Knightly Musings: Electronic Arts Bribes Journalists And Bloggers With $200 Check For Dante’s Inferno Promotion

(Note: Originally posted 09/12/2009 on IGN Blogs – slight editing)

This is not what I had in mind for my second post but having just seen this I couldn’t resist talking about it. Essentially, this article says that EA recently sent out checks to journalists and bloggers for $200. The checks arrived in presentation boxes with a note that stated,

“In Dante’s Inferno, Greed is a two-headed beast. Hoarding wealth feeds on beast and squandering it satiates the other. By cashing this check you succumb to avarice by hoarding filthy lucre, but by not cashing it, you waste it, and thereby surrender to prodigality. Make your choice and suffer the consequence for your sin. And scoff not, for consequences are imminent.”

Personally, after reading the note, I think this is a really clever marketing scheme on EA’s part. Whether the recipients of these checks cash them or not, EA just guaranteed themselves free publicity.

So here is a question for all you readers. Would you cash the check if you were to receive it? And, whether or not you cashed it, would it affect your review for the game in any way?

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