Original post at Popzara Blogs:

Written by Nathan Evans

From Hot Coffee to Guantamo Bay, controversy seems to follow the videogame world like bees to honey.  But as developers seem increasingly want of new, fresh ideas they seem content to bottom-trawl any and all source for inspiration, and when said source involves religion, you can bet the sparks will fly.  Or maybe they won't.

One of the less-reported stories of the 2009 E3 show was the apparent protest of EA's upcoming game based (loosely) on Dante's epic The Divine Comedy, i.e. Inferno.  Judging from early screenshots and video clips the game appeared to have more in common with your standard God of War-rip than anything resembling classic literature, but it seems the parent company wasn't leaving anything to chance.  Barring any real controversy, the company took to something much easier; they created it.

The Associated Press is now reporting that the 20+ person protest against EA's Dante's Inferno was indeed staged, built to incite religious ferver that bastardizing the original source material might have otherwise missed under normal circumstances.  Holding signs intended to portray the apparently Christian protesters as zealots, brandishing slogans such as "Hell is not a Video Game" and "Trade in Your PlayStation for a PrayStation," the event was meant to drum up support and (we imagine) free publicity by simultaneously exploiting people's relgious beliefs and the press's apparent desire to exploit them.

While viral marketing has become somewhat common-place in this age of non-sourced media and the traditionally lax scrutiny of the blogosphere, to blatantly misrepresent any particular group as stereotype - i.e. relgious fanatics - as uninformed zealots is both disrespectful and speaks volumes to how EA feels towards their many fans.  As we have yet to play the final version of Dante's Inferno, the jury is still out on the game.  EA's intolerance, however, fails miserably.  Those responsible should be ashamed, as people of faith - as well as gamers - deserve better.

Photo Credit: 1UP