Ben-DutkaQuantic Dream doesn't believe a gun is necessary in a video game. Sadly, many developers and publishers do.
In speaking to GameSpot , studio co-founder and executive producer Guillaume de Fondaumière said he "categorically refused" a suggestion that his new project, Beyond: Two Souls , should be advertised with its heroine holding a gun in its cover art.
" We have to be very careful. We're working closely with the marketing folks at Sony to portray the game in the right light, to be able to talk to that diverse audience that we hope we will be able to reach with Beyond.
Indeed, there is some action in Beyond. But if we, for instance, put a pack art that's solely featuring action, first of all it's not going to be truthful to what the game is and then, your wife for instance, is not going to feel attracted to this. She'll say 'ok, well that's not unique, it's one of your video games.'"
Fondaumière added that "it's kind of natural" for those who aren't part of the project to pitch different ideas. And they might say- "It's a video game? Okay, it needs to have a gun otherwise it's not even a game." But he said it's critical to portray Beyond in the correct light; they need the right imagery to support the project. We're very much on board with that and we consider Beyond: Two Souls to be a very important title.
Even more so now that the industry is constantly under fire from the comically, woefully out-of-touch and ignorant.
Related Game(s): Beyond: Two Souls
Rightly so
A supernatural thriller doesn't need a gun on the cover.
I have to hand it to the people at Quantic Dream for recognizing the delicate situation the gaming industry is in.
It has a giant bullseye on it, and making sure their game avoids the negative attention is smart thinking.
This isn't a political move, this is his interest in portraying a game to his consumers in the proper light.
I don't understand the timidity or why gamers feel that they have to defend their chosen hobby. There is ZERO credible evidence proving harm from games in people who weren't already disturbed and in fact, the Secret Service determined that those people were more likely to be affected by other forms of media.
If Quantic Dreams wants to play up the supernatural aspects of the game and feel that the depiction of a gun would diminish that then fine. It should be motivated by creative and marketing considerations, not out of fear of what the ignorant and misinformed think about games.
Last edited by Kryten1029a on 3/22/2013 10:12:19 AM
Good on him. He knows his product, so he knows his audience, so he knows his marketing objectives.
Geez, I wonder if the marketing team said don't put the female protagonist on the cover because guys don't want to play a females and if they find out they won't buy the game.
Kidding aside he knows what he is doing.
Keep Playing!
Score one for artistic expression. Nobody gives Baby a gun to hold!
Smart move. No reason for Jodie Holmes (from what I can gather) to be holding a gun. Action is present, yes, but this game seems like it's going to follow in Heavy Rain's footsteps in that it is about character and story. Focus on Jodie and Aiden in whatever light can convey the emotions and feelings of those characters, or the environment in which they find themselves in that can be associated with the game's theme or main characters.
This industry so desperately needs more people like QD…
Totally agree no need for a cover like the one i saw for the movie Branded .There is like 5 min of " action " and they show the main character with a gun and a axe on it.
Hate false advertisement .
really?
wow, the past 200 interviews dident set out that vibe!?
in other breaking news roses are red, the sky is blue, water is wet, and cows go moo!
Last edited by ___________ on 3/22/2013 5:51:45 AM