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7 Times Ads in Games Really Sucked

7 Times Ads in Games Really Sucked

Companies like to try and sell people things. You know, because these corporations like money and want to keep existing and paying its CEOs big bonuses and such. While most people think about product placement in TV shows and movies, it has been happening in games for the longest time too. These commercials get shoved into our games at the oddest times and the most inexplicable ways. It is unfortunate, really.

Let’s look back at seven examples of the most noticeable and perhaps unappreciated in-game ads.

All of Those Retro Games

All of Those Retro Games

Back in the old days, companies used games as excuses to move products all the time. Kool-Aid Man appeared on the Intellivision. Yo! Noid attempted to sell Domino’s Pizza on the NES, M.C. Kids constantly exposed kids to McDonald’s characters, and 7 Up’s Cool Spot mascot had games on the Master System, Genesis, Super Nintendo, Game Gear, Game Boy, and PC. There was even a Pepsiman game for the PlayStation. All of these games were trying to sell people things under the guise of having fun.

Mobile Banner Ads

Mobile Banner Ads

Some mobile games don’t have any sorts of ads in them, and that’s great. You can go through something like Dragalia Lost or Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia without some other company trying to sell you something. But, plenty of mobile games have intrusive banner ads, pop-ups, or even try to coerce you into watching 30 to 60 second videos in exchange for some sort of in-game reward. These are the games that really give in-game ads a bad name.

Uncharted 4 Phone

Uncharted 4 Phone

Somehow, it just figures that a character in a Sony game would use a Sony phone. So in Uncharted 4, Nathan Drake uses a Sony Xperia Z5. We see him use it to communicate with people. We watch him take selfies with it in-game. Clearly, the company wants us to know it makes a phone that one of its coolest characters approves of and uses. Then, if someone actually buys an Xperia Z5, someone could head to Google Play and get an Xperia Uncharted 4 theme.

FFXV Cup Noodles

FFXV Cup Noodles

There are a lot of ads in Final Fantasy XV. Vivienne Westwood designed Lunafreya’s wedding dress. There is Coleman camping equipment at every campsite. Kingsglaive FFXV had a $470,000 Audi R8. But the biggest ad was for Nissin Cup Noodles. You can buy the noodles to eat in camp, you can see its truck in game, and it even has a quest. You could even download a Cup Noodle Helmet for Noctis to wear. It is a lot. (But in a way, it is also hilarious.)

Mario Loves Mercedes-Benz

Mario Loves Mercedes-Benz

Did you think first-party Nintendo games were safe from in-game ads? They’re not! Mario apparently loves Mercedes-Benz cars a lot. A GLA Kart inspired by the Mercedes-Benz’s GLA SUV showed up in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It also ended up appearing in Super Mario Maker , as playing a level called “Mercedes-Benz Jump’n’Drive” would reward you with Mario in the GLA SUV as a useable avatar in-game.

Street Fighter V Sponsored Content

Street Fighter V Sponsored Content

Street Fighter V has ads now! Which is odd, seeing as it is a full-priced paid game. But in the options menu, you can turn Sponsored Content on. That makes logos appear on characters’ outfits, on stages, and on loading screens. If you allow them to appear, you earn extra rewards after Casual and Ranked matches. If you leave them on, well, then you see intrusive ads for things like the Capcom Pro Tour.

Call of Duty’s Themed Equipment

Call of Duty’s Themed Equipment

Did you play Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare back in 2014. Did you remember seeing people in Doritos and Mountain Dew equipment? If people bought different Doritos and Mountain Dew products, they would receive items in-game, like a Doritos Fuel Shirt, Doritos Fuel Gloves, Mountain Dew Fuel Green Helmet, and Mountain Dew Pants. If someone wanted a full set, they would need to buy 12-packs of soda, 24-packs, liter bottles, Cool Ranch Doritos, Nacho Cheese Doritos, and a whole bunch of others snacks. Why? So you could become a walking ad.

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