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[Cat in the Hat]

I'd cash that

 

[ggnoobIGN]

EA is playing you guys like a fiddle. No one gives a shit about $200, they just wanted these stories and threads.

I think we all realize it's a pub move. And a good one.

 

[Kittonwy]

EA is playing you guys like a fiddle. No one gives a shit about $200, they just wanted these stories and threads.

Would EA win if I don't buy the game?

 

[Sadist]

Hmmm... interesting move. I wouldn't cash it though.

 

[Cat in the Hat]

I think this is pretty funny, the bigger issue for Dante's Inferno is how a isn't just a rip-off of God of War but almost carbon copy of it.

 

[Forkball]

I'm going to write "Abandon Hope" in the memo section for all my checks now.

 

[DestinRL]

Does this count as bribery? Seriously I mean there's a lot of moral questions going on when you're sending money to journalists who will be reviewing your game. Then again they never asked for a certain score on the review either.

Makes you think either way.

 

[X26]

pretty clear why they burned it, burning it = more attention = more hits = far more than $200 in revenue as a result

As for EA, I just love how lacking in subtlety is, they just don't give a shit :lol

 

[BorkBork]

Take money, donate it, then trash the game.

 

[Koomaster]

I have never heard of/paid attention to this game till this thread. So; well done EA.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Take money, donate it, then trash the game.

Shouldn't they take the money, donate it, play the game, and review it fairly?

I mean, I suspect it'll be a turd, but I don't think people should preemptively be writing up bad reviews.

 

[Zzoram]

I think this was clever marketing by EA, and clearly not meant to bribe anyone. Even the message that comes with it makes it sound ominous to cash the check, and I'm sure anyone who does will feel obligated to give it to charity anyways.

 

[AstroLad]

I think this was clever marketing by EA, and clearly not meant to bribe anyone. Even the message that comes with it makes it sound ominous to cash the check, and I'm sure anyone who does will feel obligated to give it to charity anyways.

And even if they don't, what's the big deal? Like others have said, it's not like EA made the check contingent on getting a certain score or anything at all from the outlet.

 

[Kintaro]

From a comment:

If true, let us proceed to laugh at this website and hope for a Caturday (well, not really, not epic fail enough).

 

[MarzipaNMOS]

Even if they didn't cash it, why not just like, keep it for collector's sake? Is Kotaku's community really that rabid in that they want to just see something BURN BURN BURN instead of a sensible discussion on what happened?

 

[Vandiger]

I'd either give it to my favorite charity or just keep it for display purpose, looks nice in that wooden box. Good job EA.

 

[Zeliard]

EA is playing you guys like a fiddle. No one gives a shit about $200, they just wanted these stories and threads.

I'm not sure if it's in EA's best interests for Dante's Inferno to become the laughing stock of the gaming industry. Moreso than it already is, at least. It's already seen as a crude and highly transparent God of War rip-off, and the last thing EA needs is an Eidos debacle on top of that.

 

[UltimaPooh]

Oh... wow.

A lot of conflict of interest going on here. All of the journalists should mail the checks back, otherwise their integrity will be compromised.

 

[Zzoram]

If they REALLY wanted to bribe people, they would have sent a much larger check and no flashy box.

 

[MrPliskin]

EA is playing you guys like a fiddle. No one gives a shit about $200, they just wanted these stories and threads.

Oh yea, I totally got played. I mean, I wasn't even INTERESTED in the game, but now I've secured my pre-order, and it's a day one purchase.

All because of this PR move. I've been swayed.

 

[Pipomantis]

I think that all EA's Marketing about Dante's Inferno is effing brilliant.

The game should be fucked up?
So is the campaign.
Plus it really sticks to the theme of the game. It's not even gratuitous (oh haha).


Guys, there is something you shouldn't forget about marketing. MARKET. And with all the fuzz going around with moneyhats and such, they KNEW that cheque thing would be talked about and discussed everywhere. AND THAT'S THEIR POINT.


Goddamn. Brilliant.






I'm sad that EA doesn't have the Saw license. They could have come up with really good ideas.

 

[Fuu]

Oh... wow.

A lot of conflict of interest going on here. All of the journalists should mail the checks back, otherwise their integrity will be compromised.

Should they mail back free swag too?

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

Woah now that's quite the effective marketing they have going on.

I like this new EA, it's a shame their new IP's aren't doing that hot =/

 

[UltimaPooh]

Should they mail back free swag too?

Yes, if they ever want to move beyond "gaming journalism" and actually be journalists worth something.

 

[Nome]

This is actually pretty interesting. They're clearly going to publish a list of who cashed the checks and who didn't. That's why the used checks after all--it fits the Dante's Inferno theme perfectly.

 

[TheSeks]

Why did they burn it?

Because Kotaku is stupid.

"This is news?" is a banned word around there (for obvious reasons, because they're fucking slow on shit).

They could've at least cashed the check, sent the $200 to Tycho and Gabe and at least washed their hands of the "blood money," but noooo.

 

[GaimeGuy]

People saying this isn't bribing, or that it's a marketing campaign...

They specifically sent checks for $200 to people who will be reviewing their games. They targeted these people specifically, not just Joe Schmo.

If this isn't bribery, I don't know what is. wtf

 

[pulga]

Cry all you want, but this is a brilliant marketing move :lol Can't wait until Dead Space 2 is announced so journos can get real, bloody stumps in the mail.

 

[speculawyer]

EA is playing you guys like a fiddle. No one gives a shit about $200, they just wanted these stories and threads.

Duh. That's why my first post complemented EA on this clever move.

 

[jim-jam bongs]

Does this count as bribery? Seriously I mean there's a lot of moral questions going on when you're sending money to journalists who will be reviewing your game. Then again they never asked for a certain score on the review either.

Makes you think either way.

I'm not sure if it's in EA's best interests for Dante's Inferno to become the laughing stock of the gaming industry. Moreso than it already is, at least. It's already seen as a crude and highly transparent God of War rip-off, and the last thing EA needs is an Eidos debacle on top of that.

For what? Creating a brilliant PR stunt that satirises game publishers (including themselves), and then placing it within the context of their game? I have a feeling that most of the industry will be taking notes.

 

[Kittonwy]

Should they mail back free swag too?

They should if they want to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

 

[mollipen]

honestly, I agree with you about it being "game-appropriate", but other than that I think it's even worse than the usual bags of stuff reviewers are sent -- which they also should refuse. a review code or a game to review is fine. other than that the ideal obviously is to not accept any form of gifts from game developers.

I'd like to ask: do you review games for a living?

 

[speculawyer]

Fold the cheque into a paper hat, post pictures.

Cartoon needed to explain the reference to some . . .

 

[Deleted member 30609]

EA is playing you guys like a fiddle. No one gives a shit about $200, they just wanted these stories and threads.

 

[Liberty4all]

Hmm I get some EA review titles. Two hundred dollars? Is that in US currency?! *gasp*

 

[Mark-Bozon]

EA: Send me a box. I'd cash that son of a bitch into $1 bills, fashion a money hat out of the paper, and wear it to every event I go to.

Spoiler

Until I had to take it apart and use the money to preorder God of War 3.

 

[speculawyer]

this is a brilliant campaign. hats off.

Unintentional joke?

 

[MikeE21286]

I'd cash that son of a bitch into $1 bills, fashion a money hat out of the paper, and wear it to every event I go to.

hahaha, oh man I wanna see that.....

 

[alr1ght]

:lol @ the "journalists" not cashing the checks to not compromise their integrity, as if they had any journalistic integrity to begin with.

 

[Zenith]

Obviously giving them to charity would be an option, but then the person the check is assigned to would have to personally withdraw it first (I assume), so I definitely understand why they didn't. Anyone cashing that check in should be fired from their job on the spot.

wat.

 

[Zachack]

People saying this isn't bribing, or that it's a marketing campaign...

They specifically sent checks for $200 to people who will be reviewing their games. They targeted these people specifically, not just Joe Schmo.

If this isn't bribery, I don't know what is. wtf

The checks are fake and come loaded with both an indirect threat ("soul" punishment) and potentially a direct threat (EA will know who cashed the checks and could put their names in the various tiers of hell in-game).

The correct "solution" is to send it back: I don't agree with EA's use of prodigality, but I think it's safe to assume that giving it back (therefore to be used in some other useful way, instead of wasting it) avoids that sin, plus greed (if you just kept it uncashed it's still a material prize) and pride (which would be the sin if you kept it and framed it).

 

[rollingstart]

EA is playing you guys like a fiddle. No one gives a shit about $200, they just wanted these stories and threads.

It's almost like good marketing, except...wait

 

[Zeliard]

For what? Creating a brilliant PR stunt that satirises game publishers (including themselves), and then placing it within the context of their game? I have a feeling that most of the industry will be taking notes.

If nothing else has properly conveyed that this "brilliant PR stunt" has failed, simply take a look at the number of people that are viewing it as bribery. This is assbackwards marketing. They didn't get their "message" across at all to most people.

 

[Sohter.Nura]

So, instead of cashing the check or donating it, they burnt it and put it on kotaku?

Pretty hardcore, huh =I I guess they're trying to prove themselves or smth?

 

[Fyodor Dostoevsky]

Oh... wow.

A lot of conflict of interest going on here. All of the journalists should mail the checks back, otherwise their integrity will be compromised.

To compromise integrity, it has to be there to begin with.

Spoiler

what do I win?

 

[itsinmyveins]

wat.

"Wat" what?

If someone cashes the checks in for themselves they should be fired. If someone cashes it in and gives it to charity it's not nearly as bad, but I don't think people should accept the checks at all.

 

[Lost Fragment]

Good show, EA.

 

[UltimaPooh]

Looks like Joystiq got one and is going to cash the check and then donate it to a charity in EA's name.

That seems fair.

 

[Kintaro]

So, um, seriously. No one believes that's a real check right?

 

[Darklord]

:lol @ the "journalists" not cashing the checks as if they had any journalistic integrity to begin with.

Yeah because movie reviewers and other type of critics are way better. Oh and lets not forget Fox's non-bias and trustworthy news. Yep, it's just those damn game journalists who are no good.