EA consistent: But Dead Space DID get banned, they just changed their minds

Electronic Arts is still running with the Dead Space (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) -got-banned-in-three-countries storyline in the January issue of Game Informer. The difference in the dialogue, however, is that while Germany did intend to ban, they  apparently “came around” eventually and let the game pass through. As for Japan, he cites a very vague “cultural difference” as the reason, while the China/ Korea “ban” was left untouched. See Schofield play the consistency card in the full article.

Electronic Arts is still running with the Dead Space–got-banned-in-three-countries storyline in the January issue of Game Informer. The difference in the dialogue, however, is that while Germany did intend to ban, they  apparently “came around” eventually and let the game pass through. As for Japan, he cites a very vague”cultural difference” as the reason, while the China/ Korea “ban” was left untouched.

Here’s the ban bit from Game Informer interview with Glen Schofield, verbatim:

Game Informer: You had some problems with [Dead Space (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)] being banned in Germany, Japan and Korea.

Schofield: Germany finally came around, because the bottom line is that the take it into a whole context… At the end of the day, Germany said they would take the game untouched, which is fantastic. I was very surprised with Japan. In finding out exactly the reasons why, it kind of makes sense. There is a cultural difference dealing with the dead. They just had something that we could not overcome and we didn’t want to compromise the game. Hell, [Takashi] Miike is the king of horror over there, and if you watch any of his films they are frickin’ insane. So for us to get banned, I was a bit surprised.

Yes, Takashi Miike is one hell of a horror director, yes, his films are frickin’ insane, and yes, a Japan ban given their love for all that is horrifying (complete with ghosts getting under the covers with you or crawling out of the frickin’ TV) is indeed surprising, if not incredible. IF it did ever happen, that is.

But as it turns out, none of the Dead Space (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) bans actually occurred. Not like anybody fully believed their self-proclaimed bans, anyway. Oh, EA. Your marketing spins are so bad, it’s good. To be fair, though, I think they deserve an A+ for being consistent. “It did get banned! They just changed their minds.”

Hype. It’s all in the business.

• EA confirmed Dead Space ban in email
• Dead Space writer says you need to listen to the dialogue to complete the game
• EA: Riccitiello made original IP like Dead Space possible

Via GamePolitics