The Last Of Us: Does Anyone Really Care About Video Game Covers?

WC writes: The issue of sexism in the gaming industry has been raised yet again following the news that Naughty Dog, the studio behind upcoming PS3 game The Last of Us, was told by Sony to remove a female character from the front cover. Naughty Dog refused, and Ellie, the young woman who is key to the story-line of the game, will remain on the cover. The news comes just days after images of the front cover of Bioshock: Infinite were released, which depict a generic-looking man holding a gun, with female lead Elizabeth only present on the back of the box. The studio behind the game has tried to appease fans by making the cover reversible and holding a vote to decide the second cover.

Both Sony and Bioshock’s creator Ken Levine stated these decisions were because they believe their games would sell less if there was a female on the front cover. But is that really true? Would gamers shun a game just because there was a girl on the front? Do gamers even care about box art anyway?

[Zodiac]

Of course gamers care about box art. The Bioshock team is doing all that crap just to please fans about the cover.

They wouldn't do anything if gamers didn't hate the box art.

It doesn't even have to be any significant resentment to certain box art, but in the back of your head you know you hate the cover, and it isn't strong enough for you to express it, but the hate is there.

Gamers care. It's impossible to not care at all, but it wouldn't stop me from buying a game.

@up2013. I'm not talking about if the cover changes how much i like a game. I'm talking about the cover and nothing but the cover. You like the cover or you don't like it, but it isn't humanly possible for the box art to not register in your mind.

[Ezz2013]

i don't really care about game covers at all
a game can have the best cover ever made
yet the game it self can be very lame or very bad game

all i care about is the game it self
since you know as a gamer i play the game it self not the cover
but that's me of course since i don't speak for every one

[Ezz2013]

@Zodiac
"I'm not talking about if the cover changes how much i like a game. I'm talking about the cover and nothing but the cover. You like the cover or you don't like it, but it isn't humanly possible for the box art to not register in your mind."

no ...not really
i never cared for covers
i only cared for them in ps1 era when i was 13 years old

[Zodiac]

"no ...not really
i never cared for covers
i only cared for them in ps1 era when i was 13 years old"

Sorry, but it isn't possible to not care. The moment you think about the cover for even a split second means you cared enough to think about it. Humans care about everything, we care enough to hate, love, or even contemplate the simplest things.

gamer pride of any sort isn't enough to hide from science or even philosophy.

[Imalwaysright]

I too dont care about covers or the boxes. I keep my game disks on CD wallets as they are much more convenient.

[DarkBlood]

if im interested in a game it wouldnt stop me if there was or wasnt something on the cover the real stuff is in the game itself to me

[Jsynn7]

This is a sorry time of gaming where "gamers" are becoming more and more fickle. Real gamers would would decided whether to buy a game or not before the cover art is even created. They make their decisions based on the information they've read and/or the demos they've seen/played between the time the game is announced to the time the game hits store shelves. To make your decision based on the box cover? You don't play the cover, you play the game. Screw these spoiled brats. This is a very sorry time indeed.

[torchic]

fact is many people still make decisions based off box art, much like people make decisions about a movie at a rental store based on box art, much like how an employer will make a judgement on a potential employee solely based on their dress code. it's advertising.

there's nothing fickle about it, you're just an old irritable man who needs to calm down and not overexaggerate such a simple issue.

[Jsynn7]

What in the hell are you talknig about?! lol Perfect example of one of the spoiled brats right here. U mad, bro. lol

[torchic]

what do you mean what am I talking about? you wrote something and I disagreed and gave my reason for disagreeing.

and how am I a spoilt brat? because I disagreed with your opinion? check yourself bro.

[Jsynn7]

Your reasons for disagreeing make no sense. I'd be fine with it if they were well thought out. and there's this:

" you're just an old irritable man who needs to calm down and not overexaggerate such a simple issue."

How am I an irritable old man? Because I expressed my opinion? (see what I did there?) It's obvious you're a lame troll. Nice try.

[torchic]

my point was that, as much as you say

"Real gamers would would decided whether to buy a game or not before the cover art is even created. They make their decisions based on the information they've read and/or the demos they've seen/played between the time the game is announced to the time the game hits store shelves"

fact is that many people still use this method for picking games. it has nothing to do with people being fickle, it has nothing to do with people being spoilt brats, it's just a convenient way of seeing if a game is good or not for a person stuck in a video game shop with some money in their wallet, wanting something new to play. I bet every commentor in these comments has done it at some point in their lives (especially in the PSone days) including you.

that was my point. you're overexaggerating the issue, and then went on to insult people for doing something ordinary, for having common sense even. so don't try and spin this and make it seem like I'm a troll. you wrote something and I just replied on equal terms that's it.

I'm tired of old irritable men like you calling people cry babies, spoilt brats, etc. for caring about something and voicing their opinions. I don't think ANYONE said they weren't buying Bioshock Infinite ANYMORE because they didn't like the box art. people were just disappointed and therefore complained. A game that creative didn't deserve a box art that dull and generic.

anyway bro I'm out of bubbles. if you want we can continue on private message.

[admiralvic]

I think a lot of people don't understand the issue with Bioshocks box art and instead take the argument out of context. For me, I saw most of the complaints (myself included) being that the box art represented a different game than the originals. The originals are more about mystery / adventure, where as infinite reminds me of Call of Duty or Battlefield. So not only does it somewhat imply we might see a shift in gameplay, but we're going to see a different demographic buying it, than would probably enjoy it (possibly resulting in lower sales).

As I've mentioned several times before, no one buys a game based off box art, but a good design can get you to look into the game. Thus people like designs that accuracy represent the product, such as CoD usually having a faceless generic solider as that really sums up the game.

[GraveLord]

Yes I do. Although it doesn't affect whether or not I buy the game.

[Gridloc]

So the people who won't buy a game because of the box art is ridiculous. Just look back in the Atari days. The game looked nothing like the box art, but the game still sold. Some people just have to have something to bitch about. Grow up, are you gonna stare at the cover or play the game?

[Belking]

Nope...I only care about what's on the disc. Can't wait to play this game. It will probably be the only one I buy for ps3 next year.

[Hicken]

A cover won't stop me from buying a game, necessarily, but that doesn't mean I want it to be ugly.

[Belking]

Can't believe you didn't follow up my post with the usual comments....oh wait, i said something decent about the PS3 so that's why.

[Ezz2013]

i'm wating to see you online on ps3
after you give me your psn

[bloodybutcher]

i don't care if the game i like has a flying donkey on the cover(even if it's a game about flying donkey). i just want the game:) actually i don't remember any covers atm:D oh, no, wait.i remember cover art from deadspace.

[Tdmd]

Yes. I believe thats true for everyone who enjoys having a retail copy of their games in their gaming collection over the digital version.

[onandonandon]

Last of Us could have a big picture of Bill Gates masterbating over an xbox on the front but I'd still buy it!!

[FuzzyPooka]

This isn't about fans of the game. Ellie or no Ellie, I'd still be buying The Last of Us. This is for random people who are browsing the shelves. They'd be more likely to buy a game with a some badass picture of Joel with a shotgun, rather than a 14 year old girl and some guy walking. It's sad, but true.

[Hufandpuf]

A box cover could be the make or break for an UNIFORMED customer, but for gamers that know what they are buying, it doesn't matter.

[ShaunCameron]

I think developers need to stand up for what they created instead of trying to appease some vocal minority who still probably won't buy their product anyway. This entitlement mentality is getting out of control.