January 12, 2010February 1, 2010

Introducing the Official Heavy Rain Box Art

Hi folks!

Some of you surfing around yesterday might have stumbled upon what might be the US packfront. We just wanted to drop a note to everyone confirming that the below, is indeed, the US packfront for Heavy Rain:

We’re also able to confirm Heavy Rain‘s final ESRB rating has come in at a strong M for Blood, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language and Use of Drugs. And for those of you who have asked, the content is exactly the same as what’s being released in all our territories, so you’ll get to enjoy it exactly as Quantic Dream intended.

We’ll have much more in the coming days as we get closer to launch, so keep an eye out on the Blog for more information on one of PlayStation’s hottest titles of 2010!

Comments are closed.

197 Comments

5 Author Replies

AutomaticOcelot
January 12, 2010 at 11:25 am PST

Yay, wasn’t planning on importing it like I did for Fahrenheit. It’s nice to play a whole game. :)
T3mpr1x
January 12, 2010 at 11:36 am PST

Looks nice, but the origami image kind of makes the lead woman look really thin! Weird effect.
Apple_Taco
January 12, 2010 at 11:43 am PST

looks great, sexy and stunning
letherclad
January 12, 2010 at 11:43 am PST

Can’t wait! I’m still kinda pissed that the european collector’s packaging isn’t coming to america though
remanutd5
January 12, 2010 at 11:49 am PST

Hey Jeff can you tell me where can i get the Ratchet and Clank and Resistance action figurines?
- Cristian Cardona
  January 12, 2010 at 12:03 pm PST
  
  So far, the best best is Amazon.com!
kosluftar
January 12, 2010 at 11:55 am PST

EU cover will make people that doesn’t know anything about this game think that it is some kind of Origami creating simulator.

This box art is better.
mosespippy
January 12, 2010 at 11:55 am PST

This is way better than what PS3Attitude was reporting as the North American box art. What they were showing was ugly and was driving me to import from europe just for decent cover art. This is a great improvement over that, so I won’t need to import it now. If only it had the old PS3 branding instead of the new branding. That [DELETED] is ugly and looks out of place next to my massive collection that uses the old branding.
Blkant
January 12, 2010 at 11:55 am PST

To be honest, the EU cover looks a lot better…
almighty-slayer
January 12, 2010 at 12:02 pm PST

It’s turd. Change it to the European one.
Othello500
January 12, 2010 at 12:08 pm PST

I get that the box art was made this way to help prevent Heavy Rain from being lost in the mist among other, more traditional and familiar Q1 games. Still, I can help but notice that the box art has been sexualized in order to attract the average gamers. I think it’s cheap, but I get it and I don’t blame Quantic Dream for making the decision.

However, I must admit I was really looking forward to the EU box art making it’s way over the pond, but I should have known better or at least acknowledged how companies view marketing a product to the American public.

I don’t like it, but I was going to buy the game anyway. Then again, I could always import.
angelspawn77
January 12, 2010 at 12:10 pm PST

its ok, but i got a question regarding the rating. There will be nudity and [DELETED] im sure, but as for the sexual content, how explicit will it be? will it be like mass effect/dragon age or will it be much more revealing? The reason I ask is because my little sister likes to watch me play some games and i dont want a very explicit scene to come up when she’s watching. If its explicit then she will not be watching. Is this game very explicit or just implied sex without showing alot?
Ruffday
January 12, 2010 at 12:12 pm PST

Can you give an estimate on single person run through time? One character
SPOOKULA209
January 12, 2010 at 12:13 pm PST

I would buy this game just based off of the box art lol. I am going to play indigo prophecy first before I decide whether I want to pick this game up or not. The game does look really cool though
likedatkilla
January 12, 2010 at 12:20 pm PST

you guys FAILED!
FAILED LIKE ICO BOX ART
YOU SHOULD OF JUST LEFT THE UK BOX ART AND BLENDED IN THE MAIN CHARACTER’S FACES IN THE ORIGAMI. That would be HOT!
KSPRAYDAD
January 12, 2010 at 12:25 pm PST

@Cristian…

Thanks for the good news about alternate boxart. (#24)
tolkienfanatic
January 12, 2010 at 12:25 pm PST

It’s unfortunate that this cover sucks so much.
Jon_Mclane
January 12, 2010 at 12:26 pm PST

I like it. Good box art is a must. I always judge a book by its cover.
x_VarPo_x
January 12, 2010 at 12:26 pm PST

I do not like, better to EU
KSPRAYDAD
January 12, 2010 at 12:27 pm PST

@60…based on the timing of your post you obviously hadn’t read any of Cristian’s responses before YELLING right?
Sleibhin
January 12, 2010 at 12:29 pm PST

The EU Box Art is so much better. I can’t believe they changed the logotype too a plain looking sans serif font. LAME. Also, its like they had to work some [DELETED] in on the cover.
Jeigh
January 12, 2010 at 12:31 pm PST

Pretty damn impressive when your in-game models are fit for box-art, eh? Be proud because, from what I can tell, you’ve done a very good thing here.

Happy launch! :D
hush404
January 12, 2010 at 12:40 pm PST

OMG.

I was excited for the game but thought the image floating around was so plain, this ONE KICKS ASS :D

Thx.
acerazer1
January 12, 2010 at 12:44 pm PST

The box art is pretty stylish, I will be getting this game eventually.

And not just for digital boobies…
dinkin-flicka
January 12, 2010 at 12:44 pm PST

I’m ready to play this new CSI game! Oh wait, nevermind.

I’ll be importing the UK version.
StarkKat
January 12, 2010 at 12:48 pm PST

THANK YOU for info on the content and rating! Off to pre-order right now! =D

PS: I think the US cover is better.
jqtaxpayer
January 12, 2010 at 12:51 pm PST

One could draw interesting conclusions on what a company assumes (however correct such an assumption may be) about its target market in a certain region based upon differences in the box art. What would make a marketing team think that a picture of a paper crane wouldn’t resonate with an American player in the way that it would resonate with a, say, British player?

Anyway, the EU box art is better, but if I didn’t feel the need to cover up The Orange Box, I don’t think I’ll go out of my way to cover up an NA version of Heavy Rain… assuming I purchase one, since I don’t know too much about the game.
scorpio182
January 12, 2010 at 12:51 pm PST

Looks good though no wow factor, but I like how it kind of has a movie look to it.

I pre-ordered it last week….Can’t wait…
Se_7_eN
January 12, 2010 at 12:55 pm PST

You guys can’t be serious with this box art…… Oh’ you are?

……. That sucks.
mywhitenoise
January 12, 2010 at 1:04 pm PST

I can’t believe many of you are saying you like this cover art. You guys have no taste.

This cover is selling sex, the UK cover is selling mystery and suspense.
KingMob
January 12, 2010 at 1:04 pm PST

I agree with the majority here. The US box art stinks.

Or just include the EU cover art underneath the US cover art so we don’t have to waste our time printing out the cover that everyone REALLY wants.
the_Willard
January 12, 2010 at 1:06 pm PST

wow. that is pretty rad. definitely gives it a “film noir” type of look.
Curse7781
January 12, 2010 at 1:13 pm PST

I already preordered my copy of the game and I can’t wait till its released. As for the cover, I think it fits the mood its trying to give while also showing the cast of the game.

I am eager to see how the trophy list consists of…
Darth-Krayt
January 12, 2010 at 1:27 pm PST

I like this cover more than the EU one, but I can’t say I think either is amazing. But that doesn’t matter anyway because I don’t sit there looking at the cover art. The only game I ever sat there staring at the cober art was the Kollector’s Edition of Mortal Kombat vs DC, because you can’t help but stare at Alex Ross art…..amazing.

The only part of the Heavy Rain cover I will ever see really is the spine sitting on my game shelf in alphabetical order. It will be sitting between Heavenly Sword and Killzone 2…..good company indeed. Thanks for the incredible game, and thanks for saving me $6 with the great pre-order bonus. I have a quick question for you though…..

Since I’m getting the “prologue chapter” for pre-ordering, and since you guys know your game better than anyone else right now, do you suggest I play the “prologue chapter” before or after I play the main game?
TheRevisionIsm
January 12, 2010 at 1:27 pm PST

Can I get the UK box art because this one is really ugly. I know that American box art has this unspoken rule about having the main hero on it but seriously…
narcoptik
January 12, 2010 at 1:35 pm PST

Honestly, it’s terrible and I’m rather inclined to have the EU stylings instead. You’ll find the readership of Kotaku.com agrees:

http://kotaku.com/5446049/another-perfectly-good-piece-of-box-art-ruined-by-americans
kani-sans
January 12, 2010 at 1:40 pm PST

my wife and i are really looking forward to this. i’m guessing it’s a little late to ask questions and get a reply, but was wondering if anyone would know if other language tracks are available on the NA release?

we REALLY appreciated the Japanese presentation that Mr. de Fondaumière did a while back, and hearing characters in janpanese (native language) helped her relate to it more. we even started getting tied to them with that last trailer as well.
McSqueeb
January 12, 2010 at 1:49 pm PST

I too like the EU cover better. I will be on the lookout for the pdf. And thanks for providing one so easily!
poodude
January 12, 2010 at 2:00 pm PST

I’m glad we can print off the European box art, because I personally like it a lot more. But either way, I can’t wait for this game!
tashpool
January 12, 2010 at 2:04 pm PST

The box art is a step down from the EU counterpart. Too much going on and it doesn’t blend together very well.

Still looking forward to the game, but I’ll be tossing this cover when I can get a good print out from overseas.
mattwantsmore
January 12, 2010 at 2:19 pm PST

Jeff the British Board of Film Classification, although have no doubts giving what this game features “Nutidy, Violence, and etc” an M rating. BBFC gave this game a Teen rating. Why has other rating systems given this an M but BBFC a T. Like they so claim it’s the separation from reality and virtuality what allowed this game keeping T rating even though the depictions were oftenly opposed.
Wuggyboobeaufuf
January 12, 2010 at 2:30 pm PST

To quote Kotaku:

“Another perfectly good box art ruined by Americans”.

Rubbish.
Ti_dus
January 12, 2010 at 2:31 pm PST

This is just UGLY, comparing to our amazing EU box art ;)
Einhander138
January 12, 2010 at 2:32 pm PST

It’s rubbish!
firstworldman
January 12, 2010 at 2:36 pm PST

What a terrible decision to change the box art from the European version. Either way, I hope PlayStation delivers with a PDF we can download to cover this collaged mess. I personally don’t like it. This is just as big a •uck up as the ICO cover from back in the PlayStation 2 days.

Honestly, what makes marketing people so certain that something so bland would sell better for a game that is trying to change the way people perceive games? Less of the same, PLEASE.

Also, don’t take my comments too hard. It’s just constructive criticism from a long time fan of games and PS.
Solid-Snake-Eyes
January 12, 2010 at 2:38 pm PST

It’s nice that you’re going to provide alternate cover art on the blog, but it would be a whole lot better if the retail cover was reversible so we wouldn’t have to use a crappy print out. I don’t have any of that slick fancy paper or a particularly great printer right now. I’ll just stick with the nicely printed but ugly North American cover I guess.
killaKAM938
January 12, 2010 at 2:47 pm PST

rly i dont see what the problem is with the cover i actually like it, great job
station3fever
January 12, 2010 at 2:56 pm PST

Nothing like a lovely women on the front cover, always a plus. nice job people :)
choEfrownz
January 12, 2010 at 3:09 pm PST

@50 agreed.
Thrasher20
January 12, 2010 at 3:10 pm PST

Nice little paper bird thing
B_E_A_N_R_M_A_N
January 12, 2010 at 3:11 pm PST

haha i like it cant wait to play the game good job quantic