games  anime  |  toys
Destructoid is gaming news, community, videos, and sometimes love. Take the tour or jump in with Facebook:

 


Infinity Ward shows its package, asks fans to choose Call of Duty 4 cover art photo

Box art can make or break a game. At retail, it's the first and only impression for many people; even the worst games with killer box art will get picked up by the average Joe, while some of the best experiences in gaming will be cast aside in favor of a box that doesn't drive consumers to murder.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on the other hand shouldn't really have that problem. If Activision gave the OK to Infinity Ward's proposal to have the infamous Goatse image grace the cover of their upcoming first-person shooter, it would still sell a billion copies.

But I guess it's a nice gesture to give fans a say in what box art will hit shelves this Fall ... even if all five proposed images are essentially identical. Seriously, the choices are based on a singular image, only slightly modified each time. This, folks, is why graphic designers and marketing people are paid the big bucks -- tough choices.

Head on over to the official Call of Duty 4 community site (registration required) and weigh in on this year's biggest decision in gaming.

[Thanks to EternalDarkwing for the tip!] 


Continue: More First Person Shooter stories





prev next

38 comments | showing # 1 to 38

blackacidevil's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 01:17
blackacidevil
isn't their thing having a close up guy on the cover?
Gamechamp's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 01:24
Gamechamp
Not the first one. The guy's too close. He threatens me.

Not the fourth one. He's too far away. What, you a little chicken baby? Don't wanna stand close to the awesome?

The second and third ones are disqualified for Steroid abuse.

The fifth one it is.
Jordan Devore's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 01:24
Jordan Devore
I like the last one best.
Bethla Garrison's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 01:26
Bethla Garrison
This is the weirdest form of community-based marketing I think I've seen yet. They're totally aware that the cover would never defeat the amount of hype this game has going for it already, so they come up with five identical boxart "choices" to make the fans feel like they're part of the process.

It just seems silly to me - do they really think that this sort of thing is going to be an effective promotion? Do they think it's going to drive in any sort of new audience? I mean, shit, if people are registered on the Call of Duty 4 site already, chances are they're going to buy the game.

If there were actually some variation in the approach to the design of the box and the cover art, I would applaud this as being a true fanservice, a terrific gesture of thanks and appreciation to their audience, but.. as is, this is just a joke.
Yashoki's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 01:30
Yashoki
It will be promotion. Most people dont follow games as closely as we do. So when they see theres a new Call of Duty (which alot of people dont know about) the're gonna look at the box and maybe read the back.
Gamechamp's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 01:32
Gamechamp
This isn't a big promotion thing. The small differences CAN make or break a cover.
Spykron's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 01:44
Spykron
i went to school for graphic design and i can say shit like this isnt easy. they all look the same but it drives you mad trying to pick one. i like delta though.
Joe Burling's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 02:05
Joe Burling
I like echo.
RskimB's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 02:23
RskimB
Tie between Charlie and Delta for me.
cbebop007's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 02:28
cbebop007
Uh...."Storage REQUIRED"? What's this?
Bethla Garrison's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 02:35
Bethla Garrison
I went to school for design, too. I do similar work professionally. It may drive us designers crazy trying to pick a crop for an image, or a typeface's weight, or a subtle variation on a palette, but the fact is that 99% of the audience won't be affected enough by the difference to make it worth the time.

Little things may make or break a cover, but the variations above don't (in my opinion) show any sort of changes that have a significant impact on the consumer's side. They're not even varying their logo lockup. A poorly-added drop shadow on a few of the lockups is not a significant change.

This is just a trick that every designer uses when they're selling a product to a client. It's the illusion of choice. Same photo, same lockup, same palette, same look - but by choosing between a variety of crops and subtle changes to that predetermined cover, the audience thinks that they're "designing" the box. But every decision that will actually have an impact on the audience has already been made.

This is (arguably bad) marketing, dudes.
cbebop007's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 02:38
cbebop007
Meh, I don't think anyone will feel they are "designing" the box, just that they are providing some direct input about what they'll see on the shelves. Now, is this just another illusion? (Remember Rock Band asking for song suggestions?)
Bethla Garrison's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 02:46
Bethla Garrison
I don't doubt that they'll go with whatever the community ends up picking. It's not an illusion in that sense. It's an illusion of choice, though - whether you see it as designing the box or having a choice about what you'll see on shelves.

If they really wanted to give the community some sort of choice, if they valued the community's input that much, or if they felt so genuinely grateful to their gamers that they wanted to give them a choice, then there'd be a very different assortment of covers to choose from.

As it stands, these "choices" are the result of an art director handing off finished boxart to a designer and telling him that he has a day to come up with extremely subtle variations - probably to satiate the marketing dept's desire to try this as a form of promotion.

I mean - I wouldn't be saying anything at all if there were two different photos to choose from. Or if there was a different treatment option for the logo. Or hell, even if they just slapped a night background on one of them. If that had happened, I would be applauding this as a genuine gesture of some sort of appreciation. But it's not. It's magician's choice.
skeletor's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 02:54
skeletor
personally I don't like any of them, Theres too little going on, they need like one more little thing like a helicopter in the background or something. Little object, just one more
MATTFOO's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 03:22
MATTFOO
out of all of them..1st is alpha.....runner up is charlie
Leaderz0rz's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 03:26
Leaderz0rz
I really think its more like "Here is the 5 choices we like, which one do you guys think is the best?" If their original point was to truly give the choice to the fans then they would of let the fans create it like Bioshock.
Teta's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 03:49
Teta
Echo then Charlie.
Professor Pew's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 04:17
Professor Pew
The hazy Echo with the fog of war feeling looks good to me. But somehow I think that most people will choose Alpha, because it looks like every other shooter cover...
Jecrell's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 06:35
Jecrell
Echo looks right
Ryan 2502's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 07:05
Ryan 2502
I like Alpha and Delta.

Echo looks terrible to me. Just a smudge of 3 colours.
Churchhills Dog's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 07:12
Churchhills Dog
One echo for me please, no sugar.
Garbz's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 07:35
Garbz
Echo or Alpha are the best IMO.
Coffee1's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 07:52
Coffee1
(ECHO BOARD)is the only one i would Choose, It looks amazing to play.
Kaikara's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 08:04
Kaikara
Definetly Echo Board, looks the most epic out of all of them. With all the bloom and lighting it almost looks like he's been 'called by God' to do battle lol.
GuitarAtomik's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 08:18
GuitarAtomik
I'll have to go with Alpha since way to many American box art covers use the stark, one guy in the center backgrounds.

I get pissed when I look at box art over here because it's like they didn't even try to make the cover interesting. The actual art is usually well done but it has no sense of composition once placed on the box as if they just lifted some poster or promo art and decided to use it on the cover. American DVDs are even more guilty of it. If these were well thought out box art covers, the composition would have been locked down in the sketch pase.
DrYou's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 08:43
DrYou
CHARLIE!
BluDesign's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 09:54
BluDesign
What about none of them? I'm sick of seeing WWII and combat games in general ONLY have the thought, "Let's stick some guys in uniform on the cover!" Doom and HL don't use imagery from the game to sell it, and I wouldn't expect it...

Bleh to all of these. I might still get the game, since I've seen the gameplay, but the covers don't impress. All they say to me is, "Generic FPS #____"
Virtualgirl's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 10:14
Virtualgirl
I think a Client would be pissy at me if i asked them to choose from such similar designs...As a designer, they should know what works better than others....
GuitarAtomik's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 10:41
GuitarAtomik
@dvddesign

That's what I'm saying! Is it THAT hard to come up with some half-way original box art?!
arcadias's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 11:09
arcadias
They all look pretty much the same, so no point judging them individually. In that case it seems fair only to judge the main image itself, which is pretty much the same as any other military-based FPS. Must try harder. See me after class.

Also, Wideset? Typo FTW!
Detry's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 11:22
Detry
Echoing the Echo
JohnnyWadd's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 11:47
JohnnyWadd
No variety at all, i pick rick astley.
Lightthrower's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 11:54
Lightthrower
They all look like american soldiers so all the covers fail.
ran24's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 13:14
ran24
Echo is the best
SeraphX's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 14:27
SeraphX
Echo Bravo Foxtrot...Err Echo
xX Hollow Tip's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 14:37
xX Hollow Tip
they all look good 2 me
UltraViolence's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 15:05
UltraViolence
All about that Delta.
Mmm.
cjg0621's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2007 16:26
cjg0621
either alpha or echo
prev next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

 
New on Destructoid.TV play all videos

Loading
Loading Destructoid Videos


    Win this!
    Dive in! meetup+play for a chance to win a PC

    Dtoid Twitter    Got news?   tips@destructoid.com

    Reviews & Previews
    Crossfire Remote Pistol review
    Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles review
    Left 4 Dead 2 review
    Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex review
    Arkedo Series - 02 SWAP! review
    more reviews
    Driver
    Avatar
    GT Racing Motor Academy
    Bad Company 2 beta dishes out meaningful experiences
    Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks
    more previews


    - The Dtoid Army is 50933 strong -

    Showing Cblogs with 3+ faps   show all

    Call for entries: do the wrong thing

    New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide




     Originals
    Jonathan Holmes: Why No More Heroes HD could mean a Wii total victory





















    More Destructoid Originals




     Popular now more






















    Team Destructoid   tips@destructoid.com
    Nick Chester
    Editor-in-Chief
    Niero
    Founder, publisher
    Jim Sterling
    Reviews Editor
    Hamza Aziz
    Community Manager
    Dale North
    News Editor
    Rey Gutierrez
    Video editor & director
    Anthony Burch
    Features Editor
    Colette Bennett
    Tom Fronczak Brad Nicholson
    Ashley Davis Ben Perlee
    Conrad
    Zimmerman
    Chad Concelmo
    Jonathan Holmes Jonathan Ross
    Brad Rice Jordan Devore
    Will Maddock Matthew Razak
    Dyson Joseph Leray
    Topher Cantler Samit Sarkar
         
      Dexter
    Adam Dork
    Daniel Lingen
    Hollie Bennett
    Joe Burling
    Mikey
    Stella Wong

    Josh Tolentino




     

     
      get involved

    register or login
    post a blog
    post a forum
    enter a contest
    contribute a news tip
    suggest a feature
    be a guest editor
    support

    new member's guide
    login assistance
    tech support
    report abuse
    email our editors
    read our dev blog
    nuclear crisis?
    keep in touch

    RSS feed
    Twitter
    Facebook
    Myspace
    Flickr
    Game nights
    Meetup+play online
    seriously

    about Destructoid
    advertising
    terms of use
    privacy policy
    jobs at MM
    buy our crap
    our network

    Tomopop
    Japanator
    Despingation?




    Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
    living the dream since March 16, 2006