A Kane & Lynch 2 advertisement that was declared too violent for television was finally accepted by U.K. regulators after “much editing and many submissions” left it a grand total of ten seconds in length.
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days will be a violent game when it comes out next month, so it’s hardly surprising that the advertising campaign is a little bloody too. Too much so for U.K. television regulators, who declared the original ad, featuring video from the launch trailer, inappropriate for broadcast. So Square Enix made some cuts, and then some more cuts, and then a few cuts more, until finally it managed to string together ten seconds of acceptable content.
“We’ve worked very closely with the U.K. TV advertising regulatory body to ensure our TV ad is suitable for broadcast after 9 pm,” Square Enix U.K. Marketing Director Jon Brooke said. “After much editing and many submissions we now have a ten-second version which begins airing tomorrow – we hope you enjoy it.”
What do you get for your ten seconds? Not much, I’m afraid. Pink text on a black background, sound effects, a quick blurb for the retailer Game and a second of deranged chuckles from Lynch. On the upside, Square Enix also gets to brag that the game is “too violent for TV,” which has no small amount of marketing value in itself.
And of course, this being the internet, a look at what the regulators found so offensive is right at hand: The full, uncensored, slightly silly and ridiculously violent launch trailer is available for your perusal on YouTube. Just remember, kids, if you’re under 17 you’re not allowed to click that link. Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is set for release on August 17 in North America and August 20 in Europe.
Source: Eurogamer
