This year’s E3 so far has being going smoothly. A little too smoothly if you ask me. Thankfully, The Saved Group has shown up to protest a game outside the LA Convention Center.
The game they’re protesting is Dante’s Inferno, which is being publish by EA (or as they like to refer to them, Electronic Anti-Christ). During an interview with regular man-on-the-street Jeff Yanick, Sherry Adams had the following to say:
It’s disrespectful to ourselves, our organization, the bible, the Christian belief. We don’t need this right now in our society. It’s giving the idea to the youth that you can go to hell, you can get out with your passcode. There are no reset buttons in hell. We don’t approve of the renditions of using the cross to kill un-baptised babies. The cross is not a weapon to be used, it’s a weapon of salvation, not for in hell. Once you get to hell, there’s no coming back. They are portraying that you can go to hell and get out and we are against that…
That’s quite a claim Sherry made. It seems she doesn’t like the idea of a game glorifying the idea of going to hell, and yet the game is based off of a piece of literature from the early 14th century. It just goes to show you that no matter what game is released, there will be people who will have a problem with it.
[Via 1UP]
This is a tough one. I always try to stay somewhat level-headed about video games in light of my conservative Christian views; however, this game does appear a bit over the top. Forget the game content for now. The issue is that the game contradicts certain clear fundamental truths about hell that are in the bible. Almost glamorizing being there. For example, upon entering the DI EA website, your invited to “explore hell.” This is troubling for me for several reasons that I’ll summarize below:
1. I’ve read tons of articles recently discussing the fact that intense gamers are having a tough time separating fact from fiction. This is dangerous territory. An understanding of what hell is and who it’s intended for is DEFINITELY something you want to get right.
2. Studies have found that people have become less sensitive to unacceptable and illegal acts portrayed in video games (i.e., rape, prostitution, murder, etc.). Again, for those of us who believe in the existence of such a place as hell, we would hope that people do not become desensitized to the reality of such a place.
3. Children are still the large market here. I’ve said this in other comments I’ve posted. I understand there is a rating system intended to prevent minors from playing games that are not “age appropriate”; however, we all know they get their hands on these games anyway. My first two points above are amplified when considering the player is a child/minor. In the case of this game, I don’t think it’s appropriate for ANY age.
Before you lash out in defense, it’s important for you to know that I allow for tolerance. For example, I love playing Call of Duty which contains violence. I can justify getting my mind lost in a war game with my friends on a late Friday night…say around 10:30pm (don’t be late!). What I can’t justify is getting lost in hell.
Oh, and thanks for the picture. I think it’s time for me to buy a new pair of sunglasses. I don’t like the way mine look in this picture.
This was a publicity stunt, the protesters were hired by EA
/facepalm
[...] during last years E3, Dante’s Inferno stirred up the crowd with picketers waving signs apparently protesting the game. In the end it was EA themselves who admitted this publicity stunt [...]
@ jomocpa:
So it contradicts the Bible..so what? it doesn’t follow the divine comedy to the letter either. and sorry to say it like this, but what’s in the Bible is only true to the religion that believes in it. to anyone else, it’s a piece of fiction.
Also to deal with your three points:
1. the only people who can’t tell the difference either have some form of mental illness or have no common sense or parenting in their life
2.If you believe in hell, it may desensitize you but other religions that don’t have a hell or believe in one, it’s just an interesting way to portray an “afterlife place”
3.The only way these kids get their hands on these games now is they get them from small stores. large chains are REQUIRED to get ID or parent’s permission to sell to a minor, otherwise there’s a huge lawsuit.
[...] With that, controversy is not something new for this EA game. Heck, at E3 2009, EA themselves protested the creation of Dante’s Inferno and vowed to show us that hell isn’t all that great after all. Real smooth EA! In turn, [...]