During yesterday's Halo 3 'Keep It Clean' trailer, a reference was spotted that many thought could be in some way linked to missing British child Madeline McCann. Don't even go there, says Bungie.
"As always, all of the characters in our games are fictional. Any similarities between real life and the characters in our games are purely coincidental," said Bungie's community man via a post on the dev's forum.
He added, "That said, this is both an unfortunate and unintended coincidence."
Amongst various messages flashed across the screen during the trailer, one reads "Maddie, where are you", which quickly sparked controversy on internet forums. Looks to have all been cleared up now. Let's move on.
Ok that's it. The constant poor spelling coupled with this horrible new site layout has sent me to Eurogamer for good.
Sounds like you need the Daily Telegraph - pointless pedantry. If you understood what they meant, move on. It's only an internet site devoted to video games.
Gotta disagree with you there - ignorance is actually a very valid excuse in this case, not for murder, no, but for an accidental insensitive reference to a tragedy you know nothing about? most certainly yes. Let's not be too cynical about Bungie's mistake - there's far better, and more sensational ways to publicise a game then this.
A minor tragedy for the UK doesn't mean that no-one by the name of madeline anywhere in the world can ever go missing ever again. I'd even go so far as to suggest that Maddy McCann wasn't the first ever madeline to go missing either - was disproportionate media coverage of her disappearance insensitive to earlier kidnapping/murder victims by that name?
A minor tragedy for the UK doesn't mean that no-one by the name of madeline anywhere in the world can ever go missing ever again. I'd even go so far as to suggest that Maddy McCann wasn't the first ever madeline to go missing either - was disproportionate media coverage of her disappearance insensitive to earlier kidnapping/murder victims by that name?
I agree totally with this. It was utterly blown out of proportion and, in the grand scheme of things, it was relatively minor too. People shouldn't have to walk on egg shells when using the (reasonably common) name Maddie in the future for fear of upsetting the girls parents or other over sensitive folk.
However, I still believe Bungie had both heard of the tradegy, and worded it that way to get this sort of reaction.
However, I still believe Bungie had both heard of the tradegy, and worded it that way to get this sort of reaction.
Fair enough, but I'd like to think that Bungie are above that sort of behaviour. Failing that, Bungie shouldn't need to rely on marketing ploys from the gutter since they have ridiculous stacks of MS cash to advertise their....whatever the hell it is that they're releasing next.
...personally, I'm going for a blend of mod + new campaign levels = ODST squad-based campaign levels based around seminal battles from halo mythology.
"However, I still believe Bungie had both heard of the tradegy, and worded it that way to get this sort of reaction."
this is one of the most ridiculous comments I have ever read on the pages of cvg, the fact you would even link a adverisment for a video game and a missing girl is sick andidiotic. I suggest you take your comments to www.dailymail.co.uk where you will find other right wing hate filled scaremongers. Sorry for the rant.
"However, I still believe Bungie had both heard of the tradegy, and worded it that way to get this sort of reaction."
this is one of the most ridiculous comments I have ever read on the pages of cvg, the fact you would even link a adverisment for a video game and a missing girl is sick andidiotic. I suggest you take your comments to www.dailymail.co.uk where you will find other right wing hate filled scaremongers. Sorry for the rant.
I don't believe they were referring to Madeline McCann at all - I am sure there is a Maddie in the Halo universe that they are referring to. However, I also believe that they worded it the way they did BECAUSE it had that alternate mean - because it could be miscontrued to mean Maddie McCann. Controvosy is excellent advertising, and Bungie can sit behind the fence of 'it was a misunderstanding - see, THIS is what we were referring to' all the while reaping the benefits.
I couldn't care less if you don't agree - it's my opinion, and you can't deny me that.
Would people have said anything about that comment... NO! But i'm willing to bet that someone called david has gone missing in the past, probably a few daves actually, but because they didn't recieive the same press coverage at the time then nobody cares!
What about films were people get shot and stuff, there's obviously gonna be someone who's been shot in reality with the same name, my point is that just because something awful has happened to someone in the real world doesn't mean their name can't be used in films/games whatever!
Sorry for the rant but this has been blown out of proportion, it's just idiotic.
Would people have said anything about that comment... NO! But i'm willing to bet that someone called david has gone missing in the past, probably a few daves actually, but because they didn't recieive the same press coverage at the time then nobody cares!
What about films were people get shot and stuff, there's obviously gonna be someone who's been shot in reality with the same name, my point is that just because something awful has happened to someone in the real world doesn't mean their name can't be used in films/games whatever!
Sorry for the rant but this has been blown out of proportion, it's just idiotic.
"However, I still believe Bungie had both heard of the tradegy, and worded it that way to get this sort of reaction."
this is one of the most ridiculous comments I have ever read on the pages of cvg, the fact you would even link a adverisment for a video game and a missing girl is sick andidiotic. I suggest you take your comments to www.dailymail.co.uk where you will find other right wing hate filled scaremongers. Sorry for the rant.
I don't believe they were referring to Madeline McCann at all - I am sure there is a Maddie in the Halo universe that they are referring to. However, I also believe that they worded it the way they did BECAUSE it had that alternate mean - because it could be miscontrued to mean Maddie McCann. Controvosy is excellent advertising, and Bungie can sit behind the fence of 'it was a misunderstanding - see, THIS is what we were referring to' all the while reaping the benefits.
I couldn't care less if you don't agree - it's my opinion, and you can't deny me that.
why dont you deal with facts rather than opinion, what you think is irrelevant as you are just trying to stoke controversy.
why dont you deal with facts rather than opinion, what you think is irrelevant as you are just trying to stoke controversy.
Rubbish. I'm not stoking anything. We will never EVER know the facts of this incident - ever. So if we can only deal in facts, then we may as well all stop talking about it.
Yeah okay, missing kids are definitely a tragedy, but how many people heard of Molly Bish? She was a girl who went missing in New England a few years back. I've never heard of Madeline McCann. It's easier than you think to avoid noticing stories like this. It's called "not watching the news".
It reminds me of the "Biggie" and "Tupac" controversy when Tupac gets shot and Biggie happened to be releasing a single titled "Who Shot Ya" and therefore starting an all out East vs. West War. Tragically ending in both being dead. Not cool. I don't think Bungie intended it that way but may have put a spin on it because of the story. Truly, only Bungie and God would know.
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Double post?
