ASCII art from GamesRadar's source code

OK, so no matter my personal misgivings with the upcoming Dante’s Inferno, even I have to agree that this viral idea is pretty cool.

So EA has launched a website called Hell Is Nigh, which asks the user to input six passwords to activate a download.  In perhaps one of the most original ideas to hit viral advertising in a short while, EA has purchased advertising space on major gaming sites’ source code.

What you see on your left is actually a screen capture of GamesRadar‘s source code, discoverable by anyone with the inclination to right click their page.  In the last two lines of the ASCII art are Hell Is Nigh’s URL, and the password linked to this particular image.

Stalwart lovers of medieval poetry (and probably a few gamers too) have spent the day searching for the hidden art, which has turned up on site such as Digg, Kotaku, 1UP and IGN.  Being the helpful type, they’ve also gone and compiled the complete list of passwords needed, just in case you can’t be arsed looking them all up yourself.

All password entered, users are given a package of concept art, wallpapers and game music, all of which is subject to a hauntingly damnation-filled EA Licenceing Agreement, so you’ll find no overt spoilers from me.  It doesn’t matter however, as if you’re actually looking for spoilers I’ve already told you where to go and what to do to skip the entire exercise anyway.

So the rewards are not so amazing, but I’ll be damned if I’m not impressed with the creativity of the thinking behind this viral.  Now if only they had of made a bit more effort not making the game play like a bag of cocks, that would have been great.

Visit Hell Is Nigh, and show you’re getting into the spirit of things by being slothful and cheating on the passwords.  And thanks for the initial heads up, BrentCsutoras!

Now HERE'S incentive to buy a game!

Bravo, 2K, bravo.  If what everyone else does is viral marketing, I’d say that this was pandemic marketing.

A while ago, those keeping watch on the events of There’s Something In The Sea brought up the idea of writing in their support for the site’s character, Mark Meltzer.  His address is stamped on every piece of correspondence through-out the site, why not write in and find out if it’s a real address?

They were rewarded for their ingenuity.  Letters of support began to pile up on Melzter’s wall in-site, and writers would be sent back pieces of “evidence” which they could assist Meltzer by looking over.

I wrote in a while back, and my reply came today in the form of a record.  It plays the operatic “Rise, Rapture, Rise” song that can be heard on site (although the B-side suffers from a little, shall we say, distortion?). I’ll be framing this little baby!

It’s brilliant marketing like this that can really increase the anticipation for a game.  We heard recently of the unfortunate delays to BioShock 2‘s release date, but with clever plans like these behind their promotion, I’m sure the hype will stay high until the game’s eventual release!

If you haven’t looked over BioShock 2‘s viral site yet, be sure to check it out.