Image: Imgur
Import retailer Play-Asia have seemingly doubled down on their outrage baiting sales tactics, allegedly posting a sticker with the orders sent out to consumers that reference the divisive ‘Beach Body Ready’ Protein World ad.
The sticker, which was posted to the GamerGate subreddit ‘KotakuinAction‘, features a character from the upcoming Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 cupping her boobs, with the caption reading ‘Beach Body Read? #DOAX3’. In case you aren’t familiar with this particularly nonsensical video game controversy, allow me to briefly update you.
Late last year a post made by Dead or Alive publisher Koei Tecmo’s social media manager on Facebook suggested that DOAX3 wouldn’t be launching in the US due to issues regarding “the treatment of women in gaming.” Despite Koei Tecmo having previously said that if they thought there was a market for the game in the west they’d release it in the region, some gamers became incensed by the notion that Koei had “self-censored” themselves, in response to the so-called “Social Justice Warriors” disapproval of the game. This was despite the fact that, before the social media manager’s comments, approximately zero people had been talking about DOAX3.
This controversy garnered such a disproportionately huge response, with many pegging it as yet another nail in the coffin hammered by supposedly sex-negative progressives, that online retailer Play-Asia saw it as a wonderful opportunity to generate some discussion around its brand, posting the following tweet:
#DOAX3 will not be coming to the US due to #SJW nonsense. However, we will have the English Asia version available: https://t.co/u03t7NC3RU
— Play-Asia.com (@playasia) 25 November 2015
Unless Play-Asia believes that complete silence from progressives classifies as “SJW nonsense,” the actual amount of nonsense displayed by those who were supposedly the cause of DOAX3 not being released in the west (despite, again, nobody talking about the game before this controversy) was very minimal. That didn’t matter, of course, because Play-Asia were obviously just trying to throw their hat into the ring in order to generate a few more sales of a game they were importing, manipulating a group of inordinately enraged individuals who have proven on frequent occasions that they are more than willing to be manipulated, if it means that people with a bigger voice than them will join their cause.
Protein World’s ‘Beach Body Ready’ ad.
Now Play-Asia’s take on the Protein World ad is their latest foray into obscenely transparent marketing tactics, with it reading: “Your Support Made This Possible!” despite that not being the case whatsoever. Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 was always available to purchase via import; nothing has changed since the game was first announced. But regardless of this, Play-Asia are clearly looking to make their supporters in this little endeavor feel good about themselves for doing nothing whatsoever aside from shooting enraged tweets into the ether.
In fact, if those who lambasted Koei Tecmo for caving into the “SJWs” had got what they wanted and DOAX3 would have been released in the west, Play-Asia would be in a worse position considering that no one would have any reason to import the game. They’re financially better off for Koei Tecmo’s decision to not release it on these shores.
I’m a fan of the Dead or Alive Xtreme series for all its ridiculousness, so Koei Tecmo’s decision to not release the game in the west was a little disappointing, even if it was reasonably understandable given that it was doubtful whether it would have generated enough sales in the region to warrant the hassle. With that being said, Play-Asia’s incredibly unsubtle pandering of the inexplicably outraged has ensured that I won’t be importing it from them, because while I understand that a retail business is ultimately looking to maximize its profits, doing so by treating your audience as though they’re all imbeciles isn’t something I can personally get behind.
