THQ planning North Korean protest to promote Homefront
63
Surprised? Yeah, we're not either. Turns out that THQ is once again planning a North Korean-themed event , though this time it's GDC that the publisher is invading. As reported by the SF Weekly, anti-North Korean protesters (read: hired actors) will be marching across the Golden Gate bridge, through the streets of SF, and ending across the street from GDC at Yerba Buena Gardens. And as you likely inferred from the headline above, the protest is staged in promotion of the company's next game, Homefront.
This time around, the spectacle intends on decrying "North Korea's human rights violations," and apparently features "speeches by global experts, musical performances, and the launch of 10,000 balloons." We're not sure what the balloons have to do with the forthcoming launch of Homefront, but we're all about decrying human rights violations. So, um, score?
This time around, the spectacle intends on decrying "North Korea's human rights violations," and apparently features "speeches by global experts, musical performances, and the launch of 10,000 balloons." We're not sure what the balloons have to do with the forthcoming launch of Homefront, but we're all about decrying human rights violations. So, um, score?
Reader Comments (63)
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:07AM wcarnation said
But those balloons will go into the sea, and kill whales.
Or maybe they'll set off a missile defense system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQYQTFudrqc
Or maybe they'll set off a missile defense system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQYQTFudrqc
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:14AM sonicspike41 said
@wcarnation
Considering they're releasing over 10x more balloons than 99, I imagine it'll likely set off more than just war machine.
Maybe it'll set off a real war with North Korea. Now that would be scary.
Reply
Considering they're releasing over 10x more balloons than 99, I imagine it'll likely set off more than just war machine.
Maybe it'll set off a real war with North Korea. Now that would be scary.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 4:30PM JonahStein said
@wcarnation
I'm surprised that a city like San Fransisco, the most cliche' of progressive cultures, would allow the mass littering of all that latex. I mean the protest thing is just cheeky, but all in all rather harmless. But sanctioned pollution is kind of a big deal. Sounds like something North Korea would do...
Reply
I'm surprised that a city like San Fransisco, the most cliche' of progressive cultures, would allow the mass littering of all that latex. I mean the protest thing is just cheeky, but all in all rather harmless. But sanctioned pollution is kind of a big deal. Sounds like something North Korea would do...
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:08AM Jason B said
The real human rights violations that are happening in North Korea on a daily basis aren't something that should be trivialized by mock protests to promote a video game.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:27AM The Aquacharger said
@Jason B
But I hear they got some good Korean pop singers!
Reply
But I hear they got some good Korean pop singers!
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:38AM Drakkenfyre said
This is low. Damned low.
I had no intentions of buying this game anyway, but if I did, I think this would stop me from buying it.
The Korean food trucks are one thing. Putting fake protesters in San Francisco, especially possibly within view of actual North Koreans who escaped the hellhole, just to promote a game in a lame way, is another.
Reply
I had no intentions of buying this game anyway, but if I did, I think this would stop me from buying it.
The Korean food trucks are one thing. Putting fake protesters in San Francisco, especially possibly within view of actual North Koreans who escaped the hellhole, just to promote a game in a lame way, is another.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:55AM ShadowXIII said
@Jason B
I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks this is a bad idea...
Reply
I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks this is a bad idea...
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 1:49AM OrangeGamer said
@Jason B Agreed. It's not like they haven't done similarly "edgy" stuff before. This one takes the cake though.:P
Reply
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 4:55AM maveric101 said
@Drakkenfyre
while their reasons for protesting may be... skewed, they're still raising awareness about the situation over there. i dunno.
Reply
while their reasons for protesting may be... skewed, they're still raising awareness about the situation over there. i dunno.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 3:36PM xxxsam said
@The Aquacharger
Um? I don't get it. I thought there aren't any pop singers in North Korea, is that the joke?
As for the South Korean ones... well... 'good' might be overselling it... I guess their manufactured girl/boy bands are about as good as Japan's manufactured girl/boy bands, which is, um...
Anyhow, you probably get executed for even watching one of their videos in North Korea. And it's not like they can make that kind of music there - I mean come on, it's North Korea, you think they can afford an autotune machine? I'm sure the Dear/Great/New-formula-with-fresher-taste Leader only allows traditional north korean folk dirges.
Re the 'tasteless' point, I agree. In general I'm in favour of making jokes about everything, however bad the situation... but faking a protest, commercially, leaves a pretty bad taste. Then again this is THQ, what do you expect?
(With regard to bad taste in games: even leaving aside manufactured protests, I think it's pretty crappy to make fun of North Koreans, or of Taliban, or some other equally universally unpopular group who you can be pretty sure will never actually play the game. I mean come on, fish meet barrel, how weaksauce is that? If you're selling a game primarily in the US or Europe, grow some balls and make fun of, or make satirical points at the expense of, those countries or some belief that might actually be held by a high proportion of people who actually play the game.)
Reply
Um? I don't get it. I thought there aren't any pop singers in North Korea, is that the joke?
As for the South Korean ones... well... 'good' might be overselling it... I guess their manufactured girl/boy bands are about as good as Japan's manufactured girl/boy bands, which is, um...
Anyhow, you probably get executed for even watching one of their videos in North Korea. And it's not like they can make that kind of music there - I mean come on, it's North Korea, you think they can afford an autotune machine? I'm sure the Dear/Great/New-formula-with-fresher-taste Leader only allows traditional north korean folk dirges.
Re the 'tasteless' point, I agree. In general I'm in favour of making jokes about everything, however bad the situation... but faking a protest, commercially, leaves a pretty bad taste. Then again this is THQ, what do you expect?
(With regard to bad taste in games: even leaving aside manufactured protests, I think it's pretty crappy to make fun of North Koreans, or of Taliban, or some other equally universally unpopular group who you can be pretty sure will never actually play the game. I mean come on, fish meet barrel, how weaksauce is that? If you're selling a game primarily in the US or Europe, grow some balls and make fun of, or make satirical points at the expense of, those countries or some belief that might actually be held by a high proportion of people who actually play the game.)
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 4:02PM The Aquacharger said
@xxxsam
Yes the joke was that there are no pop singers in N Korea. You may not think they're good, but I know a lot of people who'd disagree.
Reply
Yes the joke was that there are no pop singers in N Korea. You may not think they're good, but I know a lot of people who'd disagree.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:22AM Hayseboi said
So... THQ is pro-World War III?
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:26AM The Aquacharger said
@Hayseboi
Well the Germans aren't. To them it'd be WWII.
Reply
Well the Germans aren't. To them it'd be WWII.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:29AM BananaBoat said
@The Aquacharger - What? A world war doesn't count if you lose it now?
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Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:29AM The Aquacharger said
@BananaBoat
No. Germany was on a break during those years. WWII never happened. Don't you know?
Reply
No. Germany was on a break during those years. WWII never happened. Don't you know?
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:27AM Jawmuncher said
What I want to see are some reviews was hoping they'd be out by now.
You know to show the game is worth it early on.
I'm still on the fence about it
You know to show the game is worth it early on.
I'm still on the fence about it
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:28AM JnRx said
Gotta say THQ this is in bad taste :~/
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:29AM oJMan240o said
New title: THQ planning to piss off that OTHER country with nukes.
Brilliant.
Brilliant.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 1:08AM The Joy of Painting w Bob Ross said
@oJMan240o
But they're our allies, doncha' kno?
Reply
But they're our allies, doncha' kno?
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 4:26PM JonahStein said
@The Joy of Painting w Bob Ross
Oh, Mama Bear! Go heli-shoot some wolves before you repudiate yourself. ;)
Reply
Oh, Mama Bear! Go heli-shoot some wolves before you repudiate yourself. ;)
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:30AM adobe64 said
It's not enough to put a up billboard anymore...
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:32AM Crayola Q Pants ESQ said
10,000 balloons? Back in my day 99 of them were good enough to get the job done.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:44AM KrazyCalvin said
Is it really a video game companies place to be goading the sleeping boar?
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:44AM Hayseboi said
RED BALLOONS OR GTFO
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 12:48AM RastaPanda said
That picture makes me laugh because their protesting against Dante's Inferno =3..... On a serious Note, I don't pay attention to this type of advertising, but all I can say is that this game deserves a rent at most.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 1:03AM PrimeSynergy said
This is just in bad taste IMO.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 1:05AM DVersion said
I gotta admit, when i saw that protest walking down the street, it got me.
Totally convinced they were real protesters, one guy was even wearing a three wolf moon shirt. That should have tipped me off.
Totally convinced they were real protesters, one guy was even wearing a three wolf moon shirt. That should have tipped me off.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 1:39AM sigma8 said
I'm sure walking in a picket line is a demanding, thespian task...but let's just call them hired "people".
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 1:43AM Ratfoot said
God damn the amount of advertising going into this game is insane. THQ must really be betting on this game to make all their money in 2011.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 3:22AM rumandgold said
the balloons are probably in reference to what South korea does, which is sends helium balloons over the border with tied on support messages, lately they have been sending news about the uprises in egypt/middle east.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 3:25AM Mister Servo said
This reminds me of when Acclaim offered to pay for tombstones if people let them advertise on them. Only now it's on a global scale.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 3:43AM blah604 said
Lol why is there an EA sign when this is for THQ? :P
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 3:54AM RickGhastly said
In terms of "good ideas in the history of mankind", this is somewhere between the rapper Snow and the movie Twin Sitters.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 4:04AM Voltron said
Blargh bad idea
that money could be spent else where on something that can market the game more effectively and not be stupid
that money could be spent else where on something that can market the game more effectively and not be stupid
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 6:27AM howmuchIcarrot said
This is disgusting and I hope they fail in everything.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 8:57AM Gooblechev said
Am I the only one that's a little nervous about this?
I can't wait for this game to be in the past.
I can't wait for this game to be in the past.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 9:16AM Vesuvium said
This is in colossally bad taste. Bravo, THQ, you're rivaling Activision's Turak ads, Skyrim's Dovahkiin thing, and even EA's Inferno.
Impressive.
Impressive.
Posted: Mar 1st 2011 9:20AM tendoboy1984 said
If THQ goes under because of bad publicity stunts like this, then good riddance. Most of their games are crap anyways, and looking at all the shovelware/kiddy stuff they put on the Wii and DS, they're just as bad as Ubisoft in that department. Aside from DeBlob and their WWE games, what else has THQ put out that screams quality?
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