Dead Island Riptide Offers Up Bikini-Laden Statue, Publisher Quickly Apologizes

Yea seems like Deep Silver still will release this: http://www.game.co.uk/en/dead-island-riptide-zombie-bait-edition-199790 and for the lowlow price of £89.99 which using a converter comes to around $143.41 (remember we get shafted for anything related to games or products being brought in to the UK so it probably would have sold at around $100-$120)

LMAO! Looks like Patrick did it again, right at the beginning of the year. And you haters still didn't learn your lesson the last two times. If you hate Patrick creating articles like this, stop responding to them. It's really that simple. Patrick is in the hits business. His articles aren't successful if nobody reads or responds to them.

Meh, i think people think too much.

The sad part is they got what they wanted:

Publicity.

I'm not sure about you guys, but I had completely forgotten that this game was going to be released.

And now thanks to this scandal/publicity stunt people know about the game again.

@AV_Gamer:

That's a real pathetic way of trying to defend something like this.

I think the biggest problem is that he has done absolutely no research on the subject.

@YummyTreeSap said:

All the people here calling out Patrick for his supposed hypocrisy remind me a bit of the people who whinge about, e.g. Black History Month, because I mean, that's like totally racist, why isn't there a White History Month am I right guys? Blech. Or the contemptible assholes at /r/mensrights, i.e. the worst hellhole on this fucking dumb planet.

Is this the worst example of sexism in video gaming? It's not. But it does come with some troubling thoughts as to how this even happened in the first place. Patrick reporting on this (and *gasp!* interjecting his opinions) is important to the advancement of the video game medium.

Morgan freeman is racist?

@Archaen said:

@JamesM said:

@KevinMerrill said:

Patrick is such a hypocrite. He calls out the statue for being sexist and then writes the following sexist statement: It’s different when it’s a woman, this is over the line, and Deep Silver should have known better.

Really? Please tell me more. Elaborate on why it's different just based on gender alone.

Because the entrenched power structure favours men and has a tendency to reduce women to the status of sex objects. The sad truth is that in everyday life women can expect to be judged and treated according to sexual qualities and considerations where a man would be judged and treated according to his more relevant merits. Images of hypersexualized men are not symptomatic of a wider problem of dehumanization of men in our society. None of these things exist in a vacuum; they must all be considered in-context. The context of video games is still overwhelmingly male in all sectors (developers, press and audience) and largely adolescent in attitude. As such, it's concerned with blood and guts and women parts. This thing ticks all those boxes. It's a grotesque amalgamation of blood-lust and letchery. If it had been a dismembered male torso, it would have subverted the heterosexual male sexual desire, rendering it a fun and rather less creepy parody (although it would still be pretty damn creepy). It would be a self-reflective comment rather than a bizarre reductio ad absurbum of teenage male desire.

In short, the world doesn't treat men and women the same, so we can't pretend that depictions of men and women have the same significance and subtext. It'd be nice if it did and we could, but that's not the reality we're living in yet.

Again, if you think this statue is a representation of teenage male sexual desires you have a much more serious problem than the people that made this statue.

I'm not saying it represents my desires – sexual or otherwise – but it's a bikini-clad absurdly-breasted figure with pretty much all non-sexual appendages, including the head, removed. If you don't think that some twisted conception of sex appeal figured into this design, and that's it's entirely by chance that it happened to depict a half-naked supermodel physique, I'm not really sure how to take this conversation any further. Do you really think the artists behind this were just picking ideas out of a hat? Do you think they would have been just as likely to depict an overweight or older specimen, for example? Is it just fluke that female characters somehow almost always end up being attractive and alluringly-dressed?

@Washburn said:

Patrick, you can actively take part in chopping the heads off of people in a videogame and that doesn't bother you, but the statue of a headless woman does? ( This is assuming you've played Dead Island, and assuming you have no issue with the videogame itself) so you can see blood spurting out of female headless bodies all day long and your fine..but somebody makes a thing that represents what happens in the game and you're highly offended. Makes me sad to hear game journalists that feel like they have to be politically correct and if you're not just being politically correct it makes me even more sad.

The important distinction here is that in the game, it's up to the player what they do, or at least what to focus on. They can deliberately single out every bikini-wearing female zombie they find and meticulously dismember them if they like, but they can equally go through the game paying no special attention to one gender of the undead over the other. The choice of subject for this thing was clearly very deliberate, and that carries with it an implicit message. If the game were specifically about chopping up exclusively buxom bikinied zombies, that would be pretty messed up, and people probably would make a stink about it.

Besides, I don't think the game itself is entirely beyond reproach in its depiction of women. I certainly felt a lot less comfortable about it after the whole "feminist whore" debacle. But this is something else entirely.

OK, how about this for an analogy (like many hypotheticals, it's extremely artificial, but hopefully it gets the point across): A complete stranger e-mails you and asks for you to take and send them a picture of another stranger you see while going about your business. Assuming that for some reason you actually want to oblige this strange request, what sort of photo would you take? You could go to the beach and take a photo of a woman in a bikini with large breasts. She would, after all, be a person, and going to the beach is a normal thing to do, and you could very well happen to see such a person there without it meaning anything at all. Or do you think that that choice might say something about you, about what occupies your mind, and what you think of other people? Would you not be far more likely to take an innocuous photo of someone fully clothed and generally much more neutrally-presented?

It's a stupid scenario, for sure, but the point is that it's disingenuous to say that this is just something from the game. It's not just something from the game; it's something very specific from the game, taken out of what context might have justified it and thrust right to the forefront of the marketing campaign. It's analogous to GTA having prostitute corpse bookends as its limited edition item – yes, you can kill prostitutes in GTA, but by singling that out and turning it into an item of fanfare, they'd be fetishizing it and putting a pretty heavy slant on how people interpreted the game. Also, they'd be playing right into the hands of the games-are-murder-simulators crowd.

I see no problem...its a zombie game....I've seen some far worse stuff in zombie movies. Frankly if women are getting uppity its because most women are just that uppity atleast in todays world.

@JamesM said:

@Archaen said:

@JamesM said:

Again, if you think this statue is a representation of teenage male sexual desires you have a much more serious problem than the people that made this statue.

I'm not saying it represents my desires – sexual or otherwise – but it's a bikini-clad absurdly-breasted figure with pretty much all non-sexual appendages, including the head, removed.

I don't find the figure to be absurdly proportioned in the least. What are those, B-cups at the most? What you're saying is that any portrayal of a female figure in a bikini is inherently sexist. If you're not saying that it's sexist to portray a female figure in a bikini then I fail to see how it's sexist if the head is removed as well. If a male figure's head was removed in the exact same fashion it wouldn't be sexist, so clearly removing a figure's head is not a sexist thing to do. The only part that could be construed as sexist is that the figure has breasts, and that's pretty ridiculous.

@WilliamRLBaker said:

I see no problem...its a zombie game....I've seen some far worse stuff in zombie movies. Frankly if women are getting uppity its because most women are just that uppity atleast in todays world.

So far there is no evidence in this thread of women getting uppity. So far it's only women saying it's gross but not sexist.

How can you call something sexist if you haven't seen genitals? These days that could totally be a dude.

This is over the line? You can grind a hooker with your car tires in grand theft auto. C'mon. This is really no big deal. If it came with Duke Nukem it would be funny. Its a super violent adult game, violence is worse than sexual objectivity any day in my book, and its for adults... and its just dumb anyway. If you cant handle a boob bust that is no worse than a Calvin Klein add back in the 90s you are being overly sensitive. They sell sexually shaped boob candy in Europe, no one freaks out.

Maybe if the bikini came off or something... even then there is no head.... No this is just an over reaction. The season premier of Archer just had more suggestive boob jokes than this thing does.

Poor guy who had to hand paint the ones already made, all his work down the bloody drain.

Why does that dude have boobs and a bikini top on? That's weird.

I really cannot fathom how many of you out there do not see why this statue is worrisome for the video game industry. It may not offend you personally, but brushing it aside as being a non-issue is the reason why sexism is prevalent. There is nothing right about using a brutalized, woman's torso in a thong bikini to sell a game that is supposed to be about survival.

For all those who are genuinely disturbed by this, I hope that you have enough sense to protest with your wallet and not buy the game.

@George_Hukas said:

How can you call something sexist if you haven't seen genitals? These days that could totally be a dude.

Oh man! It would be so fucking good if they revealed that it was a male! That would really shut these "oh god everything female is sexist" up!

pleaase, please let this happen.

WAIIITT a second.... is this really offensive?? How come this could easily be in a film, but for a game developer it's not ok? If videogamers and game developers are so concerned with our industry being taking seriously that we are willing to sacrifice vision, then we never will be.

Gaming is a great community. You've got loads of shitty people reinforcing your shitty sexist beliefs and you've got an entire industry pandering to them and reinforcing them as well. What more could you possibly ask for? I mean aside from them all to fuck off.

@astrodoggy: ah yes, the undiluted vision of the cut up torso of a bikini clad woman given out as a preorder bonus for nerds to oggle . truly this is art. really when you think about it, this is basically the citizen kane of our times, this is what people will remember decades down the line, loudly and proudly proclaiming that this is the moment that video games truly became an art.

Patrick wont be happy until women in video games look like men.

Someone wants me to be a decent human being towards the opposite gender? BETTER KICK AND SCREAM ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET

Christ, the laughable MRA mindset in this thread is astounding.

Fear not, fair ladies, brave Sir Patrick is on the way!

Personally if the statue were a bloody stump of a foot being advertised as "zombie bait", it'd be much more humorous and something i'd consider purchasing a collector's edition for. It's a dumb thing even if it were a foot, but it's much less embarrassing AND stupid looking than this torso. It's too bad they made it the cruddy torso.

@patrickklepek said:

Here's the problem with this statement: it doesn't even begin to address how this even happened in the first place. The deeper problem with the video game industry isn't that it makes mistakes that result in offensive, sexist incidents like this one, it's a lack of transparency and reflection on how this could be allowed to happen.

When you say transparency, what do you have in mind exactly? Should we expect Collector's edition novelty items to have their own making-of documentaries in the near future? x)

@unfunny said:

Someone wants me to be a decent human being towards the opposite gender? BETTER KICK AND SCREAM ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET

Christ, the laughable MRA mindset in this thread is astounding.

People are acting up in this thread because this vendor tat does not deserve an article at all, and we're tired of Patrick being outraged that games are marketed to dudes and trying to stir up a shitstorm about it.

@Insectecutor said:

@unfunny said:

Someone wants me to be a decent human being towards the opposite gender? BETTER KICK AND SCREAM ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET

Christ, the laughable MRA mindset in this thread is astounding.

People are acting up in this thread because this vendor tat does not deserve an article at all, and we're tired of Patrick being outraged that games are marketed to dudes and trying to stir up a shitstorm about it.

Yeah that they thought this up and made it to give out as a preorder bonus certainly isn't indicative of larger cultural issues of sexism within gaming as a community/industry or anything. You know, like an absolute refusal to even discuss sexism in gaming by having a fit and whining about any self examination of gaming culture or shifting it to how people who want to discuss it are the real sexists because they hate/don't care about men or some other pedantic tripe.

Oh, and just because sex sells doesn't make blatant objectification of women okay. Yeah it makes money, but making a profit doesn't just immediately expunge the moral and ethical problems of something.

@Zetetic_Elench said:

@Insectecutor said:

@unfunny said:

Someone wants me to be a decent human being towards the opposite gender? BETTER KICK AND SCREAM ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET

Christ, the laughable MRA mindset in this thread is astounding.

People are acting up in this thread because this vendor tat does not deserve an article at all, and we're tired of Patrick being outraged that games are marketed to dudes and trying to stir up a shitstorm about it.

Yeah that they thought this up and made it to give out as a preorder bonus certainly isn't indicative of larger cultural issues of sexism within gaming as a community/industry or anything. You know, like an absolute refusal to even discuss sexism in gaming by having a fit and whining about any self examination of gaming culture or shifting it to how people who want to discuss it are the real sexists because they hate/don't care about men or some other pedantic tripe.

Oh, and just because sex sells doesn't make blatant objectification of women okay. Yeah it makes money, but making a profit doesn't just immediately expunge the moral and ethical problems of something.

You're not exactly helping. This isn't sexist, it says nothing about women, it's just a crass piece of junk that anyone with a scintilla of taste would dismiss as such, woman and man alike. If you (or for that matter, Patrick) want to have a serious discussion about women in gaming it should be framed as such, not kicked off by militant outrage over childish garbage.

This is not objectification of women, it is an object shaped like a woman designed to entice men into buying a product. There are no ethical or moral problems with it, but it is an insult to the intelligence and taste of their male audience.

Yes there are issues with women's representation in the games industry and the AAA studios are far too focused on males. This statue is a symptom of that, not the cause.

I dunno about anyone else, but I really don't enjoy looking at a bloody torso, no matter how fit or 'sexy' people see it as. Seems the fact that someone sees it as sexy kinda disturbs me. Or that someone would see it as sexist because they think the entire world would purchase this based on the idea of oppressing women... it's a campy joke. I honestly see it as a campy ridiculous statue of an eaten torso IN SPITE of the idea that most things are this sexualized trophy. I think this thing has exposed most of you as knee jerk activists here to save the day, rather than to just look at it as some silly thing in tribute to even more ultra violent absurd entertainment. FANTASY :O That's an F word...

But in the grand scheme of things, I think those that are offended are offended because they think it might offend someone else. I didn't look at that and instantly think MY GOD WOMEN ARE TREATED LIKE OBJECTS! I thought blaahahaha they put a chunk of a human as the collectible statue for a zombie game, that's pretty funny. If you project the reality of life onto something that is based around absolute imagination and fantasy, which is what video games are, then you are misinterpreting the idea of imagination and fantasy. You're policing the last remnants of where we are allowed to live out fantasy through entertainment... Next I suppose we'll have to police dreams too because I dreamt of a naked woman last night and never once asked her name or her thoughts on social constructs or ensured that she was equally represented in my dream. It was a dream. This is a game. It's just entertainment folks. You're projecting your overactive social fear of losing the tight grip on mores. Without these things, these entertaining environments where we are allowed to just let go and enjoy the very roots of what we are told we are never allowed, or cannot ever achieve, then you're going to find yourself in an Orewellian 1984. And the sad part is you think you're fighting the power... you're not... you're enforcing it. And I hate it.

I'd also like to point out that no one kicked up a major stink when the 'marketing' for any of the COD collectors editions came out... you know, the night vision goggles meant for watching something without being seen. Or the invasive helicopter with the camera on it so you can surreptitiously spy on people. Or even better the remote control car BOMB that you can drive around. No one screamed, OH MY GOD THEY'RE TEACHING LITTLE JOHNNY HOW TO STRATEGICALLY BLOW SOMEONE UP! But I'm sure Johnny will keep that idea in mind if it ever comes up, and yet...no remote control carbomb epidemic. And the game itself is incessant ultra violent combat that is brutal and kinda realistic in it's own right. But that's ok? Is that because you don't have this objectification behind it? I feel like everyone is looking for something to lead the charge. And I get it, I understand the concept of supporting and making sure that equality is maintained... but when you look back at any form of entertainment in the past century, you're seeing a lot of thematic misrepresentations being used to celebrate other facets. And yes there is a set of breasts on this healthy female body that has been mutilated by a zombie...not a rapist...not an abusive husband...not held back by the glass ceiling... And if it were a dead child does that mean it would support child abuse? And if it was a smashed up alcoholic beverage, would that support alcoholism? I can't see why a chewed up corpse, no matter what sex it was, no matter if it was a porn star with a 14" penis, would be considered the reason why people would buy it. And if they did, it would be in celebration of a campy joke. Something to laugh at and look at and think MAN that's silly. People don't watch zombie movies because there are hot women being eaten to death. If you want that trashy type of movie you watch Zombie Strippers, but that's to be expected and is a celebration of that fantasy. However when you watch a zombie movie you watch it for the suspense and violence and celebration of survival. The earlier version of the collectors edition to Dead Island had a machete in the brief case...no one said oh you just gave a kid a giant KNIFE! WHAT?! Meanwhile it's not meant for children, it's deemed for adults that have enough sense in their heads that they can discern between the ever looming delicious decision (because you see people doing this all over the place right? Give me a break) to go out and hack a human into bits or to just put the knife down and have a snack in front of the television. But due to a silly nod to a fantastical horror movie that happens to happen at a resort where, yes one of the main subjects that gets killed are hot bikini clad women, it instantly becomes a social argument?...If women were being oppressed because of this, don't you think that ALL women would stop wearing them? Yet they don't... In fact a lot of them use the natural power of attraction in order to ensure their lives are actually a lot better than less attractive covered up women. You think that's a societal problem? That's called nature... it's natural, it's selection, it's evolution, it's how SHIT WORKS. You think Peacocks have crazy feathers cuz YAY CRAZY FEATHERS! WEEEEE!!!!!... It's to impress females to mate with the best looking male. So now I suppose peacocks are sexist? Wow do they ever got you trained really well...

I would even go as far as to argue the idea that anyone that looks at this statue as something of a social statement is in fact taking things WAY too seriously and are unstable to exist within a mature and well balanced society that takes part and indulges in fantasy where the image of a boob, a nipple, some cleavage doesn't incite mob rape riots and flagrant over sexualized everything just for the sake of 'holding women back'. That form of thought process is dangerous, aggressive and quite frankly is ULTIMATELY insulting to the rest of society. It also oppresses the allowance of it which much like built up pressure creates an explosive reaction when it does get shown...hence why covering up genitalia makes it MORE sexy than just walking around with everything hanging out. You're oppressing fantasy which is making people pop like zits when they do happen across something sexual...bravo.

Last time I checked, most of the guys I know that are married love their wives and chose them not because they have nice boobs, but because they are their companions and they do their best to love and protect them, provide and create life with them and to live out a fulfilling and happy life together as friends. Those that don't are the goofy popular types that think looking good is an indication of how important you are. Which is basically the idiots that everyone supports in the media, which is why you live in a world full of sycophantic power hungry bull-headed types. Imagine living in a world where a set of breasts, something our stupid social construct decided was sexual(which it totally isn't), shouldn't be covered at all times. It wouldn't be considered inappropriate or offensive. Why? It's a boob. It's some fat, and a nipple where kids get milk. It's natural. Seriously, what are you 12?

You, yourself, are the one that decides what is and isn't offensive. If it offends you then you should only state your own personal reasons and you should understand that those are your own personal views. If you think it's because it's going to offend someone else, shut up and let them be offended, let them state their case and let the laws do what they've been set up to do, which is to take the common opinion and make it a rule...rather than mores...stop policing the world and for christ's sake go see a doctor because your sensitivity to something is WAY out of whack to what the reality is. If people buy things based on how hot the person selling it is, then let them...let those inept empty ridiculous try-hard machismo desperate globs of human material do so. Have you not caught on that what is popular IS popular because people are too stupid to make up their own minds? Advertising is common sense...it's not some control scheme, they are telling you what you want by enticing you with details, imagery, bullshit...and you fucking eat it up. Just don't. But stop trying to police the world into what YOU think the world should be because that couldn't be any more arrogant than how absolutely UNIMPORTANT you are in the grand scheme of ANYTHING. You don't matter, either do I...so what are you trying to do? And when exactly did you think you should don the cape to save the world? And what happens when you find out the world doesn't want to be saved because it's suffering, but rather because it had it's own political agenda to make it's situation better... I bet you never thought of that right? One thing happens, the internet microscopes it to death and then blows it up into an epidemic...only to find out it's supporting the same slimy junk that it was fighting in the first place, but instead it's wrapped up in a nice sentimental shiny wrapper...but hey, at least you feel like you're a good person sitting there complaining about something that doesn't actually have as much weight as you'd like it to. And in fact most of the people I see interacting around me are very polite to one another, very respectful, and do not impose their sexual dominance. In my experience I have dealt with far more women in positions of power, making much more than a lot of others, and are given the benefit of the doubt without any notification of dismissal because they are female. When I look at this statue I don't see them. I don't feel bad for them. I giggle cuz it's a ridiculous nod to the overt, and in spite of it... The offense comes from within you. Remember that. And remember that you've instructed the world to bow to your sensitivities because you're a self-centered human being that believes that any one of the issues you may have with something MUST be everyone elses, otherwise they are worthless peurile scum. And that to me is FAR more damaging, FAR more aggressive and FAR more frightening than a set of tits on an eaten body in tribute to a zombie game based at a resort. Cuz lord knows the developers and the marketers went through their lives, working hard on their craft through holidays, endless nights, all their education, all that hard work to get where they are just so they could make women feel bad by objectifying them... yeah that doesn't sound a little over stated does it?

And I bet you've never once stopped and thought HOLY SHIT! A popular television show that has droves of fans is based around the genocidal post mordem reanimation of cannibalistic emotionless mutilation mobs that gorge themselves on men, women, children, you name it! Just a vile pustulant human rendering rotting steamroller that doesn't sleep, it just tears human beings to shreds leaving them destroyed only to wriggle their way into the mass horde. But that's cool...that isn't tits. It's only the end of the human race through cannibalism and mutilation. That's entertainment man...give me a break.

preorder it now from Game at just £89.99 :p

http://www.game.co.uk/en/dead-island-riptide-zombie-bait-edition-199790?pageSize=20&searchTerm=dead%20island%20riptide#details

"c'mon" is not a convincing argument.

@jmic75 said:

"c'mon" is not a convincing argument.

Ah c'mon, yes it is!

For some reason I've been thinking about this article a little bit and I just wanted to get something out of my system.

It’s different when it’s a woman

Now, don't get me wrong, I think is just as gross as everyone else things it is. That being said, I think Patrick needs to look up the word "equality" means, because this is not it. He completely de-valued everything about his stance on this subject just by writing that at the and of the article.

My point is: Of course people are going to be upset when it is a female torso. And of course people wouldn't not be upset if it was a male torso. Men can walk around with their shirts off and not get yelled at, but if a woman does that, she's considered a slut. That's not equality.

I don't really have much to say about it, but I just stumbled onto this article today. I suggest @patrickklepek checks it out if he's still at all interested in this issue. http://venturebeat.com/2013/02/01/fake-is-fake-on-sexual-objectification-offensive-material-and-all-things-naughty-in-fantasy/

Yes, this was wrote by the guy that lost his job at Destructoid for basically asking if Felicia Day provided anything useful to the industry other than "personality". That's hardly relevant here though. It's a great, thoughtful read and I'd suggest it to anyone else that's still watching these comments.

I'm glad to say this stupid thing is now up for pre-order in Norway though it won't be available for valentines' day.

I didn't care about this game or it's tiny torso figure but now I want to own it just because you people made a big deal about it.

Oh and it's like $135 or something, thanks Giantbomb! My wife will be thrilled.

@geirr: While I do agree with your sentiment

Why oh why did you have to bring this back?

@geirr said:

I'm glad to say this stupid thing is now up for pre-order in Norway though it won't be available for valentines' day.

I didn't care about this game or it's tiny torso figure but now I want to own it just because you people made a big deal about it.

Oh and it's like $135 or something, thanks Giantbomb! My wife will be thrilled.

I don't know what you're talking about, geirr. The developer cancelled this promotional item. It's not going to be sold to anyone anywhere. There is a Rigor Mortis bundle of the game available, but not this thing. Make sure you are actually getting your odd statement against Giant Bomb and not just wasting your money on a bundle that doesn't even have the item you're so curious about.

@Coombs said:

@geirr: While I do agree with your sentiment

Why oh why did you have to bring this back?

Somehow I felt people needed to know that I'm spending money on this crap because of the uproar around this article.

This is bad PR working at its best.

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

I'm glad to say this stupid thing is now up for pre-order in Norway though it won't be available for valentines' day.

I didn't care about this game or it's tiny torso figure but now I want to own it just because you people made a big deal about it.

Oh and it's like $135 or something, thanks Giantbomb! My wife will be thrilled.

I don't know what you're talking about, geirr. The developer cancelled this promotional item. It's not going to be sold to anyone anywhere. There is a Rigor Mortis bundle of the game available, but not this thing. Make sure you are actually getting your odd statement against Giant Bomb and not just wasting your money on a bundle that doesn't even have the item you're so curious about.

According to Gamezone and Gamestop here in Norway, they've decided to continue the plan of selling this in "select areas". I've contacted them about it and that's basically the response I got from them. I haven't found any news articles to back it up yet however.

Amazon.co.uk has it listed here and the Gamezone one is now listed here

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

I'm glad to say this stupid thing is now up for pre-order in Norway though it won't be available for valentines' day.

I didn't care about this game or it's tiny torso figure but now I want to own it just because you people made a big deal about it.

Oh and it's like $135 or something, thanks Giantbomb! My wife will be thrilled.

I don't know what you're talking about, geirr. The developer cancelled this promotional item. It's not going to be sold to anyone anywhere. There is a Rigor Mortis bundle of the game available, but not this thing. Make sure you are actually getting your odd statement against Giant Bomb and not just wasting your money on a bundle that doesn't even have the item you're so curious about.

According to Gamezone and Gamestop here in Norway, they've decided to continue the plan of selling this in "select areas". I've contacted them about it and that's basically the response I got from them. I haven't found any news articles to back it up yet however.

Considering the developer apologized about this and said they'd make sure it didn't happen again... I'd be very surprised to hear that they suddenly restarted production of it for just a few select markets. Do you have a website for one of these places allegedly selling this version? Because it sounds like you may be getting hoodwinked.

@geirr:

Damn that thing is hand painted?

I'm kinda impressed.

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

I'm glad to say this stupid thing is now up for pre-order in Norway though it won't be available for valentines' day.

I didn't care about this game or it's tiny torso figure but now I want to own it just because you people made a big deal about it.

Oh and it's like $135 or something, thanks Giantbomb! My wife will be thrilled.

I don't know what you're talking about, geirr. The developer cancelled this promotional item. It's not going to be sold to anyone anywhere. There is a Rigor Mortis bundle of the game available, but not this thing. Make sure you are actually getting your odd statement against Giant Bomb and not just wasting your money on a bundle that doesn't even have the item you're so curious about.

According to Gamezone and Gamestop here in Norway, they've decided to continue the plan of selling this in "select areas". I've contacted them about it and that's basically the response I got from them. I haven't found any news articles to back it up yet however.

Considering the developer apologized about this and said they'd make sure it didn't happen again... I'd be very surprised to hear that they suddenly restarted production of it for just a few select markets. Do you have a website for one of these places allegedly selling this version? Because it sounds like you may be getting hoodwinked.

I edited my response to you and there's links to the product on both amazon.co.uk and Gamezone.no

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

I'm glad to say this stupid thing is now up for pre-order in Norway though it won't be available for valentines' day.

I didn't care about this game or it's tiny torso figure but now I want to own it just because you people made a big deal about it.

Oh and it's like $135 or something, thanks Giantbomb! My wife will be thrilled.

I don't know what you're talking about, geirr. The developer cancelled this promotional item. It's not going to be sold to anyone anywhere. There is a Rigor Mortis bundle of the game available, but not this thing. Make sure you are actually getting your odd statement against Giant Bomb and not just wasting your money on a bundle that doesn't even have the item you're so curious about.

According to Gamezone and Gamestop here in Norway, they've decided to continue the plan of selling this in "select areas". I've contacted them about it and that's basically the response I got from them. I haven't found any news articles to back it up yet however.

Considering the developer apologized about this and said they'd make sure it didn't happen again... I'd be very surprised to hear that they suddenly restarted production of it for just a few select markets. Do you have a website for one of these places allegedly selling this version? Because it sounds like you may be getting hoodwinked.

I edited my response to you and there's links to the product on both amazon.co.uk and Gamezone.no

hm. I wouldn't trust this. Those look like they just haven't been changed since they said they would be adjusting what was in the bundle. In other words, they didn't just straight cancel the bundle and return people's pre-orders; they just said they would be coming up with something different. So, I'm wondering if this is just laziness with these bundles still being up and advertised like this. If it turns out that, contrary to what the developer said, they are still going along with it in some areas, this just got even crazier.

Maybe they're going to get away with it by just releasing a different hand painted figure. That way, the preorder listing isn't technically incorrect and only the image is off.

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

I'm glad to say this stupid thing is now up for pre-order in Norway though it won't be available for valentines' day.

I didn't care about this game or it's tiny torso figure but now I want to own it just because you people made a big deal about it.

Oh and it's like $135 or something, thanks Giantbomb! My wife will be thrilled.

I don't know what you're talking about, geirr. The developer cancelled this promotional item. It's not going to be sold to anyone anywhere. There is a Rigor Mortis bundle of the game available, but not this thing. Make sure you are actually getting your odd statement against Giant Bomb and not just wasting your money on a bundle that doesn't even have the item you're so curious about.

According to Gamezone and Gamestop here in Norway, they've decided to continue the plan of selling this in "select areas". I've contacted them about it and that's basically the response I got from them. I haven't found any news articles to back it up yet however.

Considering the developer apologized about this and said they'd make sure it didn't happen again... I'd be very surprised to hear that they suddenly restarted production of it for just a few select markets. Do you have a website for one of these places allegedly selling this version? Because it sounds like you may be getting hoodwinked.

I edited my response to you and there's links to the product on both amazon.co.uk and Gamezone.no

hm. I wouldn't trust this. Those look like they just haven't been changed since they said they would be adjusting what was in the bundle. In other words, they didn't just straight cancel the bundle and return people's pre-orders; they just said they would be coming up with something different. So, I'm wondering if this is just laziness with these bundles still being up and advertised like this. If it turns out that, contrary to what the developer said, they are still going along with it in some areas, this just got even crazier.

As far as I understood it, the US and Australia are the ones deciding not to sell this and production didn't stop in Europe and parts of Asia. However if it turns out that they're actually not updated on the subject and it won't be for sale, I'll get my money back so no harm done -- well besides dragging this subject back into existence. Ahem.

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

I'm glad to say this stupid thing is now up for pre-order in Norway though it won't be available for valentines' day.

I didn't care about this game or it's tiny torso figure but now I want to own it just because you people made a big deal about it.

Oh and it's like $135 or something, thanks Giantbomb! My wife will be thrilled.

I don't know what you're talking about, geirr. The developer cancelled this promotional item. It's not going to be sold to anyone anywhere. There is a Rigor Mortis bundle of the game available, but not this thing. Make sure you are actually getting your odd statement against Giant Bomb and not just wasting your money on a bundle that doesn't even have the item you're so curious about.

According to Gamezone and Gamestop here in Norway, they've decided to continue the plan of selling this in "select areas". I've contacted them about it and that's basically the response I got from them. I haven't found any news articles to back it up yet however.

Considering the developer apologized about this and said they'd make sure it didn't happen again... I'd be very surprised to hear that they suddenly restarted production of it for just a few select markets. Do you have a website for one of these places allegedly selling this version? Because it sounds like you may be getting hoodwinked.

I edited my response to you and there's links to the product on both amazon.co.uk and Gamezone.no

hm. I wouldn't trust this. Those look like they just haven't been changed since they said they would be adjusting what was in the bundle. In other words, they didn't just straight cancel the bundle and return people's pre-orders; they just said they would be coming up with something different. So, I'm wondering if this is just laziness with these bundles still being up and advertised like this. If it turns out that, contrary to what the developer said, they are still going along with it in some areas, this just got even crazier.

As far as I understood it, the US and Australia are the ones deciding not to sell this and production didn't stop in Europe and parts of Asia. However if it turns out that they're actually not updated on the subject and it won't be for sale, I'll get my money back so no harm done -- well besides dragging this subject back into existence. Ahem.

But that simply isn't correct. The Zombie Bait edition was only ever going to come out in Europe and Australia. North America was always getting its own collector's edition. The company itself apologized and said in no uncertain terms that it was not approving of the figure. You may still get a Zombie Bait edition, but it won't be coming with this figure. And I wouldn't hold my breath on getting your money back. You may still get the game and whatever bundle they decide to give you. I just think it's a bit of a silly risk to take for a rather flimsy protest. When the developer themselves say this was a mistake by a subsidiary that they are correcting, you won't be getting your desired figure.

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

I'm glad to say this stupid thing is now up for pre-order in Norway though it won't be available for valentines' day.

I didn't care about this game or it's tiny torso figure but now I want to own it just because you people made a big deal about it.

Oh and it's like $135 or something, thanks Giantbomb! My wife will be thrilled.

I don't know what you're talking about, geirr. The developer cancelled this promotional item. It's not going to be sold to anyone anywhere. There is a Rigor Mortis bundle of the game available, but not this thing. Make sure you are actually getting your odd statement against Giant Bomb and not just wasting your money on a bundle that doesn't even have the item you're so curious about.

According to Gamezone and Gamestop here in Norway, they've decided to continue the plan of selling this in "select areas". I've contacted them about it and that's basically the response I got from them. I haven't found any news articles to back it up yet however.

Considering the developer apologized about this and said they'd make sure it didn't happen again... I'd be very surprised to hear that they suddenly restarted production of it for just a few select markets. Do you have a website for one of these places allegedly selling this version? Because it sounds like you may be getting hoodwinked.

I edited my response to you and there's links to the product on both amazon.co.uk and Gamezone.no

hm. I wouldn't trust this. Those look like they just haven't been changed since they said they would be adjusting what was in the bundle. In other words, they didn't just straight cancel the bundle and return people's pre-orders; they just said they would be coming up with something different. So, I'm wondering if this is just laziness with these bundles still being up and advertised like this. If it turns out that, contrary to what the developer said, they are still going along with it in some areas, this just got even crazier.

As far as I understood it, the US and Australia are the ones deciding not to sell this and production didn't stop in Europe and parts of Asia. However if it turns out that they're actually not updated on the subject and it won't be for sale, I'll get my money back so no harm done -- well besides dragging this subject back into existence. Ahem.

But that simply isn't correct. The Zombie Bait edition was only ever going to come out in Europe and Australia. North America was always getting its own collector's edition. The company itself apologized and said in no uncertain terms that it was not approving of the figure. You may still get a Zombie Bait edition, but it won't be coming with this figure. And I wouldn't hold my breath on getting your money back. You may still get the game and whatever bundle they decide to give you. I just think it's a bit of a silly risk to take for a rather flimsy protest. When the developer themselves say this was a mistake by a subsidiary that they are correcting, you won't be getting your coveted figure.

Alright, well, if I remember this at the end of April, I'll pose the figurine next to my wife's My Little Pony stuff (it'll look great!) and take a picture. Time will tell.

Of course I'll get the money back if I don't get what I pay for - that is no risk. Anything purchased here, either by mail or store, as long as you didn't break it, is returnable for a full refund for 30 days after receiving your product. Even if it is exactly what you payed for. Impulsive shopper protection we call it. (:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

@TruthTellah said:

@geirr said:

I'm glad to say this stupid thing is now up for pre-order in Norway though it won't be available for valentines' day.

I didn't care about this game or it's tiny torso figure but now I want to own it just because you people made a big deal about it.

Oh and it's like $135 or something, thanks Giantbomb! My wife will be thrilled.

I don't know what you're talking about, geirr. The developer cancelled this promotional item. It's not going to be sold to anyone anywhere. There is a Rigor Mortis bundle of the game available, but not this thing. Make sure you are actually getting your odd statement against Giant Bomb and not just wasting your money on a bundle that doesn't even have the item you're so curious about.

According to Gamezone and Gamestop here in Norway, they've decided to continue the plan of selling this in "select areas". I've contacted them about it and that's basically the response I got from them. I haven't found any news articles to back it up yet however.

Considering the developer apologized about this and said they'd make sure it didn't happen again... I'd be very surprised to hear that they suddenly restarted production of it for just a few select markets. Do you have a website for one of these places allegedly selling this version? Because it sounds like you may be getting hoodwinked.

I edited my response to you and there's links to the product on both amazon.co.uk and Gamezone.no

hm. I wouldn't trust this. Those look like they just haven't been changed since they said they would be adjusting what was in the bundle. In other words, they didn't just straight cancel the bundle and return people's pre-orders; they just said they would be coming up with something different. So, I'm wondering if this is just laziness with these bundles still being up and advertised like this. If it turns out that, contrary to what the developer said, they are still going along with it in some areas, this just got even crazier.

As far as I understood it, the US and Australia are the ones deciding not to sell this and production didn't stop in Europe and parts of Asia. However if it turns out that they're actually not updated on the subject and it won't be for sale, I'll get my money back so no harm done -- well besides dragging this subject back into existence. Ahem.

But that simply isn't correct. The Zombie Bait edition was only ever going to come out in Europe and Australia. North America was always getting its own collector's edition. The company itself apologized and said in no uncertain terms that it was not approving of the figure. You may still get a Zombie Bait edition, but it won't be coming with this figure. And I wouldn't hold my breath on getting your money back. You may still get the game and whatever bundle they decide to give you. I just think it's a bit of a silly risk to take for a rather flimsy protest. When the developer themselves say this was a mistake by a subsidiary that they are correcting, you won't be getting your coveted figure.

Alright, well, if I remember this at the end of April, I'll pose the figurine next to my wife's My Little Pony stuff (it'll look great!) and take a picture. Time will tell.

Of course I'll get the money back if I don't get what I pay for - that is no risk. Anything purchased here, either by mail or store, as long as you didn't break it, is returnable for a full refund for 30 days after receiving your product. Even if it is exactly what you payed for. Impulsive shopper protection we call it. (:

"my wife's My Little Pony stuff"

Sure, sure...

"my wife's My Little Pony stuff"

Sure, sure...

Haha, well MOST of the MLP stuff is hers.

Anyway, I've been talking to the Nordic distributor and they've confirmed that the Zombie Bait box is back on for release, now with an added warning on the box itself that says "Includes content that may cause offence".

@truthtellah:

@coombs:

..and sorry to everyone else for dragging this up for the millionth time, but I got this in the mail today even if people told me over and over it could never be and now me and my wife are ever so happy to have this thing propped in the middle of the plush unicorn shelf thing. Hopefully we won't ruin society for having purchased this thing which is totally sort of worth some of the money almost.

..yeah.

@geirr said:

@truthtellah:

@coombs:

..and sorry to everyone else for dragging this up for the millionth time, but I got this in the mail today even if people told me over and over it could never be and now me and my wife are ever so happy to have this thing propped in the middle of the plush unicorn shelf thing. Hopefully we won't ruin society for having purchased this thing which is totally sort of worth some of the money almost.

..yeah.

Delightful. Thanks for the update.

I'm glad you didn't get ripped off. I heard about people getting the statue a few days ago, and I'm still a good bit surprised by the audacity of it all.

But as you predicted, it does go well with your My Little Pony figurines.

@geirr: I'm just.. disgusted man, that's fucking sick! eh? oh not the torso, the large pony collection.

Haha yeah.... and those are only a super tiny fraction of the ponies we, er, she has. Basically the ones cluttering our monitors with their little colorful selves.