Ea's 'dante's inferno' campaign: rickrolling, rage, and a broken box

Electronic Arts' Marketing for 2009's Dante’s Inferno wasn't just unconventional; it was downright bizarre, bordering on performance art. The campaign, intended to build hype for the hack-and-slash title, leveraged a nine-month rollout mirroring Dante Alighieri’s nine circles of Hell, but one particular stunt – a rickrolling-esque box that demanded destruction – has cemented itself in internet infamy.

The box of eternal annoyance

Before Dante’s Inferno even hit shelves, EA began sending enigmatic wooden boxes to gaming journalists and bloggers. These weren't fancy promotional kits; they were simple crates relentlessly blasting Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.” There were no buttons, no switches, just an inescapable loop and a message etched on the lid: “The Fifth Circle of Hell is Near.” The only way to silence the incessant tune? Smash the box with the included hammer—a gesture mirroring the game's themes of rage and destruction.

Veronica Belmont, in a revealing YouTube video, documented this strange experience, showcasing the frustration and eventual catharsis of obliterating the box. The accompanying note, delivered after the dismantling, delivered the game's slogan: