not mean to put you on defensive, just explain my position.