News

Parents group attacking Dead Space 2 ads
Posted: 06.02.2011 01:15 by JonahFalcon Comments: 22
Common Sense Media organization is attacking Electronic Arts for running the "Your Mom Hates Dead Space 2" ads for making the game seem more desirable for young children to play, and is also attacking the ESRB ratings board for approving the ads.

The clever ads featured middle-aged women reacting in shock to the gore and visceral combat of Dead Space 2, playing on the fact that parents worry about the kind of video games their kids play.

Common Sense, which has their own ratings system in place for games and other entertainment media, claims the ads violate the ESRB's own ad standards, claiming that the commercials will "make the game more desirable for children", despite the fact that no matter how much a young child may "desire" something, it doesn't mean their parents will give it to them.

In response, ESRB president Patricia Vance stated, "... just because a product desires to be seen as 'cool' or 'edgy' does not in and of itself necessitate that it is directed at children." The fact that Dead Space 2 is M-rated should be a clear sign that parents shouldn't be buying this for their kids.
Source: Big Download

Comments

By djole381 (SI Elite) on Feb 06, 2011
djole381
Just read the review of Dead Space 2 on Common Sense Media. IMO it seems that the review is more oriented on finding and exposing negative parts of the game to the parents than actually and unbiasedly reviewing all aspects of the game.
By Revan (SI Elite) on Feb 06, 2011
Revan
I actually agree with that site. It's like they were saying, "Hey this game is Super Violent! You should buy it cause your Parents are gonna Hate it! Which makes it Cool!"
Just seems kind of like a pathetic way to run an ad for a game. :S
By JonahFalcon (SI Elite) on Feb 06, 2011
JonahFalcon
So WHAT if kids think it's cool? It's an M-rated game - they ain't getting it if their parents say "no".

And by the way, Dead Space 2 *is* cool.
By PowerJack (SI Elite) on Feb 06, 2011
PowerJack
Dont you just love over-zealous parents.
Some1 should point a gun to their faces and say - "This is reality which do you choose"
By JustCommunication (SI Core) on Feb 06, 2011
JustCommunication
Er... no :P There will be no gun point Jack :P Thank you.

Yeah, I find the ads amusing for what they are, but I don't think EA can argue that they're not trying to circumvent the rating system sligthly. Young kids will see it and they will badger their parents until they give in - so EA arn't blameless.

But yeah, liked the ad campaign, Parents just need to stand firm and not give in.
By Jasca_Ducato (SI Core) on Feb 06, 2011
Jasca_Ducato
Kind of ironic really, Common Sense are saying these adverts will prompt children to badger their parents, but as those very same adverts say, "Moms hate DS2"... So the chances of them actually providing for the children is slim.
By DAmicoThunder (SI Core Veteran) on Feb 07, 2011
DAmicoThunder
i agree with JustCommunication. the parents need to learn how to tell their kids to, and i quote here, "shut the f*** up"
By Azsinistar (SI Veteran Newbie) on Feb 07, 2011
Azsinistar
It all sums up with the oldest argument... who should be the parents? the actual parents or some activist group?

I vote for the parents. Learn to pay attention to your kids, if you dont like them playing DS2, dont let them.
By PowerJack (SI Elite) on Feb 07, 2011
PowerJack
I blame the young this days.
They are getting more mental by the minute and the excuse is the games... they're just stupid.
By PyrettaBlaze (SI Veteran Member) on Feb 07, 2011
PyrettaBlaze
Yeah, ultimately, the decision is the parents. I mean, they need to learn not to give in. Parents need to quit blaming games. Its not the games fault that you bought it for them you know lol.
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Feb 07, 2011
djole381
Yeah, but it's not the games fault kids commit crime either.
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Feb 08, 2011
herodotus
It's actually all ather silly. In 6 months, and when the game has dropped markedly in price, the attention will be on another game (perhaps the new "CoD"...yay) and this will all have been just a bit of media fluff.
Floods, cyclones, snow blizzards...there are more important things to worry about right now. Honestly, there would still be focus groups complaining even while the continents were sinking.
By DAmicoThunder (SI Core Veteran) on Feb 08, 2011
DAmicoThunder
haha you make a good point Herodotus but we have to remember the bigger picture here. parents, i believe, feel that the idea of world peace and a united global community could never be achieved because of the rising violence and crime in these games. on the other hand, they should be telling this to the game devs not their children
By Jake_SI (SI Elite) on Feb 09, 2011
Jake_SI
I have to say, whilst I never actually saw one of these commercials, I had heard about it, and was extremely skeptical of the idea. I mean seriously, why would someone base their decision of whether to buy a game simply (or partly) on the fact that some random adults were paid to appear shocked from viewing content from the game..

"OMG THAT OLD LADY WAS LIKE 'ZOMG!'.. THIS GAME MUST BE TEH WINZ!!!" am I doing it right? What a joke.

Though this kind of 'outside the box' marketing is hardly new for EA at the moment, especially with everything they're doing for Bulletstorm. Though personally, I find the Bulletstorm campaign to be far more entertaining, and likely to bring in bigger sales.
By DAmicoThunder (SI Core Veteran) on Feb 09, 2011
DAmicoThunder
we all have to remember the fact that parents are overzealous aristocratic fiends who oppose anything they do not understand
By PowerJack (SI Elite) on Feb 09, 2011
PowerJack
@DAmico Its like the Witch Hunt all over again and just like like the church they should all DIE!!!
By PyrettaBlaze (SI Veteran Member) on Feb 09, 2011
PyrettaBlaze
Hahaha, you guys are too funny. But yeah, we got more important s**t to worry about anyway. Games are always gonna get a lot of flak about them. So in other words its nothing new lol.
By DAmicoThunder (SI Core Veteran) on Feb 09, 2011
DAmicoThunder
@powerjack hell yes i got you.
@pyrettablaze it isnt anything new its just they are actually being pricks about it this time and we dont like that
By joelolkeilso (I just got here) on Feb 08, 2013
joelolkeilso
What more can you expect from Soccer parents? They are the epitome of evil. KEEL THEM ALL.
By DAmicoThunder (SI Core Veteran) on Feb 23, 2013
DAmicoThunder
@joelolkeilso You have an excellent point, my friend.
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Feb 23, 2013
herodotus
I'm no soccer parent (and by the way, the term "soccer" has not been used anywhere but in America for a decade now), and certainly no fiend, but yet am a parent. If anything, a Gaming Parent, which women seem to loathe.
Wait till you all become one.

"Soccer Mums". Hmmm, "Soccer Bitch" is closer to the truth come match day.
By DAmicoThunder (SI Core Veteran) on Feb 23, 2013
DAmicoThunder
@herodotus You have a more excellent point.
Not sure if football...
...or football...