Bethesda responds to apparent Rage 2 leak in best way possible (update)

Update: Bethesda’s Pete Hines referenced this situation during Bethesda’s E3 press conference by stating that Rage 2 is a game that they announced a few weeks ago “thanks to our friends at Walmart Canada, best known for their low prices and ability to keep a secret.” Bethesda’s response to the leak remains legendary.

Original story: There are good and bad ways to respond to a leak, and it looks as if Bethesda has decided to take the high road with its public response to Walmart’s listing of what might be one of its upcoming games.

Rage was a first-person shooter from id Software that came out in 2011 to middling reviews, and led to John Carmack apologizing for the game in a 2012 QuakeCon keynote. That seemed to be the end of Rage’s story, until Walmart Canada posted a listing for Rage 2, which is not yet officially announced.

The official Rage Twitter account later tweeted the following image:

Seriously, Walmart. At least put some effort into your placeholder listings. This joke is pretty light and fluffy as these things go, but does anyone else notice what it doesn’t include?

A denial.

Publishers tend not to comment on this sort of thing, because announcements are carefully timed for maximum impact so they don’t want to confirm the game is coming right now, but they also don’t want to lie and say it’s not in production. Giving the retailer a playful ribbing is a good middle ground.

Bethesda’s Pete Hines retweeted the image, and responded to a fan’s question about another game with a similar tone.

We’ll know soon enough if Rage 2 exists. Bethesda’s annual E3 showcase, BE3, will take place on Sunday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m. PT.