Complaints over Diablo 4 ad in Melbourne, Australia
A Diablo 4 ad in Melbourne, Australia has recently sparked complaints, leading to a response from the ad's advertiser and a case report for the author of this article. While the complaint was ultimately dismissed, one concerned motorist took issue with what they believed to be the promotion of evil and satanic paraphernalia.
The ad in question is for the highly anticipated game Diablo 4, where players embark on a quest to defeat a fictional villain. A complaint made to the Australian Ads Standards Community, responsible for handling advertising-related complaints and self-regulatory matters, argued that the imagery in the ad was offensive to their Christian beliefs and unsuitable for children.
The complaint stated, "The imagery is scary, evil, and satanic paraphernalia. I find it offensive and do not wish to see it displayed on our streets." Responding to the complaint, Blizzard Entertainment Australia, the advertiser, clarified that the phrase "Welcome to Hell" refers to a fictional location within the game and not to the cities of Brisbane or Melbourne themselves, which are not associated with hellish connotations.
Blizzard Entertainment Australia stated, "The ad does not imply that Brisbane or Melbourne are 'hell.' The reference to hell is specific to the endgame content of Diablo 4 or its molten landscapes filled with twisted corpses." Thus, the hell depicted in the ad is confined to the game's universe and not representative of any real-world hellish existence.
Another complaint linked the ad to memories of the COVID-19 lockdowns in Melbourne, which involved the closure of schools and businesses, as well as motorway blockades during a police pursuit resulting in the death of an officer. "The ad reminds me of the COVID-19 lockdowns in Melbourne and is quite frightening for children who are driving on motorways," the complaint remarked.
The advertiser's response to this complaint was straightforward. "Children should not be driving on motorways," they wrote, implying that the average viewer of the ad is likely to be above the game's age rating.
Regarding the other complaints, it appears that some individuals simply dislike the appearance of video game ads or perceive them as a doorway to the very hell depicted in the ad. The case report concludes with a dry observation: "The advertiser's response suggests that if adults are having nightmares about the ad, it is not Blizzard's responsibility."
While the original article in the Sydney Morning Herald is behind a paywall, you can find the full case report linked here. As a lifelong fan of case reports, this provides an entirely new level of enjoyment, particularly since ad case reports are my favorite. Nevertheless, I remain uncertain about the complaints themselves.
It almost feels reminiscent of the 1980s, when individuals reacted to the first video games by expressing concerns about harmless, colorful ads such as Pac-Man and Space Invaders. I imagine the individuals who lodged those complaints had similar motivations as these complainants - they merely wanted to do what they believed was right, and the games stood in their way.
