EA has confirmed that it's working on a video game adaptation of Dante Aligheri's 14th century epic poem The Divine Comedy, following earlier rumors to that effect.
No release dates nor platform details were announced, but it's now clear that
Dead Space developer EA Redwood Shores will be creating the game, based on the first third of the poem, commonly referred to as Dante’s Inferno. The original describes in detail the nine circles of Hell, and was in part an allegory for contemporary Florentine and Italian politics.
A short teaser trailer of the game was first revealed at the 2008 Spike Video Game Awards, and is currently available at
the game's official website. It shows an armored, apparently medieval warrior wielding a scythe-like weapon, and attacking one of the damned with a crucifix.
EA describes the game as a third-person action adventure, but no further gameplay details have been offered. The nine circles of hell described in the original poem appear to play a major part in the game, with the trailer briefly illustrating limbo, as well as circles devoted to the sins of lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery.
"The time is right for the world of interactive entertainment to adapt this literary masterpiece, and to re-introduce Dante to an audience that, until now, may have been unfamiliar with the remarkable details of this great work of art," said Jonathan Knight, executive producer for
Dante’s Inferno. "It’s the perfect opportunity to fuse great gameplay with great story."
The
original rumors of the game, first published by Hollywood trade paper Variety, suggested that EA was also in talks with Paramount, Universal, MGM and New Regency over the movie rights for the game. The initial announcement from EA, however, makes no reference to any movie adaptation.
