Uber Lilith gives 99% of the Diablo 4 playerbase nightmares. But, apparently, even just the base form of the franchise’s big baddie, is enough to keep people awake at night. Or, at least, that’s what a handful of people from the Land Down Under are saying.
As reported by numerous sources online, Diablo 4’s global billboard campaign in Australia was recently targeted by several complaints from “concerned” Australian parents who claimed that the devilish imagery was “offensive” and deeply inappropriate, particularly in the wake of the global pandemic-born lockdowns.
The other residents echoed this discontent. One stated that the billboard promoted “evil and satanic paraphernalia,” while others complained about their children having nightmares due to the menacing Lilith staring down at them. Others argued that the billboard was inappropriate for public display, especially near a busy freeway, as the disturbing content could easily frighten young and impressionable minds.
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by indiablo4
When you’re in the business of promoting a game that takes players into the deepest recesses of Hell, controversies are par for the course. Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo 4 has been charming players worldwide with its immersive gameplay and compelling storyline. In the lead-up to its release, Blizzard poured plenty of gasoline into the marketing fire, transforming a cathedral in France into a Diablo 4 shrine, starting a Hardcore Mode race, hiring Megan Fox to sensually read character deaths aloud, and even benefiting with a timely ad right in the middle of Times Square in New York.
However, the latest controversy, lodged by citizens in Melbourne and Brisbane, has to take the cake when it comes to non-gamers taking offense from things that aren’t supposed to be disrespectful.
Blizzard has since released a statement, clarifying that “Hell” refers to a location in Diablo 4 and that they didn’t mean to offend anyone with the ad. Finally, it pointed out the crucial role of punctuation in their slogan, stating that the billboard did not infer that Melbourne or Brisbane was ‘Hell.’
This spirited exchange culminated in a ruling by the Ad Standards Community Panel in Australia where it declared that the billboard didn’t vilify any religious groups nor did it incite violence or infringe on any ethics codes. The hilariously astute judgment noted Lilith’s depiction wasn’t unlike other familiar characters, comparing it to Disney’s Maleficent, which was recently played by Angelina Jolie in live action, while also pointing out that Melbourne housed a sports team known as the Demons.
The Panel’s verdict was undoubtedly a sigh of relief for Blizzard and it provided a moment of levity for Diablo 4 players all over the globe.
Diablo 4’s ‘Welcome to Hell’ campaign has certainly lived up to its moniker, embroiling the dungeon crawler in a heated controversy that has brought both hellfire and humor to gamers worldwide.
As players continue to delve into the underworld of Diablo 4, they can take comfort in the fact that their journey through Hell is contained to their screens. For the residents of Melbourne and Brisbane, however, Lilith and her eerie gaze will still continue to reign over their cities from her lofty billboard thrones, serving as a fiery reminder of Blizzard’s knack for controversial yet captivating advertising.
Speaking of Diablo 4, Blizzard doesn’t intend to slow down anytime soon. After posting nearly a billion in revenue a week into its launch and recently welcoming its biggest patch yet, Blizzard will reveal some of the big updates that it has promised for Diablo 4 in an upcoming developer live stream.
Unfortunately, Blizzard has yet to address the latest developments on the hunt for the Secret Cow Level or its post-credits scene. It remains to be seen if it’ll talk about the supposed connection between rare loot and rats in Diablo 4.
