It can be hard to tell whether the following is just a marketing stunt—well, it obviously is—to build fervor and discussion about Dead Island: Riptide prior to its release, or whether Deep Silver actually intends to release this very unsightly Collector’s Edition into stores once the game comes out next month.
There can be no doubt that what you're about to see is really a product. I wish that what I’m about to talk about was nothing more than an artist’s fevered proposal.
While North America will be receiving a limited “Rigor Mortis Edition” for Dead Island: Riptide—a tasteful collection of items in the theme of a tourist package, European gamers will be treated to something else entirely—the Zombie Bait Edition.
Instead of a bobblehead figurine and an undead arm bottle opener, this edition of the game contains a bloody bikini torso of a girl with her arms, legs, and head lopped off, and it’s set to sell for 120 Euros.
"Dead Island Riptide is one of the most anticipated releases of the year and is set to build on the original’s reputation for OTT action, dark humour and brutal zombie bashing," said Paul Nicholls, Sales & Marketing Director at Deep Silver (via VideoGamer).
"We wanted to provide a unique collector’s edition that was utterly 'Dead Island' and would make a striking conversation piece on any discerning zombie gamer's mantel.”
The sight of a de-limbed female torso isn’t something you’ll want to have up on display whether or not you have guests over your place—and it’s certainly not something any store is going to want to put up on display to the general public. What does it say about videogames that we’re using a bloody, and apparently brutalized torso of a woman to promote products? Games get plenty of heat for their violent subject matter but manage to—and rightfully so—fall back on artistic license, at the very least.
And yes, I should point out that it’s sexist.
