Maddie reference spotted in Bungie trailer News

Good publicity. Bad Publicity. It's all publicity.

if so, i think thats a little ....ehm..inappropriate?

I'm sure there are over a 1000 American missing persons cases that we in Europe know nothing about whatsoever.

Well its one way to get some extra news mileage out of this but the chances of it being `the maddie` are very slim to none.
I am sure there are many more high profile American/Canadian lost girl cases they could have used if they had wanted but what would be the point?

I think this is a classic case of some people having way too much time on their hands.

It's April 1st, right?

EDIT; actually, anyone who gets offended over this needs a swift boot in the nuts or other appropriate sore area.

Nothing but an unfortunate coincidence, but what can you do? It's not the first time such things have happened; The Ben Affleck movie "Gone Baby Gone" had its release delayed in the UK as it had many similar parallels with the McCann case, but ultimately it came and went. People should realise that while the story was huge here in the UK, people in the US were not subjected to it as much as we were.

I hope the UK press don't jump on this and turn it into another nonsense GAMES = EVIL story. Although it is quite telling how much the name "Maddie" has been burned into the British subconsciousness...

I think the chances of that being true are slim to none. No games company would do that, let alone one as conscious of its fans as Bungie.

The folk at Bungie are probably sitting around saying:
"who the fuck is maddie?"
news doesn't travel in to the states, only out. They don't even know who John Smeaton is.

One of the devs probably took a flight connecting in London, and saw a where's amddie poster, thought nothing of it but had it lodged in their subconcious, only to surface amid controversy

Sorry, as hard as it is for some people to accept, it's just a coincidence. I'm sure they Bungie boys haven't a clue who Dear Brave Maddie is.

Unless the McGanns have co-financed the game with their extraordinary wealth from the Save Maddie fund.

Who is John Smeaton ?

\Googles

I can't even believe you picked up this 'story', EG. This is the most ridiculous peice of journalism I've ever read (and I visit CVG every day...) There are millions of people in the world called Maddie. Get over it.

This just goes to show how f*cking pathetic people are. Anybody that seriously believes that Bungie put this in the teaser because of her needs to get a clue.

Oh. Is he supposed to be a national hero that I should know the name of immediately?

I really don't read enough tabloids.

Because as we all know. Madeline McCann is the only child who's ever gone missing.

>_>

@digiwalsh: EXACTLY. I'm so fucking done hearing about this kid. Yes it's sad that she went missing - but the whole scenario stinks to high heaven and I really don't care what happened anymore. She was probably killed the very night she 'dissappeared' so lets just shut the hell up about it.

I don't care that the parents are out on some 'crusade' (I think they call it fraud these days). And I really don't care that Gamesradar needed to get some extra hits and so wrote a peice about something that has literally NOTHING to do with this kid. Can't wait for the papers to get hold of it.

Bloody kids, always wandering off.

i totally agree with MrXBob
EG should try and remain some class and NOT publish gossip and total crap :P on their site.
please son't turn into the sun or something like that

I'm not sure what's more tragically pathetic, doing it in the first place as a major developer/publishing company (the story is big enough to be known over there, fools, I've got family in the states who know about it) or the rush of nutjobs who seem to think those who've pointed it out have something against Bungie. Well, could it also be that as this snowballs, something will be made of it - a shitstorm - because that's what's going to happen - obviously?

Remember the James Bulgar picture used in a game? It wouldn't be the first time some idiot's made this gaffe without properly explaining it to the higher-ups. In the media things like this actually happen far often than you care to know.

Internet in making something out of nothing shocker!

@squarejawhero: This is absolutely NOTHING like that Jamie Buldger incident. You do realise that almost everything to do with Halo's storyline has already been written, right? The plots, the locations, the whole universe including CHARACTER NAMES was done before the first Halo was even released.

So don't try and turn this on Bungie, because it's quite obvious they'd have no reason to put this in their game other than IT BELONGS THERE. It is nothing to do with a real child that is missing, okay? Now put down your Sun and go and read a proper newspaper. Idiot.

Ugh, don't keep acting like Bungie are some kind of gods. They're quite capable of making human mistakes.

What is astounding is how many people, including MSUK, obviously had this trailer in front of them before it went to press. Regardless of whether you personally or I personally think it was a good idea, the impending shitstorm is going to come -

WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.

Now, whether or not it's unintended or any other such bullshit, it's far too massive a coincidence not to be done on purpose. You're just guessing it's part of the plot, nothing more.

Now who's the idiot? Oh, that's right. Not me. The idiots are the people who put it out there in the first place, as it's only going to come right back and bite them on the ass. Another mark against gaming due to what appears to be a lack of sense filter within MS, at the very least.

"it's far too massive a coincidence not to be done on purpose. "

Get over yourself - really. Like has already been said there are a million people called Maddie - it's a very common nickname for a very common name. What about Maria, huh? Where are all the idiots screaming at Epic for having a missing woman called Maria in Gears of War 2? It's in all the trailers - Dom talks about it all the time, he goes around with a damn photo asking everybody where she is. I'm sure there are missing people right now in the world called Maria.

This whole thing is clearly because way too many people have an 'It's Bungie - lets hate' mantra, and it got old about 3 years ago. Grow up.

No one else in the world is called Maddie?

Like it or not, it's still news. Complaining about it not being news is frankly hilarious.

Bungie will have something to say eventually.

And no, Maddie is NOT a common name. And no, the fact it references (with sad smiley face) a "Maddie" who's apparently lost, doesn't work in Bungie's favour. It's a big company. It's not just Americans working within it. Don't be so quick to rush to their defence because you enjoy their games. Chances are it was more likely a massive, potentially well-meaning (hence sad smiley face) fuck-up by someone within the company with knowledge of the incident that leaked through. But think - even if it WAS merely an incredibly huge coincidence on the scale of CERN killing us all in the Spring, HOW MANY PEOPLE saw this before release? And you know, it wouldn't be totally suprising if some heartless ad exec ok'd it regardless for publicity's sakes.

Am I offended? Absolutely not. But I don't think it works in the favour of the gaming industry whenever negative press is allowed to be spun because of typical naivety.

As for growing up, you're rushing to the defence of a large games company because you enjoy their games. Others see it how it is. I don't think they're the ones who need to grow up, do you? I enjoy Halo, have played all three, think they're wonderful shooters. However I utterly reserve the right as a right-thinking adult to point out where the company responsible has put a foot wrong. And you should try opening up to the possibility that those you worship are quite capable of making silly errors now and again.

Madeline McCann is / would be a seven year old now, EuroGamer.

Maddie can just fo!

Sick of hearing about it!

Bungie took her!

Just realised. The whole Maddie disappearance was just part of a massive global Halo viral marketing campaign. The McCanns were in on it. Even the Portuguese police, the Pope and British forensics were in on it. Maddie is alive, safe and well with Luke Smith.

"I'm sure there are missing people right now in the world called Maria. "

Yeah, and there's a massive, world-wide media frenzy, with a similar "buzz phrase", right...

Please, try not to be quite so naive.

Halo...is it me your looking for?

Woodnotes wins the prize?

I agree with Mr Squarejaw, the sound truth of a well-rounded North Londoner.

sketchfactor (Brian Jarrard) of Bungie says:

This is an unfortunate coincidence but there is no connection between Bungie's game and the tragic disappearance of that little girl.

"Madeline McCann is / would be a seven year old now, EuroGamer."

I thought she was three and she was taken two years ago, resulting in Eurogamer's correct assumption that she is/would be five

"Ideal opportunity for a quick top-up to the Maddie fund! "
"Maddie can just fo! Sick of hearing about it!"

My thoughts exactly

"Unless the McGanns have co-financed the game with their extraordinary wealth from the Save Maddie fund."
"Bungie took her!"

haha!

People see what they want to see. Is it possible that this is a reference to Madeleine McCann? Of course it is. Is it likely? Not really, but never say never. This should really have been confirmed before being splattered across "news".

As if we need further incitement for the Daily Mail, and the red-top papers to run their mouths against the gaming industry, again...sigh.

Maddie has appeared in Bungies trailer?

FOUND HER!

/claims reward

On another note, to anyone deeply entrenched in the Halo universe -

Has there ever been reference to a Maddie character, either in the Halo game, book or graphic novel?

I cant believe some of the comments I am reading on here & the level in immaturity of some of you guys. Ok, it may or may not be related to the little girl going missing, but for fcuk sake, grow up. This little girl was possibly abducted from her family. I suspect that most of the insensitive comments are from immature 18+ year old boys that have no concept of what it would be like to loose a child or how the little girl would feel by missing her mum/dad. Ok, we are simply discusssing a game, but also a little girl.

"Has there ever been reference to a Maddie character, either in the game, book or graphic novel?"

In a book, yes.

And no, Maddie is NOT a common name.

Pretty bloody common where I come from. My mum's a Maddie and I know at least another two. I didn't wake up to the news last year thinking my mum had been kidnapped.

"Princess Diana is riding a dolphin to find Maddie. What are you doing?"

It really doesn't matter what Brian Jarrard says on a forum. He's merely the community lead.

What does matter is what they say to the press rather than holding off.

holy crap, thats a moonlighting reference which spun waaaaaay out of control.

Kinky-mong, that's still besides the point entirely. What does matter is the combination of the name and the reference to a "lost" character.

If there is a book reference, then it needs to be made note of - and not by a forumite, but by Microsoft and Bungie.

Still, any publicity is good publicity, eh. I'm still looking forward to seeing how not Bungie in particular, but MS' PR department wriggle out of this one.

"holy crap, thats a moonlighting reference which spun waaaaaay out of control. "

AHA! You may have hit the nail on the head there! Totally! And have been the first person to have done it.

Even so, ensuing chaos still rings out.

Worst, most sensationalist news story I've ever read on Eurogamer.

Its a name, many people have this name, and it just so happens someone in this fictional universe has the name Maddie too.

"I cant believe some of the comments I am reading on here & the level in immaturity of some of you guys."

Imagine what Frankie Boyle would be saying if he was on here. Who knows, he might be, apparently he's hosting the Golden Joysticks Awards or whatever they're called.

Here's a choice quote of his regarding the Shannon Matthews kidnapping case:

""It's my view that the ugly ones always get found, her step-dad probably taped a picture of Maddy McCann to her face."

squarejawhero: "What does matter is what they say to the press rather than holding off." Why do Bungie need to comment on a news story that makes no sense whatsoever in the first place? Any news "source" that decides to spin this into sensationalism is hardly a serious one. In fact, I'm pretty disappointed this was run on EG.

Besides, as Yossarian pointed out, there is a fiction reference to a Maddie.

I think people really need to take into account that outside the UK and Portugal, this story hasn't been pounded into everyone's consciousness. I was in a chat room about the trailer yesterday, and none of the Americans/Canadians had any clue what the reference was, or even an inkling about who Madeleine McCann was.

Bungie may not even realize that this could cause any stir whatsoever. Do you have any idea how many open missing child cases there are in the US?

I'm surprised at EG running this story at this stage, especially as they are always harping on about the sensationalism of the tabloids using controversy in videogames to sell papers. Or, in this case, hits.

Bullshit coincidence that will be blown out of all proportion thanks to stories such as this. Just waiting for someone who works for the Sun or some crap like that to read this (it happens) and for an 'outcry' to occur.

Lame.

@squarejaw

Do me a favour and put down in words WHY you think Bungie did this.


Then when you've done that, read it and realise how ridiculous it sounds.

After that, look up Occams Razor on Wikipedia or something.