Game promotion isn’t exactly "normal." We’ve seen EA stage a protest against its demonic Dante’s Inferno in the past, so it’s safe to say that there aren’t really solid sets of standards that publishers follow in order to make a quick buck. However, Capcom has decided to employ what might just be the most repulsive, bizarre strategy in order to push units of the upcoming console port of Resident Evil: Revelations.
Instead of dropping commercials displaying the gameplay and spooky nature of the title, the studio has created “the first ever blood filled swimming pool” near London’s Olympic Stadium. That’s right – right now, you can take a refreshing dip in a tub that houses around 55,000 gallons of "water." For those wondering, that’s equivalent to the blood of 11,327 people.
And it’s not just blood inside the pool. Anyone willing to take a dip can make use of the floats resembling human torsos, examine the brains and intestines as lane markers, and do their best to trust the zombie lifeguards. Floating around in the red water are bloody bandages, eyeballs, and blood clots in order to make it all feel as authentic as possible.
“Capcom is thrilled to able to create the world’s first blood swimming pool,” Capcom’s UK PR manager Adam Merrett said to MCV. “Zombies have been kept very busy lately doing a variety of PR stunts, so rather than do the expected, we wanted to give them some time off for canal side relaxation in London. To non-zombies, the swimming pool will be shocking, gory and an incredibly disturbing experience – the perfect way to show that survival horror is back with a bang for Resident Evil: Revelations.”
There will be merchandise waiting as the bottom of the pool, and PR members will provide goggles and towels for those daring enough to take the dive. But really, it’s difficult to decide who exactly this is all for. Instead of worrying about the stunt, let’s just hope Capcom hits its most recent sales projections.
