A Response to Dead Island Riptide's Zombie Bait Edition

Earlier today President Obama signed 23 executive orders in an effort to curb gun violence in the United States. The President has also stated that he will circumvent a 15 year-old ban on CDC-based research regarding gun violence.

Whenever a tragedy like the shootings in Sandy Hook, CT occurs the debate regarding any possible link between video games and real life violence is reignited. The new research ordered by the president is sure to relate to the video game industry.

While any link between virtual and real violence is tenuous at best it’s easy to see why the public is quick to view gaming in a negative light. Yesterday Deep Silver announced the special ‘Zombie Bait’ edition of the upcoming sequel Dead Island: Riptide. Included in this EU/Australia exclusive edition is a blood-soaked, bikini-clad torso with the head and arms severed.

The reaction from gaming journalists was almost universally negative. Patrick Klepek of GiantBomb wrote, “…this is over the line, and Deep Silver should have known better.”

Kotaku author Jason Schreier posted, “Really though, this is disgusting. It's the sort of marketing misstep that can make it feel really embarrassing to like video games.”

And it is an embarrassment. Deep Silver quickly issued an apology but has yet to state if they will go ahead with releasing this edition of the game. An apology is warranted and one has to ask how a misstep like this happens in the first place. How did no one in the marketing department speak up to say, “Hey, this could make us look really bad.” Someone at Deep Silver must have known this would be offensive, the box even states it contains what could be considered offensive material, and yet they still went through with it.

This isn’t the only recent incident of video game marketing going terribly wrong. In advance of Medal of Honor: Warfighter’s release last year EA partnered with gun manufacturers to promote weapons featured in Medal of Honor. Not digital weapons for the game; actual guns. One can argue the merits of gun ownership and the 2 Amendment ad nauseam but this was firmly tying a video game, albeit a mature-rated one, directly to the sales of real world weapons. After public outcry and negative coverage from major news sources such as The New York Times the promotion was terminated by EA.

How can the industry defend itself from accusations that it promotes actual violence when promotions like this exist? Not only do they border on, and sometimes cross, the line into offensive territory they do the industry as a whole absolutely no favors.

Recently video games have taken great strides in overcoming their image as mindless entertainment. Last year the Smithsonian American Art Museum celebrated the evolution of gaming and the Museum of Modern Art will open an exhibit of American games in March. Pride in seeing an industry that many of us have grown up with and find so much joy in recognized in such a way is wonderful. The Roger Ebert’s of the world who say gaming can never be an art form or the parents who chastise their children for wasting all of their time in front of ‘the Nintendo’ can be shown this as tangible proof that it’s something more.

Gamers don’t need that, we know what it is that makes video games special, but we can point to these highlights to help others begin to understand. And this understanding is what helps drive the industry forward. It’s what takes video games out of the basement and puts them in the living room where everyone can enjoy them together. But when crass promotions like what Deep Silver announced yesterday are created with the hope of earning our dollars gamers have to point to that as well. That has to be explained to those very same people that don’t understand our passion and see the offensive creations as all that gaming is.

The video game industry needs to look at things like that bloody, bikini-clad torso and ask itself, “Is this really what we want to be?”

Earlier today President Obama signed 23 executive orders in an effort to curb gun violence in the United States. The President has also stated that he will circumvent a 15 year-old ban on CDC-based research regarding gun violence.

Whenever a tragedy like the shootings in Sandy Hook, CT occurs the debate regarding any possible link between video games and real life violence is reignited. The new research ordered by the president is sure to relate to the video game industry.

While any link between virtual and real violence is tenuous at best it’s easy to see why the public is quick to view gaming in a negative light. Yesterday Deep Silver announced the special ‘Zombie Bait’ edition of the upcoming sequel Dead Island: Riptide. Included in this EU/Australia exclusive edition is a blood-soaked, bikini-clad torso with the head and arms severed.

The reaction from gaming journalists was almost universally negative. Patrick Klepek of GiantBomb wrote, “…this is over the line, and Deep Silver should have known better.”

Kotaku author Jason Schreier posted, “Really though, this is disgusting. It's the sort of marketing misstep that can make it feel really embarrassing to like video games.”

And it is an embarrassment. Deep Silver quickly issued an apology but has yet to state if they will go ahead with releasing this edition of the game. An apology is warranted and one has to ask how a misstep like this happens in the first place. How did no one in the marketing department speak up to say, “Hey, this could make us look really bad.” Someone at Deep Silver must have known this would be offensive, the box even states it contains what could be considered offensive material, and yet they still went through with it.

This isn’t the only recent incident of video game marketing going terribly wrong. In advance of Medal of Honor: Warfighter’s release last year EA partnered with gun manufacturers to promote weapons featured in Medal of Honor. Not digital weapons for the game; actual guns. One can argue the merits of gun ownership and the 2 Amendment ad nauseam but this was firmly tying a video game, albeit a mature-rated one, directly to the sales of real world weapons. After public outcry and negative coverage from major news sources such as The New York Times the promotion was terminated by EA.

How can the industry defend itself from accusations that it promotes actual violence when promotions like this exist? Not only do they border on, and sometimes cross, the line into offensive territory they do the industry as a whole absolutely no favors.

Recently video games have taken great strides in overcoming their image as mindless entertainment. Last year the Smithsonian American Art Museum celebrated the evolution of gaming and the Museum of Modern Art will open an exhibit of American games in March. Pride in seeing an industry that many of us have grown up with and find so much joy in recognized in such a way is wonderful. The Roger Ebert’s of the world who say gaming can never be an art form or the parents who chastise their children for wasting all of their time in front of ‘the Nintendo’ can be shown this as tangible proof that it’s something more.

Gamers don’t need that, we know what it is that makes video games special, but we can point to these highlights to help others begin to understand. And this understanding is what helps drive the industry forward. It’s what takes video games out of the basement and puts them in the living room where everyone can enjoy them together. But when crass promotions like what Deep Silver announced yesterday are created with the hope of earning our dollars gamers have to point to that as well. That has to be explained to those very same people that don’t understand our passion and see the offensive creations as all that gaming is.

The video game industry needs to look at things like that bloody, bikini-clad torso and ask itself, “Is this really what we want to be?”

Video games.

You wrote a bunch but didn't really say much.

@TheVeteran13 said:

You wrote a bunch but didn't really say much.

I feel that dismembered boobie-torsos shouldn't be all of gaming but I would be sad if they went away.

@TheLastGunslinger said:

The video game industry needs to look at things like that bloody, bikini-clad torso and ask itself, “Is this really what we want to be?”

Deep Silver obviously wants to be that.

"video games" are not one person, and just because some tacky pre-order bonus comes out doesn't mean the entire industry needs to change.

It's like holding everyone who ever made a movie responsible for stuff like Transformers 2.

Stop with this self-aggrandizing call to arms.

I just don't see the reason for this outrage at all. I really don't. It's a bit wacky. And that's about as extreme a word I would use to describe this statue thing. The reaction this online is like they're developing some kind of whiskey-swilling wife beater sim.

I don't want to use cliches like "edgy" but can games just not be a little out there whatsoever these days?

I personally don't see the big issue with it, if it was the torso of some bare chested surfer dude it would barely warrant a mention. That being said i would have no interest in owning it either way, maybe if it had a head and arms.

What the fuck is going on with the world? people criticising publishers for these "tacky" promotions are part of the problem and 100% of these news stories are for the hits alone, don't think for a second that any of these journalists, Patrick included are losing any sleep over this. Sexism is just the big ticket item this season and what your seeing is solely the product of an industry obsessed with creating sensationalism to reap profits and no i don't mean video games i mean news outlets like the fine people at Giantbomb and Kotaku.

Let me also point out, noone ever died from looking at a torso and boobs, not sure how you think the school shootings and this "special edition" are related but you're also part of the problem, just by mentioning the two in the same blog.

@Oldirtybearon said:

@TheVeteran13 said:

You wrote a bunch but didn't really say much.

Statue is hideous - but how many ranted that it was sexist and exploitative and then went and whacked off to bangbus?

There's a 1000+ post where this was being discussed thoroughly, but thank God your opinion was important to warrant it's own thread.

@Ravenlight said:

I feel that dismembered boobie-torsos shouldn't be all of gaming but I would be sad if they went away.

but it's sexist and overly violent and it makes our childrens' minds turn to tapioca faster than you can say tapioca and WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?! Personally, I still don't quite understand what the issue is? Is it violent? is it Sexist?

I think the larger issue here is that people were so apparently outraged about this merely by the fact it's a woman's torso and how this is somehow sexist. The argument has been put forward that if was a man's torso nobody would really mind and how "it's different because it's a woman" and I find that a little pathetic and counter productive to any claim that you are not sexist if you don't constantly demand different standards.

And keep in mind it's a horror game people will naturally react to the sight of a woman being harmed more then the sight of a man being harmed that's just basic psychology brought on by millions of years of evolution and genetics and so that's what people looking for a horrified reaction would put out.

It's not a call to harm women nor are they real dismembered women that are being stuffed into the boxes, calm the fuck down.

@EarlessShrimp said:

@Ravenlight said:

I feel that dismembered boobie-torsos shouldn't be all of gaming but I would be sad if they went away.

but it's sexist and overly violent and it makes our childrens' minds turn to tapioca faster than you can say tapioca and WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?! Personally, I still don't quite understand what the issue is? Is it violent? is it Sexist?

You're right! We should outlaw everything and cover all our children in plastic wrap so they aren't exposed to this disgusting world we live in. Nevermind that you can't breathe through plastic wrap, they'll be safe goddammit!

There is nothing wrong with that thing. Video games ARE that. They are blood and guts and silly sexuality. And honestly, I fuckin' doubt they are trying to be -insert Liz Lemon saying "sensual"- with this bloody dismembered torso. There were a lot of ladies in bikinis in Dead Island.

It's a goofy thing. I bet Patrick would probably pay a silly amount of money for some little practical effect memorobilia from a bad horror movie, but because this is from a game it must be evil.

It's not like there are a lot of options other than a woman's torso (in fact, there is just the one other option) and it's not like this is any more graphic than the game being played. Considering Patrick's taste for really gory awful horror films (his love of them goes so far as to skew his views of the worst episode of The Walking Dead there is. Because it is also a bad horror trope, it's great!) I think it's kinda silly he gives a damn about this. I wouldn't want this in my home, but that has more to do with the awful game and the silliness of it than it just being distasteful. If you care more about the fucking statue celebrating the game were you beat the living shit out of rotting corpses and dismember them and all that shit than you do about the game itself, then you are the one who should be asking yourself "what the fuck am I doing?"

It's a goofy thing that probably won't appeal to many, but I think the lack of appeal comes from things besides sexism and gratuitous violence.

This is up there with "woman in game avoids being raped, and this is sexist, because rape."

My brain damn near flatlined while reading your post, dude.

@Imsorrymsjackson said:

@Oldirtybearon said:

@TheVeteran13 said:

You wrote a bunch but didn't really say much.

I feel like videogames and the people who play them are going though the Raisin Bran stage of cereal progression. You start out eating you're Coca Puffs as a kid because you're a kid and you like sweet things, but as you get older you start forcing yourself to eat stuff like Raisin Bran because you're a grown up, damnit! It's time to eat adult food! But eventually you come back to Coca Puffs because, kid's food or not, they're still delicious.

I don't think anyone is arguing that things like this are going to lead people to be monsters. That is to say, no one that is sane will argue this. But look at it from an outsider's perspective, or that of a 24-hour news network. When developers do things like this they give valuable ammunition to people who decry gaming as the NRA recently stated, a "sadly, a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells and stows violence against its own people, through vicious, violent video games with names like Bulletstorm, Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat and Splatterhouse." And I'm not calling for a ban or editing of Dead Island itself. I'm actually one of those people who enjoyed the original. It' just that promotions like this are, for lack of a better term, stupid. They aren't going to sell more copies of Riptide because it and all they're going to do is keep perpetuating the negative image a large portion of the public has about a really great industry. It's unfortunate that things like this are what the public at large latches onto instead of things like Activision donating millions of dollars to the Wounded Warrior Project. PR departments need to be more careful about what they promote especially in times when gaming is sure to come under attack for various (unrelated) reasons.

@TheLastGunslinger: I totally agree. I liked dead island but this doesn't make me want to buy riptide. This was just stupid and did nothing but make them look bad. You would think they would be a little more conscious about their marketing especially when consider all of the news that has been going on about violence and video games.

@spyder335 said:

I personally don't see the big issue with it, if it was the torso of some bare chested surfer dude it would barely warrant a mention. That being said i would have no interest in owning it either way, maybe if it had a head and arms.

But the question is, why isn't it? Why did they go with a woman's instead of a man's?

Torso-gate 2013

@Gordy said:

@spyder335 said:

I personally don't see the big issue with it, if it was the torso of some bare chested surfer dude it would barely warrant a mention. That being said i would have no interest in owning it either way, maybe if it had a head and arms.

But the question is, why isn't it? Why did they go with a woman's instead of a man's?

free advertising perhaps, they probably knew the press would go apeshit over it now its on practically every game site in the world free of charge

@Gordy said:

@spyder335 said:

I personally don't see the big issue with it, if it was the torso of some bare chested surfer dude it would barely warrant a mention. That being said i would have no interest in owning it either way, maybe if it had a head and arms.

But the question is, why isn't it? Why did they go with a woman's instead of a man's?

Simple: You know your game is bought by 90% men. So you make bikini torso. Making a man torso for that 10% just way too expensive.

Also the whole "Games are art now so this shouldn't happen" argument is weird.

Do you consider photography art? If yes, do you consider pictures of drunk teenagers to be art?

Do you consider movies art? If yes, do you consider porn to be art?

Do you consider paintings art? If yes, do you consider the drawings of a toddler to be art?

My point is, everywhere you have nice things and bad things. It is good to call out on the bad things. But don't bring the argument that you can't have bad things because it is supposed to be art.

Are most collectors edition in that good of taste?