Discussion of a Post Mortem advertisement

Has anyone seen the misleading advertisements for the US release of Post Mortem by The Adventure Company?

Many advertisements and the box itself has:

"From the developers of the Award Winning Syberia."

Post Mortem is most definitely not from the developers (Ben Sokal and the The Syberia Team) of Syberia but from the publishers of Syberia. Last time I checked Ben Sokal was developing the Syberia series and not Post Mortem.

I was wondering if any others noticed this.

Well, they are both Microids games, so I guess it depends on what you mean by 'developers'. If Ben Sokal and the team that did Post Mortem work for Microids, I guess you could say Microids is the developer of both games.

I agree it's a bit misleading.

Louis

Yes, you are right about that. If it had been developed by Ben Sokal and his team it would have had his name on the box. But looking at Post Mortem you can definitely tell that it has none of the Ben Sokal charm as Syberia did. I think it is a little mistake that must have been missed when they printed the boxes. I just find it interesting how this advertising stands out to those that know the true facts.

Well I think the confusion is a bit semantical.

Benoit Sokal is the creator/author of the concepts, artistic vision, style and format of Syberia, Syberia 2 and Amerzone. But Microids funded the development, provides the press and marketing manpower as well I am sure the development team that works with Benoit and is the developer of these games. Benoit is given special recognition because of the drawing power of his name, his stature in Europe and now N.A. Also I would think because the original concepts and artisitc style are his creation. I would only be assuming here - But it wouldn't surprise me if his title and credit were part of the development deal. Similar to certain writers being credited up front on movies and even being given "co-producer" status - where in most cases they are buried in the credits.

Post Mortem is also developed by Microids and they deserve the credit for having the foresight to trust the vision of Benoit Sokal and combine their efforts with his to produce this remarkable series of games.

I have no problem with them using that to identify their company in marketing their other titles. It's no different than Myramax touting their impressive line up of movies when promoting a new release. Myramax didn't create the movies - but they financed them and made them possible.

Laura

Impressive response Laura. When Microids released their version of the game, they did have the correct information on their boxes.

On their boxes they listed,

"From the publishers of Syberia."

The Adventure Company made a mistake on what was written on the packaging when they released the game. I support Microids as strongly as anyone here but they are not the ones at fault here but The Adventure Company. It's no confusion but a simple mistake. I still think Post Mortem is a good game and just wanted to see if anyone had noticed this.

True - Actually that's the only box I have seen - having gotten mine via the internet and before the Adventure Company release. Hmmm have to go see how else the box is different. Should be out at Comp USA by now.

Now you have got my curiosity going

Laura

Post Mortem
The Adventure Company box front
US release


Post Mortem
Microids box front
Canada



I definitely want to try this game. It does look interesting. I was just put off by the atrocious voice acting in the demo, yet so many have talked highly of it and I wonder if I may have misjudged this game too harshly.

This isn't a mistake. Microids both developed AND published the original releases of Syberia and Post Mortem. They could have advertised both if they wished. Obviously The Adventure Company doesn't have the same option.

It is semantics, of course. "Developers" can be used to refer to the actual people who worked on a game, but from a business standpoint, it typically refers to the developing COMPANY, regardless of the individuals involved.

Jack

Singer:

Very good response. Your logic holds if we were just concerned from a business standpoint. I am looking at the consumer level, those that do not have the knowledge you pointed out. Many looking at the box cover will think it was the same team, Ben Sokal included, who developed Post Mortem.

Microids did publish Post Mortem but it was entirely different teams at Microids that developed both games especially if you look at the credits of both games. As a consumer, when I look at the box I want to know that the actual team that developed Syberia was also behind Post Mortem.

I am not interested so much that the same publisher developed the game but that the same group of people that worked on Syberia were involved in Post Mortem. Essentially, Ben Sokal and team were not at the helm of Post Mortem since they are currently working on the sequel to Syberia. Since we are all adventure gamers here, we should always look at the consumer level before ever considering the business standpoint.

Thanks for your comments Laura and Jack. Have an excellent weekend!

Well, Lundar, I hate to sound cynical (really! ), but you've put your finger on the very heart of advertising. Misdirection is everything. ), but I thought it fair to say that it isn't actually an "error" on the Post Mortem box.

Just a good reminder here to be smart consumers.

Jack

Very eloquent words Singer!

Yes, not an error actually but more of a definite misdirection of the facts. I guess I should have had that extra cup of coffee as I was typing that.

Lundar you've lost me - the box doesn't say from the "team" that developed Syberia - it says from the developers - Microids in this case and true. Still don't understand what your problem with it is - it isn't false advertising if that's what you're getting at.

Hello Syd:

It is not false advertising but as Jack mentioned it is a misdirection. You and I and many others on here know these facts already, but I am thinking about the common consumer that does not have this knowledge to base their Post Mortem purchasing decision on.

I have no problem with this. I just wanted to bring up something for discussion. I love Microids but just wanted to give the Syberia team at Microids the credit they deserve. Like I said, I did not have that extra cup of coffee today.

Well I think I might have had one too many cups of coffee

So that's where all the coffee went - I have just had one and going to grab another before it's all gone

Laura

Make sure you leave some coffee for me to Laura. Don't drink it all!

Ah oh - [syd hurries to make another pot of coffee]