February 8, 2010 -
Electronic Arts’ Dante’s Inferno will not be released in the Middle East.
EA didn’t even bother to submit the game to censors reports GamesLatest, apparently realizing that a game focused on the nine circles of Hell would be destined for banning, much like the treatment Darksiders, God of War and Grand Theft Auto IV received in the past from the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement, EA said, “Electronic Arts has decided not to release Dante’s Inferno in the Middle East after an evaluation process which is based on consumer tastes, preferences, platform mix and other factors.”
If a circle of Hell had to be applied to this story, the First Circle appears most appropriate—Limbo.
Thanks gellymatos!
Comments
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
Watch what happens now, the U.A.E. will complain about it not being released over there & so will people over there that play games. I like EA's choice. They (EA) are blunt about it. It's like saying to the U.A.E. "Well in the past you banned our games & other games that weren't very religous & weren't very violent, so we won't be shipping our new game out to you. The reason why is b/c you will ban this game as well. So what's the point of it being shipped." Then the U.A.E. will get mad/upset or they will smile & say good. Either way you're damned if you do & damned if you don't. But there are ways for the game to be pirated to that country. :)
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
No suprise
Never underestimate the power of idiots in large amounts.
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
How about if they just get over it.
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
A couple commentors on kotaku have basically said these things, or even actual bans, don't stop middle eastern gamers from picking games like this up.
I'm pretty sure it's the game itself that's gonna do that.
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
I forsee this happening to Australia eventually if they don't shape up.
-Ultimately what will do in mankind is a person's fear of their own freedom-
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
Hardly matters anymore at this point. The reviews are in, and they're saying it's crap. Of the God of War rip-off games that have come out recently, Bayonetta and even Darksiders are supposed to be better.
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
1) Bayonetta isn't a God Of War Rip off, it's inspired solely by DMC
2) Bayonetta is freaking awesome and just as good as any DMC and has completely removed any trace of the phrase "rip off" from my mind, even if the opening cinematic had me wondering if i had bought a game, or a soft core porn movie (you kinda get used to it after awhile)
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
Not only that, I believe Hideki Kamiya (Director for Bayonetta) was also the director for the first Devil May Cry, and Platinum game had former employee of Capcom who also work on Devil May Cry. So that makes Bayonetta a spiritual sucessor to Devil May Cry.
I wonder how long till Capcom and Platinum games do a Devil May Cry/Bayonetta crossover just like how Capcom had Marcus Fenix from Gears of War making appearance in Lost Planet 2?
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
Yes i'm aware of that.
And Dante + Bayonetta = way to much badass and confidence (hell...cocky more like it) for one game
...it would be awesome.
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
Not all review says it crap, just because the review say it's bad doesn't mean it's bad. Look at Halo 3: ODST, that game was given a lot of good review, but a lot of people say the game was too short, and the gameplay is recycled from Halo 3, and ODST is just Halo 3 with more multiplayer map. Also, did you forget God of war took it influences from Devil may Cry. According to your logic, guess that makes God of War a Devil may cry rip-off.
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
Oh joy, another bit of pre-planned controversy regarding Dante's Inferno. You know at this point, given all the overdone viral marketing they've done with this game, it would have to be able to run rings around Batman: AA just to justify half of it.
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
How is it "Pre-planned controversy" choosing not to release in the Middle East because
A)If they try it will probably be banned and
B)Even if it IS released, their market research indicates it would sell so poorly it would not be worth it?
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Re: Dante’s Inferno Banishes Itself from Middle East
Because they're not declaring that it's not's a suitable market for the game, they are specifically saying that if they try, it will be banned. It's an old gambit of saying "get this product! It's so offensive it's banned in <insert region>!"
Given their track record of advertising for this game (which consists of essentially every viral marketing technique known as opposed to conventional avertising), it's not a far stretch.