We’re all about getting out the info gamers crave, but a concerned EpicBattleAxe reader submitted a rant letting us know that Kotaku pretty much stripped the fun out of the unique marketing effort that was the Heavy Rain “Four Days” Alternate Reality Game.
In a nutshell, the ARG allowed folks to get a taste of the experience Heavy Rain would supply while rewarding those that completed the task at hand with early access to the highly-anticipated demo. Well, Kotaku decided to mass distribute the demo download method instead of encouraging folks to partake in the ARG, thusly pissing off all of those that put the time, effort, and energy into EARNING early access to the demo.
Here’s the rather, uh, “unhappy” news tip we got on the matter from EBA Member JC Ramirez:
I understand everyone wants to play the demo right now and everything, but for those (like me) that had busted their asses with the clues and everything (keeping up with made up tweeters) and to get that sense of victory because I got rewarded with the Heavy Rain Demo 6 days before (its release on) PSN was a great sense of victory. I know we should all share the joy and everything and I know any other dude on the Web would had posted the way to get this, but I find it very fucked up that a site like Kotaku had to self-proclaim the ones leaking this. I mean, I did it fairly and when I was gonna tweet (about the demo not to say how to get it) and then these fuckers leak the info so everyone lazy enough that didn’t start the 4 Days event cheat their way into getting the demo. I found this insulting and takes away the fun of this interactive web-mystery that the PR people of Sony has given us…Thanks a lot fucking Kotaku.
Kotaku commenter rainynight65 had this to say as well:
“This is crap guys. The correct approach would have been to direct people to the ARG and tell them that if they solve the puzzle correctly, thety get early access to the demo. Also, Precinct52 is not the ARG, only part of it. Thanks for encouraging a ton of freeloaders who almost killed the site today for those who played the ARG.”
So, my question to you, the EBA Community is this:
Should gaming news outlets leak this kind of info?
To be fair, the post on Kotaku makes it perfectly clear that you can earn access to the demo through the ARG, but after reading through the comments, it appears they got some things wrong within the report while posting the story in haste. Anyway, I want YOUR take on the matter…Is this a “Ignore it if you don’t want it” kinda thing? What about those that EARNED it? Is there any responsibility on behalf of the news poster? Feel free to sound off below.
NOTE: We adjusted a few words from JC’s email for grammatical purposes.
hmm … they knew it contained spoilers and yet they read the darn thing; now they cry about it?!
doesn’t make sense
The fact of the matter is that I found out of the Kotaku fiasco after I saw people on Twitter and Gametrailers saying where they find it(after I was already like 50% on downloading the demo). I earned my code the right way, hell I was not cheating on this. I found of a surprise when they gave me the code on the event.
And yeah DK sorry for my grammar, my first language is Spanish and even though I pronounce English better than writing it, I have that tendency of making grammatical errors (MS Word doesn’t even help man
)
I used SilverJC more often as a nickname(specially on battlecries) Is that was my first story I send you guys and I wrote my other nick (JC Ramirez).
Thanks for bringing up the story, now I’m a believer of what you guys stand for. I know others have their opinion and I respect that. Now if you excuse me I will go to work.
Note: The Heavy Rain Demo is what I was expecting of the game and it’s just make me more exited to play this sucker on Feb. 23. Cry Havok!!!!
basically, you’re mad because Kotaku spilled the beans?
I don’t know why they all b**ch about it, Kotaku clearly put a spoiler sign alert out if they wantet too take part of it all.
And all of the ones that solved everything legit got a feel of accomplishment and hopefully some fun out of it and the guys like me who didn’t have time for the whole thing get too try out the demo a little earlier.
(and BTW since this is my first time posting, just wanna say the EBA has the best podcast/gametrailer thinge ever. –with love from sweden!)
I don’t see how leaking this affected the enjoyment of the 4 days Challenge. If you solved it the right way , then you should feel proud of yourself, you got to play the demo.
It sounds like this dumba** just wanted bragging rights to early access to the demo so he could tweet “neener neener neener I got the demo”, lame.
Kotaku clearly labeled article and yes posting critical gaming infomation is what a gaming website does. Its what we visit game sites for.
In all honesty, if some people want a sense of accomplishment, then do it the right way. what do you care if there a ton of freeloaders, I mean, it’s not like they are going to strip away the chance off people who already got their access.
Cheaters and freeloaders will get their payback later in life, so who cares.
As for how Kotaku managed the whole situation, well, I could say it was very ambiguous. Yes, there is the need to get the “news” out there, but was it it really news or a need to increase their egos by saying “First!”?
Well, anyway, I think this topic has had way more drama than what it really deserves.
Cheers Axe heads!
The real reward would be the sense of accomplishment.
The demo would get released a week later anyway, and Kotaku is just trying to help people that weren’t aware of, or didn’t want to bother with the ARG.
I respect them for this.
It should be noted that I didn’t even bother with Kotaku’s help, though. I’ll just wait ’till the 11th so I can download it off of PSN.
Lesson of the day:
If you don’t enjoy doing something meaningless, don’t do it.
(Especialy if it’s about a marketing ploy to get a advertisement early.. and it is on the internet)
I agree with everyone opinion because I respect them, we all are axe heads and opinionated the way we want. But you seems that got a little carry away calling me a dumb a**.
One: You are immature for calling me that, you could have been more appropriate. Yes I went all out with Kotaku and making slur words but I did it in the heat of the moment.
We all have at some point. But since I will not go to the same level as you calling you names, you are ignored. It’s not like you achieved filling your ego a little bit for insulting me and increasing my pressure because I got “offended”. But if you consider that I call you “Gaylord” at this point take it as a complement.
Two: DK can tell you He pick up this story past midnight on the East Coast. Hundred before me got it participating honestly and freeloading. So it’s not like I was gonna brag about it, so you got me wrong on that.
Three: I think I would had been upset the same way with other sites like IGN or G4 if they post a “how to..” in the same way Kotaku did it. This is not bias directly to Kotaku, I like to visit them from time to time for news others don’t have.
Check G4 for what they post of this on Heavy Rain, just a video with the gameplay and a article explaining the event. They doesn’t tell you exactly what you have to do to pass it (evidence, ect.), unlike what Kotaku did. That was the point of me being upset with them. They should had explained you need to subscribe and the technical stuff but not to make a FAQ on a article to get the demo (although they post it on a rush like DK said).
Either way go and play the Demo anyway you want it. I think hardcore gamers should consider this game on their must have list. This kind of game doesn’t come often in the industry.
I got it the proper way and it was quite fun reading the maniacal texts of Folds and Sleeper but the real winner here is Heavy Rain. That much hype, to even make the website lock up is quite amazing. Let’s hope it does well in terms of sales revenue. PS3 exclusives might turn a corner.
Especially with Xbox having Mass Effect 2 out recently, Sony need something great. Heavy Rain looks like it could define the power of the PS3.
Demo Spoiler:
By the way, that Scott Shelby fight scene was awesome!! Can’t wait for this, my wife really wants to know who the origami killer is. lol.
To be fair, there were quite a few websites posting news about how to get the demo. Right or wrong? Ehhh.. It’s a free demo at the end of the day.
Obviously, Silver JC, my comments got under your skin. Why? Perhaps the truth stings a little.
The point still stands that your blood just boils because others got to enjoy a demo?! and now you no longer feel special. That just reeks of pettiness.
I think its your ego that been bruised here, not mine and I honestly don’t give a rats ass what you call me.
I actually managed to get a few more demo codes and gave them out to friends. Why? It’s called SHARING and that’s probably what Kotaku had in mind when they decided to SHARE this info with others.
Thank you Kotaku.
They asked for opinions and I gave mine.
You seem so intent broadcasting your ignorance so im sure you’ll reply. But in your next little bullet pointed rant, could you answer the simple question ” How does what Kotaku did take away from your enjoyment of the 4 Days Challenge?!” nuff said.
Well answering your question and concerns would be simple…. None, I enjoyed very well. So you shared the joy, that’s good(aplause, no really I did). No my blood pressure is ok, thanks for your concern. I don’t reek, I took a nice bath this morning. Stingy neither because I have got rid of my nail bed a long time ago. Oh and I’m not a ignorant but I’m good at that at my workplace, still not accustom to that though.
Now that I sorted that out (LOL) I will get to the subject in a honest and opinionated way:
I’m not mad anymore at this (or you, really), but read my comment in the article closely. I said ” I know any other dude on the Web would had posted the way to get this”. In other words it would been meaningless to me if everyone said it on the message boards, that’s what boards are made for.
They should have done it this way( http://bit.ly/9EgQNP ) this is the kind of example others sites would have gone with in the case of this. See the way they say about the article:
“Did you manage to crack the case without cheating? Please explain your reasoning behind your choices. Obviously, spoilers are unavoidable, so if you want to solve it on your own, I’d avoid the comments section.”
This was the correct approach to the subject, say the how to do it without them saying “how to”. And then let the users comment and explain the correct way to pass the game. See, this is my point on the whole subject. I know it was unavoidable freeloaders where gonna grab this, maybe since my rant went all out my words where taken out of my own context.
But the damage is done, I appreciate DK for posting the story and at least I wasn’t the only one that sent the story to EBA.
Take care Axe Heads
People are just whinging because they didnt want others to play it and be unique.
QQ moar!
to answer why it takes away from the ARG, they posted a how-to. it affects the mini game because you would already know what is going to happen so the fact that the ability to use the brain is negated, that should be the first thought of yours.
and everyone giving JC crap for voicing why he thought it was crap should back off. bet if it was someone you respected saying it you would be behind them more, oh lets say DK for example.
Hey I just wanted to say that i feel that most people didn’t mind everyone getting the demo early. I have been following the ARG from the start and the real problem I had was that once they posted the story. Everyone going to the site crashed it and I didn’t get the demo for most of the day. So people who were not even part of the game and didn’t work for it were playing the demo while I had to sit there and wait. It wasn’t too bad I mean I just had to wait but its sort of like waiting in line for two weeks only to let a bunch of people go in front of you and force you to wait while you have been there from the start.