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Why the Dante’s Inferno Superbowl Ad is Great for Gaming
Better Than You Think
by Coop
A few days ago, EA announced they would be airing a two million dollar commercial for their upcoming hack-and-slash adventure, Dante’s Inferno, during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. With the economy struggling, the game facing nonstop controversy, and international crises demanding money more than ever, many see this as a bad idea. I, however, see it as a brilliant maneuver for EA, Dante’s Inferno, and gaming as a whole.
The reason? Precedent. While gaming has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years, it still isn’t taken as seriously as movies or television by most. With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 being the second highest-grossing entertainment property of 2009 (behind Avatar), it’s obvious that the medium is much more popular than mainstream media likes to think. As silly as it might sound, throwing money down for a spot during the big game is a great way to make gaming feel more legitimized for those who would normally dismiss it, even if it is a blood-soaked action game. Hopefully the fact that it’s based on literature will balance that out.
It’s also important because it’s a new IP (of sorts). Sure, the actual property is very, very old, but it’s a new game franchise, and a risky one at that. The fact that it’s getting an advertisement during the biggest television event of the year means a lot, and the fact that CBS is censoring it (making them remove “Go to Hell” from the end) means it’ll gain even more exposure. With it rolling out against BioShock 2, it needs all the exposure it can get.
What do you think? Good for gaming? Bad? Neutral? No matter what, it’ll have people talking, and that’s really what counts in the end.
Comments
I'm happy that a game is getting this kind of exposure, but I do wish it was a game that could be seen as a little more seriously than Dante's Inferno. I know it's based on a 14th century epic poem, and deals with issues of morality and mortality, but it's still just a bloody hack and slasher. I wish Sony had spent the loot on an ad for Heavy Rain.
Dante's Inferno to me was made for 360 owners who has never played God of War and by the way will be coming out in a month of it's release date. Also, with that in mind EA better hope and pray that this thing sell because when Kratos makes his appearance in March it will be all she wrote.
Yeah, I'm pulling for this to be a good game. But if it's not, a superbowl ad is a great way to buy a lot of sales.
You want people to take gaming seriously, and you want to show them Dante's Inferno? I completely disagree. If anything, people will judge the medium harsher for having raped the Divine Comedy so.
How much has EA blown on marketing for this game? They easily could have funded another, better game. Or marketed Dead Space Extraction, like, at all.
Eh, the masses seems to enjoy remakes, and this is, in a way, a remake. It's a good start, is all I'm saying.
I'm not sure if this would be considered good or bad for gaming. I suppose if you simply consider any game (and not Madden) airing a comercial during the superbowl, then yes it could help legtimize gaming. I heard from a birdy that Bethesda was going to buy up Superbowl ad space, but I suppose their upcoming games are going to be pushed.
On the otherhand, in terms of how this will actually help the game sell, I don't think having a superbowl ad for any game will increase sales. They can say that the target audience is there, but it is also many other places and this is simply duplication. I watched the trailer that will air (on GV) and it isn't enough to be superbowl worthy. These ads are supposed to put brands outside of their comfort box (or re-enforce the brand), not just show non-gameplay footage over some snazzy music.