Blizzard, the popular gaming company known for its Diablo series, has recently kicked off a rather bizarre and disturbing blood drive campaign to promote Diablo 4 Season 2. This unconventional PR stunt involves a community-wide effort to collect 666 quarts of blood by next month, with participants having the opportunity to win a Diablo 4 gaming PC “infused with real human blood.”
While the idea of a blood drive is generally commendable as it encourages people to donate blood for a good cause, Blizzard’s approach to promoting their latest game has raised eyebrows. By infusing a gaming PC with real human blood, they seem to have crossed a line. This controversial move raises concerns about ownership, consent, and the violation of ethical boundaries.
Blizzard’s “Blood Harvest” campaign runs from now until November 20, with Diablo 4 players above 18 years old and residing in the US being eligible to participate. Interested individuals can donate blood at any blood bank, obtain proof of their donation, and submit it online to contribute to filling up a blood fountain. Certain in-game rewards will be unlocked based on the amount of blood collected.
As the blood fountain reaches different milestones, players will be rewarded with various in-game items. At 33% capacity, players will receive a collection of “Bloodpetal” weapon cosmetics. When it reaches 66%, the Diablo 4 community will unlock the Loch Raeth Maor Barbarian armor set. Finally, at 100% capacity, a Vermillion Eye Piebald mount will be awarded, alongside a US-only sweepstakes for the chance to win the blood-infused gaming PC.
Blizzard has vaguely mentioned that the PC has been “infused” with real human blood, but it is highly unlikely that the entire liquid cooling system is filled with it. It is more plausible that a drop of blood or plasma, combined with red dye and normal coolant, was used. Given the need to adhere to sanitary standards and potential health risks, it is reasonable to assume that Blizzard took precautions, ensuring that their stunt does not pose any real hazards.
The highly coveted grand prize of this blood-filled campaign is the blood-infused gaming PC itself. With impressive specifications including an Intel Core i9 CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, 64GB of DDR5 RAM, 3TB SSD, and a Quantum Vector GPU water block system, this PC certainly packs a punch. However, the unsettling aspect lies in the fact that it has been “infused with real human blood.” Though the extent of this infusion remains questionable.
The entire concept of a gaming PC infused with blood seems rather antiquated, reminiscent of marketing tactics from the early days of the gaming industry. One might expect such a stunt to align with nostalgic memories from 15 years ago. Nevertheless, Blizzard has been no stranger to attention-grabbing PR endeavors, as demonstrated in the past when they had actress Megan Fox eulogize Diablo 4 Hardcore players. Perhaps we should not be entirely surprised by yet another unconventional move.
Blizzard’s blood drive campaign for Diablo 4 has garnered mixed reactions from the gaming community and beyond. While some appreciate the innovative approach to raising awareness and participation in blood donations, others find the use of blood as a promotional element to be distasteful and unnecessary. It remains to be seen whether this campaign will ultimately have a positive or negative impact on the perception of Diablo 4 and Blizzard as a company.
Blizzard’s recent PR stunt for Diablo 4 undoubtedly leaves an indelible mark on gamers’ minds. While the intention to promote blood donations is commendable, the use of human blood and its integration into a gaming PC raises valid concerns. As the campaign progresses, it will be interesting to observe the effects this controversial approach has on the perception and future success of Diablo 4.
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