Metal Gear's Snake: Axe Body Spray Reeking Doritos Whore?

[shopkins]

What they've done to Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker is, I don't know how to describe it without saying "lamest thing ever."

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/04/500x_axe.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/04/500x_axe.jpg

Yes, that's a picture of Snake wearing an Axe body spray shirt. As if Snake were the worst kind of Jersey Shore douchebag. I thought it was an April Fools joke, but it's not. Heck, it's anachronistic to boot.

More pictures in the link. Wanna see Snake sneak up on a bag of chips or a can of pop?

http://kotaku.com/5513122/metal-gear-solid-peace-walker-product-placement-explained

I'm sorry, Konami. I won't buy this. It's a Metal Gear game and it's probably otherwise awesome, but this kind of thing is embarrassing to me and storyline shattering. I know Metal Gear has always been wacky, before someone points that out, but it seems like they're just using that past wackiness as an excuse for a mercenary horrorshow that takes you out of the game completely.

Anyway, how do you feel about this? What do you think of past product placement in games, like the billboards in racers and recent shooters or games for fast food mascots like Yo Noid!

[TonyTheTiger]

I like it. I think it's pretty amusing to dress Snake like that.

Product placement in general doesn't bother me so long as it makes sense or, as shown above, makes me laugh. GTA? Product placement brings the world to life. Link wearing Nike brand sneakers? Probably not so appropriate. But as an alternate costume or something I'd probably chuckle.

The way I see it is video games don't hesitate to advertise in everything they can. The reverse happening seems only fair.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I could care less about this type of advertising in a MGS game, it certainly wouldn't stop me from buying the game.

I never wind up using half of the alternate camos and costumes in MGS games anyway. So if I do play through this, I just won't wear that top.

[skaar]

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/6140/tmntmw7.gif

[shopkins]

I could care less about this type of advertising in a MGS game, it certainly wouldn't stop me from buying the game.

I never wind up using half of the alternate camos and costumes in MGS games anyway. So if I do play through this, I just won't wear that top.

That is a good point. You're still going to run up on the pop cans, though, but I guess I might be able to ignore them.

That pic doesn't work, skaar.

[Smashed Brother]

I don't play newer games, so I'm not exactly sure how prevalent this in-game advertising is, but still, here's the issue that I have with it: The developers place these ads throughout the game and presumably receive some sort of compensation, right? Yet, the games themselves are still $60+ at retail and gamers are still being nickle-and-dimed with DLC for these unfinished games.

Smells like new Axe 'Horse Apples' to me...

[NoahsMyBro]

I don't like it. And maybe it's a false memory (don't recall now whether they were real or fake), but I remember being turned off by the billboards in Pole Position. I think that was the first videogame I played that had real-world advertising in it. If I'm remembering wrong and the first ads I saw were in a different game, the feeling is still the same.

I dislike product placement in games, movies, etc... Hell, if product placement is excessive in a book I'll get annoyed.

I want my entertainment media to entertain me, and that is usually done by letting me mentally escape from the real world.

If Burt Reynolds is fleeing from Jackie Gleason in his Trans Am it still fits the story and doesn't seem terribly excessive to me. But if Jerry Reed is hauling COORS, instead of beer, it feels less natural, and I *notice*. When I notice, I momentarily am removed from the story, and that bothers me.

[Oobgarm]

I could care less about this type of advertising in a MGS game, it certainly wouldn't stop me from buying the game.

I never wind up using half of the alternate camos and costumes in MGS games anyway. So if I do play through this, I just won't wear that top.

This.

[portnoyd]

I will only condone this kind of placement if Snake reacts to the items in typical Kojima fashion with exaggerated reactions (belches and diarrhea from the Doritos as an example) and silly codec conversations ("Naomi... I smell manly and incredibly fragrant").

[PapaStu]

I will only condone this kind of placement if Snake reacts to the items in typical Kojima fashion with exaggerated reactions (belches and diarrhea from the Doritos as an example) and silly codec conversations ("Naomi... I smell manly and incredibly fragrant").

This!

[TonyTheTiger]

If Burt Reynolds is fleeing from Jackie Gleason in his Trans Am it still fits the story and doesn't seem terribly excessive to me. But if Jerry Reed is hauling COORS, instead of beer, it feels less natural, and I *notice*. When I notice, I momentarily am removed from the story, and that bothers me.

Outside of something like Snake's shirt which is clearly lampshading product placement, I generally agree that there are subtle ways to do it.

Two examples I remember that really "took me out of the movie," one was the Sony Vaio computers constantly shoved in your face in a recent James Bond movie. Another was in 40 Year Old Virgin where two of the main characters are playing Mortal Kombat Deception. Two guys playing MK? That's pretty normal. I'm aware of the product placement but I'm not "aware" of it, if you catch my drift. What makes me "aware" of it is when they devote a surprising amount of screen time to actually showing off the game and a fatality.

I do think that in games that are supposed to mirror the "real world" like GTA, Gran Turismo or Madden, ads enhance the environment. When's the last time we've seen a football stadium that didn't have Coca-Cola ads?

[Porksta]

I'm still waiting for games to come down in price because of the ads. Madden, I am looking at you. You have how many different advertisements, and you are still $60? Pfft.

[Richter Belmount]

I care ALOT then again im very pretenious.

[Emperor Megas]

I could care less about this type of advertising in a MGS gameHow much less could you care, exactly?

[heybtbm]

How much less could you care, exactly?

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/606/288347013805ebb8dec0.jpg

[Therealqtip]

Konami is dead to me. Also Snake.

edit: MGS is no longer my favorite series, you're up Resident Evil.

[Richter Belmount]

Konami is dead to me. Also Snake.

edit: MGS is no longer my favorite series, you're up Resident Evil.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/08/valve-confirms-steam-for-mac-debuts-in-april/

[Therealqtip]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/08/valve-confirms-steam-for-mac-debuts-in-april/

lolwut?

[Icarus Moonsight]

Wake me up when Snake starts hawking time-shares or distributing kitschy knickknacks through sloth-and-greed-exceeds-their-intellect internet/eBay morons.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

How much less could you care, exactly?

Yes, linguistics. :roll: Thank you.

I could not care less.

[duffmanth]

I don't give a shit about product placement or advertising in a game, just as long as it's a great game. I think they should have Snake in a camo snuggie.

[InsaneDavid]

I don't like it. And maybe it's a false memory (don't recall now whether they were real or fake), but I remember being turned off by the billboards in Pole Position. I think that was the first videogame I played that had real-world advertising in it. If I'm remembering wrong and the first ads I saw were in a different game, the feeling is still the same.

Because you never see sponsors during a Formula 1 race. :roll: Remember, in Japan those billboards were originally for things Martini Racing and Marlboro. Tang, Dentyne and no drunk drivers were changes made for the US releases.