Report: Dante's Inferno not heading to the United Arab Emirates

by Griffin McElroy on Feb 7th 2010 10:00PM

According to bilingual gaming news site GamesLatest, the store shelves of the United Arab Emirates won't be stocked with fresh copies of Dante's Inferno any time soon. Electronic Arts reportedly published a statement explaining the company "decided not to release Dante's Inferno in the Middle East after an evaluation process which is based on consumer tastes, preferences, platform mix and other factors."

It might also have something to do with the territory's hesitance to distribute games dealing with religious matter. As GamesLatest points out, both Darksiders and God of War were banned in the territory for their deity-rich plots. Then again, maybe the UAE Media Council just has something against impossibly gravelly voices. Either way, we've contacted EA to get first-hand confirmation of the report.

Dante's Inferno (04-28-09)

Source

Tags: ban, censorship, dantes-inferno, ea, electronic-arts, media-council, middle-east, uae, united-arab-emirates, visceral-games

Reader Comments (51)

So.... cold.

Where did your ALLSPARK go, Optimus?

Well, I'd normally make a snarky comment but they're probably not missing out on anything by skipping this particular title. I do feel bad about them not getting Darksiders though...

Anyone else saw the Leno-Oprah-Letterman commercial?

That was pretty awesome.

I don't blame them...they know it won't be allowed so why waste their time? anyone who REALLY wants it will import...

Yep Exactly.

Won't be surprised to see the Game Region Free on Xbox 360.
A lot more Dev's have been doing that lately and I 100% support it

I read Dante's Inferno in college - it makes the assertion that the founder of Islam is also suffering gruesomely in the inner depths of h**l. (If I remember: He is split down the middle with his bowls hanging out.)

Just guessing, but that may have something to do with the ban.

Salad bowls or soup bowls?

Salad bowels, I think.

pretty sure he meant BOWELS and left out the 'e'

Region free is just easier because the publisher doesnt have to make as many submissions to the first-partys. Submitting one build with all of the languages you want to support is much easier than saing "Hey US passed but PAL Europe didnt", then they have to go back and test for another day or two it gets tedious. Getting the language you want it in...thats another story.

anyone see the Dante's Inferno ad? People are going to be disappointed when they find out it looks like a last gen game and not that cg commercial. I hate when publishers falsely advertise their games on tv.

What ever happened to your PS3 Solace? You used to be one of the biggest Sony people on the sight

thats not false advertisement....the Cutscenes look that good!!

Chris is right. I just played the demo today and they really do look that great. I think the game is a purchase for me.

I already finished the game, and believe me, the cutscenes are epic. The ingame graphics... not so much.

i didn't see it but anyone have a link to it?

Here it is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcEx767TIas

only handful of people play games in their anyway, so why even bother?

I never play games in my anyway.

"only handful of people play games in their ______" ?

OH, is this like Mad Libs?

I'll start. UNDERWEAR

I know I do because I have quite the handful in there.

ooh ooh! i wanna go! i guess... lower intestine?

I disagree, I think a large majority play games in their anyways. As a matter of fact according to a recent chart I found on VGcharts, the majority of people that play in their anyways are between the ages of 17-24

Oh religious tolerance and free speech, you're so crazy.

Hmmmm, I don't think its quite fair to lump all of the middle east together like that. There are some more religiously intolerant people in the middle east, i realize that. But countries that may depend on mythologies as one of the crucial elements of their gdp *cough*Egypt*cough* may be much more willing to have more mythology filled games. But I don't know that much about other middle eastern countires, so I don't know how this would be accepted in the incredibly americanized UAE.

I'm currently living in Egypt for my work, i'm British. They don't ban anything here as far as i'm concerned, even the internet is not censored.

Why am I not surprised?

And why UAE?
Why not Bahrain!?!?

Because, the rain in Bahrain...

*Puts on sunglasses*

... falls mainly on the plain.

B-B-B-B-But according to Maz Jobrani, WE HAVE THE BATMAN BUILDING!!!

And it rarely rains in Bahrain (but poured like crazy in Dec-Jan).

Hey I'm living in Bahrain too! Weird to see a fellow citizen on here.

Anyway, knowing Bahrain the EU or US version of the game will end up here anyway if maybe a little late.

SCREW YOU TEA BAG!!!

i forgot your other name....oh yea!!! SPYDER TACO, SCREW YOU!!!

Well, I'll sleep well tonight knowing this information. It was initially concerned about the global release. Then I said "f@ck'em".

See? Worked for the best!

Can we stop giving a sh!t about Dante's Inferno now?

Just ONE more thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9CK64x5th4

This is my first time watching the commercial. I thought the song was a parody overlay, like the Benny Hill theme.

Then I found it through EA's account. All I can ask is if they're ripping off commercials for other games now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzn9jbwuobc

Please tell me I'm not the only one who thought of this.

All week I've been trying to convince my uncle that video games have matured and become a legitimate storytelling medium.

My entire case was shattered when he saw the Dante's Inferno commercial during the superbowl. He turned, looked me straight in the eye, and shook his head.

Damn it, Visceral.

That onside kick completely surprised me; and turned the game around for them.

..cry moar? Ugh. I hate it when religious and cultural beliefs make people sensitive to entertainment to the point where a company is afraid to release something in a region due to a potential backlash or overall negative response. Totally putting aside what happens when "backlash" turns to "people strapping explosives to themselves, walking into buildings, buses, or other crowded areas and killing themselves along with hundreds of innocent people".

I love all your guys joking and off topic comments by the way. Funny shit, lol.

Man, this game is getting a beating from the critics, most are giving it low scores for being overly similar to GoW and also due to the bad last 1/3 of the game, among other gripes.

I guess you could say that the UAE didn't think this game was

*puts on sun glasses*

VISCERAL!

Thanks Captain Obvious!

It was either ban it or burn it. EA made the right choice considering the strength of conservative markets

I know this game is fairly loosely related, but in the real Dante's Inferno it is revealed that Muhammad is actually in hell for being a schismatic. That poem probably doesn't have a very positive reputation in any middle eastern country, despite the UAE being slightly less strict about religion relative to other middle eastern countries.

Apart from Turkey (if one considers Turkey part of the Middle East). We make the UAE look like Saudi Arabia in comparison. None of this banning crap here, nor headscarves or religiosity. We are one of the few Muslim countries that can be considered Western.

Makes sense, better to not realease the game and deal with a few angry customers who just import anyways, than to deal with extremely negative media attention and complaints from the usual crowds.

Banning games does nothing, as people that have money will simply import the game. EA still gets their money, without the extra hassles.

"As GamesLatest points out, both Darksiders and God of War were banned in the territory for their deity-rich plots."

Pro tip: read the whole article, not just the headline.

ugh, reply system ftl.

that was for ironically ironic

In other news, water is wet.

You can continue deleting my comments, but the fact remains: this game is garbage, and you guys said it yourself. Hypocrites.

EA doesnt want to spoil their reputation in UAE since they will soon be bringing out their new literature-based epic - Mohammad's Quran, coded, of course, by Visceral.

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Report: Dante's Inferno not heading to the United Arab Emirates

Dante's Inferno (04-28-09)

Reader Comments (51)

Posted: Feb 7th 2010 10:08PM Wiizer said

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