There’s a giant billboard advertising the 6.6.23 release of Diablo IV in Melbourne (AU), but clearly, not everyone is a Blizzard fan, as one resident went so far as to make a complaint to the city about how its visuals and tagline, “Welcome to Hell,” are reminding them of COVID-19 lockdowns. The artwork on the billboard, which is of Lilith, is also too scary and should not be seen by children, according to the complainant.
The imagery is frightening to children as the demonic looking character is staring at the camera, creating the effect of staring at the observer. It is located in an prominent position beside a busy freeway where children have a clear view of the very large billboard.
I feel it’s inappropriate to show such disgusting and disturbing content on a billboard where children are seeing this on a daily basis. It has no context and for an adult of 43, I found it unsettling.
It’s scary for young children who see it, but even as an adult it brought back memories of the hell of the two years of lockdowns in Melbourne. The language and words used are not necessary to get across the message about the release of this game.
lol someone complained to Ad Standards that the Diablo ad reminded them of lockdown?? pic.twitter.com/osqdpLYcms
— Josh Taylor (@joshgnosis) July 4, 2023
Discussion (2 replies)
Join Discussion →Snowflakes need to get over it. IF a lockdown gave you PTSD you have bigger issues in life.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
So that billboard features "disgusting and disturbing content" huh? "...for an adult of 43, I found it unsettling." Okay pussy.
"...even as an adult it brought back memories of the hell of the two years of lockdowns in Melbourne." The last f*cking thing I would associate the Diablo franchise with is the COVID-19 lockdown. This person clearly has issues. Also I guess I don't know much about Australia or the city of Melbourne and how the lockdown situation went down over there, but the lockdown in the part of the USA where I live was barely anything to write home about. Honestly I barely noticed the lockdown. Certainly nothing I would call "hell". I think for many people (including one of my friends), when the Brood-X 17-year cicadas showed up in massive swarms, that was considered more of a "hell" for them than the COVID-19 lockdown.