Deep Silver Apologizing for Offensive Dead Island Riptide Zombie Bait Edition

A statement on the Zombie Bait Edition that apparently offended some people.

[ftwrthtx]

You are buying a game about chopping zombies. What do you expect? Cake and pie?

[Sev]

Yeah, I really hate that sort of thinking. Oh, this game about killing zombies has now taken it too far because of such a silly thing.

[ftwrthtx]

I'm hoping the Deep Silver PR team will give these out to sites for give-aways. I think people would like them here in the states.

[guitarded77]

Because we're all sensitive flowers that wilt every time we see something "civilized" society has deemed bad. Deep Silver should be ashamed /s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s

[Red_Orange_Juice]

Im offended that some offended idiots will sto me from getting this

[rpd123]

Like when people complain about sex in a game that is all about brutally maiming people or killing them violently...I just don't know what to say to these people.

[Pozzle]

I think a cooler idea would have been a torso and head bust, with the torso relatively unblemished and human looking, while the head is horrifically zombified. But maybe that's just me.

A severed, bloodied torso with big tits says 'serial killer with creepy fetish' more than 'fan of Dead Island' imo. I don't know, it just seems in really bad taste. Especially after all the controversy surrounding violent video games lately. This is like a great big red target for media outlets, groups, and politicians who are waiting for something controversial to point the finger at and scrutinize.

[ftwrthtx]

Without starting a political debate on here, I strongly disagree with this being in bad taste.

[-Gespenst-]

Yeah there's something really sinister and sexist / misogynistic about making a bust of a maimed woman and selling it as a collectors item. Am I supposed to think it's cool and display it on my mantlepiece?

Not only does it literally objectivise women as busty, bikini models, it also mutilates the female body. Not exactly very subtle anyway. Also, I think it's in poor taste given the recent events in Delhi.

Dead Island is a reasonably popular game, best to not let it contribute to the cultivation of disrespect towards women.

Plus it's just weird, I don't wanna know what some sickos would do with it.

[DragonKnight]

@-Gespenst- First, in what way is it portraying a hatred or distrust of women? Because that's what misogyny is. Second, I'm assuming it wouldn't have been a problem if it were the bust of a zombified man?

[Soldierone]

@above, nope it wouldn't. If it was a figure of a man with perfectly sculpted abs and muscle tone, it would have been perfectly fine.

Just like its okay to have characters like Kratos running around, but give Lara Croft big boobs and an athletic body and all hell breaks loose. Double standards suck. You want respect or want to whine about something, then treat both sides the SAME.

Overall just remember one simple things..... THEY ARE VIDEO GAMES! Fantasy!

[DragonKnight]

@Soldierone: Couldn't have said it any better. +Bubbles.

[BISHOP-BRASIL]

@Soldierone

Exactly what I was thinking, had it been a man, no one would even touch on this point...

@Back on topic...

About the zommbified ripped torso (despite its gender) it's not the first time I heard people saying this kind of stuff is done in bad taste... I noticed most people repeat that without even realizing it means jack s**t! Taste is subjective and, in no way what so ever, should dictate what should or not be done. I know Pozzle is not saying that they should remove it or not do it or whatever (the way he uses it is just irrelevant), but that's exactly the same point media uses to bash on things (basing arguments on somthing that's not there, the way they use it is just stupid): "in bad taste", "immoral", "offensive", "a sin"... Well, none of this terms really mean nothing, as all those stuff are highly conceptual, being that even when one consider it exists (concept valid), it's still subjective.

Also, if you are getting that limited statue, you are buying a game where you can slice human bodies for fun, why the hell should we consider you any less or more of a psycopath just 'cause you don't have the statue? Yeah, well, just because you want to decapitate some pixels doesn't mean you are necesssarily trying to evade reality or fulfill underlying wishes, but still ripping some heads off yourself, even if they are virtual, are way worse than buying an ugly statue that happens to have no head. And does't really matter which part of this the media will use to scrutinize games, they have been doing this for the whole generation with ot without the uggly torso in bedroom argument... Not that any mentally healthy person even listen to the media like that anymore.

In fact you could have a complete zombie statue (arms, legs, smell and everything), and it wouldn't make you look any less of a creepy and an easy target for media. Additionaly, it would feel much more generic 'Zombie fan' than 'Dead Island fan'.

With all that said, would I buy one? Hell no, it's uglier than a hippo giving birth plus I don't buy action figures or any other collectibles to fill my desk (I don't even like random paper in my desk, I like it clean and functional)... But hey, I'm not going to pretend I'm offended or that I think it's wrong or any other crap about a plastic figure that don't affect me in anywa if I don't plan on buying.

[grailly]

while I don't feel offended by this. I think it's weird to sexualize a dead body

[Wingsfan24]

Yea, I mean, I'm not offended or anything by it all, but I mean, honestly? I would of liked a really cool zombie looking statue over a sexualized dead body.

However, the only people I can see getting offended by this are people that think Deep Silver is just trying to use boobs and all to attract gamers with no social lives and stare at animated breasts for their entertainment.

[FFXI101]

I wish they'd release this version in the US, I'd buy it and add to my collections.

[Campy da Camper]

Exactly. If someone put me on the cover with massive arms and a huge package busting out of my shorts i would expect you all to make it your coffee table centerpiece.

[RXL]

cake and pie would be so sweet tho.

[Stuart5756]

I saw the pic and thought 'that best not be what the complaint was about' and it was, unbelievable. So every film with violence, every game with violence all need banning now then? Some of the stuff you can do in some games, some of the scenes, no, some of the legendary scenes from movies (Evil Dead 2 chainsaw/woman scene) and people complain about THIS! Sad, sad people. Personally I want one.

The film Dead Girl was pretty bad though.

[Enigma_2099]

I can see your point, and I can also see why some might be offended. It is pretty gruesome. But still, I can see your point. The question I want answered, however, is...

... why the hell would you even want this?

[360ICE]

Offensive, huh?

You're going to jail.

[RuperttheBear]

I'm more offended by the fact that the statue is based on a woman with fake breasts. I would have preferred a torso with natural breasts.

I'm stunned and shocked and appalled, etc, etc..

[d0nni3]

The pieces were too big for my taste i prefer my torsos more diced up, so there for i am deeply offended, outraged, sickened and turned on.....

[mi_titan27]

i want this edition, i think its great. I hope its still available for import

[PrimordialSoupBase]

Enjoy yourself, Buffalo Bill.

[claud3]

grow a freaking backbone and get over it

[BanBrother]

Better yet, grow a pair of mutilated breasts /s

How big is this 'bust'? Reminds me of Duke nukem 'wall boobs'. To avoid controversy, they should have included a male one as well, wearing either trunks (not the dbz guy) or board shorts.

If the size is right, I'd like to stick the helmet from the killzone 3 Helghast edition on it. Look pretty awesome.

[Lionalliance]

How is this offensive?

[knifefight]

I was wondering this same thing.

[Mr-Dude]

Guns for everyone in a country that's NOT going to change their law about it... Yeah it's pretty ironic...
I think people should look al themselfs first

[koga88]

Really people? This is freaking stupid now. Everyone is so PC over the littlest thing now. If this had been a bloody man's torso it wouldn't have raised an issue. How about a bloody man's junk flopping around in a collector's edition? This is absolutely ridiculous now.

[AvidGamerrrr]

I don't see how this is sexualized. Riptide and Dead Island are set on a resort island, where women wear bikinis. A female body in a bikini is suddenly sexualized?

[Tameel1]

It's the focus on the large fake boobs that make it seem sexualized. There's no head, no face, no limbs. Just a torso with two great big melons right in the center of it.

Why not give her smaller boobs? Or give her a one piece bathing suit? Or make a male torso instead? Because they wouldn't sell as well as a big breasted female.

[Soldierone]

It's "just a torso" because the limbs are ripped off....

plus plenty of busts put emphasis on boobs, just like they put emphasis on muscles for a male figure....

[kingmushroom]

People are to sensitive, i bet if it was a male torso people would be cool with it, those damn sheep.

[aliengmr]

Not that I think this situation is worth getting upset about, but that's what bikinis are for, sexualizing the female form. The fake boobs only add to it.

So yea, it sexualized in order to sell the CE. Its not that big of a deal considering the context in which its be shown.(meaning, you have to buy a CE of a game about zombies, as opposed to putting in a town square or something.) But over-sensitive people are sensitive.

[claud3]

it's just an freaking image. Them that are up set by this

Need help

[b_one]

rotfl lol ppl are weak... or do they think they will get my little pony game...

[Hanso]

people not offended by this prove how sick our society has became

[kingmushroom]

mankind has always been about death and violence since the beginning, nothing new to society, besides it's not like we force people to Colosseum death match like the Romans.

[phantomexe]

It's a game rated M for mature......Some people like horror movies and like collectables some people like harry poter while others think it's satanic. Yes i know sounds crazy right. Don't pretend to be above it. If it was a guys chest nothing would be said, nothing at all. So many cry babys today.

[Hanso]

If it had atleast a head and have been a zombie i wouldnt have said anything

[Anzil]

well said!

[profgerbik]

Or people offended by something so little have no real concept of what society really holds. I lived through hell and back and this is by far the least of my worries.

Go spend some time in Liberia then come back and whine about how offensive this is.. Please do.

[Quiescent]

Who are you to justify what "society" has become? please stare at the computer screen to get offended by this "sexualized act" and go to a porno site right after and fap away punk

[Bathyj]

No, people that are always more concerned with what other people are doing than what they themselves are doing is whats wrong with society.

No ones forcing anyone to buy this, they're upset because someone else might.

People bring more negative energy into the world by complaining about things that have nothing to do with them than the actual thing they are complaining about.

Why does everyone think they have to be involved in every aspect of everything?
When did we decide everyone had to agree on everything to make it ok?

[kingmushroom]

don't apologize to no one.

[ExitToExisT]

this is just free advertising

[nutcrackr]

sounds PR are trying to make it into a controversy to get more sales.

[snowman2149]

The problem with it is that it looks like a serial killer 'Trophy',someone who's never played dead island would be scared shitless if they saw this in someone's bed room

[Drabent]

Yay the titties were saved!

[ceballos77mx]

I guess zombies don't like silicon

[BanBrother]

@ceballos

Or milk :-)

[aLucidMind]

I don't see why people are offended; while I personally think it's stupid, tasteless, and disgusting, it isn't real and I won't criticize zombie fans for wanting to get their hands on this thing as it is their money, their sense of taste, and their decision.

People really need to get over themselves; if you don't like it, don't buy it and let people who want to have it buy one and let them be happy with THEIR (NOT YOUR) decision.

[aLiEnViSiToR]

ROFL

[sypher]

Well make sure to get your hands on those 'recalled' busts now. Because they will become collectors items :)

[aLucidMind]

Doubtful, rarity doesn't automatically mean it's a collectors item; subject, overall appeal, and how large the market is take presidence over rarity alone. It is likely the majority of gaming collectors won't touch it and who knows if the zombie fandom will result in a zombie collectors market, let alone one big enough for this item to net a decent price tag.

[sypher]

If this item gets recalled i very much expect it to be highly sought after in the future from ps3/xbox collectors and die hard zombie fans alike. And speaking of which i just wrote an article on the value of games. Weird!

http://www.ign.com/blogs/5y...

[acemonkey]

who is complaining about this? same girls that got trucker(18 wheels) to take their women off their mud flaps? im more upset that it was not being sold in the USA lol

[ceballos77mx]

I don't like it, not because I find it offensive or distasteful, I'd rather have a zombie statue or the owner of the body but zombiefied.

[LordHiggens]

Boobs are great...

[Feylynn]

The male equivalent of this is NOT muscles and chiseled abs as neither are a reproductive organ that are typically covered in public. If people want to play the "There wouldn't complaints if it was a man" game then you need to acknowledge the male equivalent is a finely sculpted pelvic section wearing a speedo.

I'm sure the complaints are of an entirely different nature now.

Granted I personally don't see it as sexist, just proposing a level flame field.
I do however see it as silly, and very poorly made. There must be at least one artist on a dev team that could have said "Maybe we should make this not bad".

[G-Ham]

It's a fucking video game not an episode of I'm a whiny bitch and ile complain about anything because i have literally nothing better to do in my life than wine about everything. The video game industry is being destroyed by these fucking idiots. Anyone that thinks this is wrong needs to just fuck off seriously all the real actual gamers that enjoy the experiences of these games also enjoy a special edition that involves a syringe pen or a lancer gun with a chainsaw but if you don't want it then don't buy it and if you're offended by a decapitated body then why the fuck are you arguing about a game that allows you to cut off heads on a regular basis anyway! No one can argue with me and put up a valid statement about this being a top story on N4G right now its just pussies being pussies that will always be pussies and always come up with some pussy reasons that something like this is enough of a reason to cry about and im fed up to fuck with the same dickheads crying about nothing. So fuck you royally. Keep it real true gamers.

[Greyfox1]

I want to be honest I was at first not offend but not really feeling this collectors edition but to each his own. Like many have said here if you don't like it don't buy it! Period! Like the zombie head for the walking dead collectors edition season two which I didn't like that neither but again everyone has their own opinion on what they think is cool especially when it comes to collectors editions. It makes sense it is a zombie game! Would we get the same reaction If it was a zombie head? Or a chopped off zombie hand? I'm a former graphic design/animation student I believe in expression and I don't think the company or their PR or anyone needs to apologize to anyone! I think a lot of you would agree. Please if you don't like it don't buy it but its things like this that allow the media and government officials or anyone with any sort of opinion and in a position of power to start an issue and say games are to blame with today's society and cause violence. As gamers lets all stick together for the benefit of the games to continue to be awesome!

[Live_4_Gaming]

people get too damn upset over stupid things, we're talking about a game where you cut up zombies..I think it was a brilliant move on Deep Silver's part..and even better..free press for their game. :) I love Dead Island!

[Qrphe]

This is an awful Collector's Edition anyway, no way in hell I'd keep this around other worthy Collector's Editions needless to say showing others.

This was a clear attempt to get publicity however, everyone knows Dead Island didn't get the best reception so any form of marketing for this other game is good for them.

[MegaLagann]

Oh boy, here we go. Okay, first off, I don't give two shits about this game. Never played the first one, probably never will, same goes for the sequel. But here's my problem with this "controversy". See this? http://www.amazon.com/Walki... This is a special edition for Walking Dead on Blu-Ray where the case is a severed zombie head getting impaled in the eye with a screwdriver. The head then opens up and reveals the actual product. I remember seeing this at Best Buy's and other stores out in the open where anyone could see it, including kids and there was no uproar. But somehow there is for this? Why? Simple, because it's a woman. There was an article on Giant Bomb today condemning this. The author, name I can't remember, responded to some people saying "well if the statue was a man there would be no problem" with the author responding with "it's different". And that's the problem. We would totally be okay with it being a man, but once a pair of breasts are involved then there's a problem. Which tells me one thing, it's not the violence, it's the sexuality people have a problem with. At least in America, we're a country totally okay with violence on TV but once we see some skin we're outraged. It's almost as if we're afraid of the human body. Also, anyone else feel like they went ahead with releasing this despite it being a bad idea because of all the free press their game would get. If that's the case, well played and very smart. Sex and violence sells and so does free publicity.

[kostchtchie_]

exactly right

[FarCryLover182]

I see nothing offensive with this. I guess it'd be "okay" if it were a male figure?

[Valenka]

I fail to see how it's at all logically offensive. I do not believe anything was being sexualised. It's a statue of a mutilated corpse, because it's a zombie game, and the corpse is dressed in a bikini because it takes place on an island. What is the problem?

Would people start feeling better if the statue was instead a man's torso?

[ziggurcat]

*facepalm*

the white knighters strike again with their bloated sense of morality...

[MxRBrobaFett]

Sweet rack

[WetN00dle69]

ANNND the Crying and bitching starts. Quite frankly i dont find this offensive at all. ON the contrary if this was available state side id buy it in a heart beat!

[gamernova]

I want one! I live in the US. So unfair >.> Waaaaaahh!!!

[TheSaint]

Now I want cake and pie.

[Blacklash93]

The edition comes with that? That's stupid. Why would someone want that? Wait... nevermind.

[devilhunterx]

*barf!*

[Th3 Chr0nic]

people should complain tothem about it being removed. would be hella funny if more ppl complained in that regard than the original complaints of it being offensive.

[ninjahunter]

Wait till they go to the mall and see the maniquens. They are going to have a field day!

[Tzuno]

Whose idea was that? A decapitated chick? sick people.

[kostchtchie_]

just because more girl have jumped into gaming this gen, we need bend over backwards to make the feel at home, after all the years they could not give a shit about it, its pathetic, they should all go back to shopping and doing there makeup and chatting shit and let the lads get on with gaming, or put up and shut up