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Intel's MID commercial tells us what we already knew
Okay, so there's a fair amount of folks out there still wondering what exactly a MID (Mobile Internet Device) can do for them, and while some may scrutinize the facts and still come away in a haze, Intel has unleashed a new 84 second spot hyping the platform's ability to keep you connected in nearly any locale. The plug trumpets the "great battery life" you're just guaranteed to get as well as the ability to connect via WiFi or WiMAX. Beyond accessing the web, you'll also find promotions for multimedia playback and "catching up on your work" -- the latter of which we're thoroughly skeptical about. Still, you're likely to get a hearty chuckle out of it if nothing else, so click on past the break to get schooled.[Via UberReview]
Turbine launches promo game, is crushed by its own success [Updated]
Turbine sent us a press release today, saying that it and Codemasters have launched a "new social gaming website" at unlocktheminesofmoria.com. Actually, that's the official website of the Mines of Moria expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online, and it's been running since the expansion was announced earlier this month, but fret not -- there is something new here!The site has been updated with the first of its social games, called King Under the Mountain. It's a "tactical strategy game," and the schtick is that it's derived from a game played by the dwarf lords of Khazad-Dûm. It involves very Dwarven things like "caverns, gems, and fighting." You can play it alone or against your friends, and it's pretty cool.Actually, we're just assuming the "pretty cool" part because unfortunately before we could check it out for ourselves, the site was shut down for maintenance. Apparently it was hosed "due to overwhelming response" from interested LotRO players. It'll be back up at some point though, if it's not already by the time you read this, so keep checking back if you're interested.[EDIT: Site's back up. Enjoy!]
Sony offers revenue-sharing deals to promote Blu-ray
As if there wasn't enough shameless Blu-ray promoting going on of late, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is now adding fuel to the fire by offering "revenue sharing on Blu-ray Disc releases through Rentrak Corporation." Starting this September, Sony will reportedly make "all of its new releases and select catalog titles on Blu-ray available under the agreement, which expands the studio's DVD revenue-sharing deal with Rentrak." Interestingly, neither firm has been willing to disclose the terms just yet, but SPHE president David Bishop did note that he felt it was important to "make sure that the rental component of the Blu-ray launch was covered." Now, the big question seems to hover around whether or not this move is anti-competitive or not, and as we all know, that's certainly not foreign territory for BD.[Via AfterDawn]
Promotional Consideration: Come As You Are
Promotional Consideration is a weekly feature about the Nintendo DS advertisements you usually flip past, change the channel on, or just tune out.If you missed our spotlight on Leo Burnett's "Communion Day" ad last Sunday, make sure to give it a glance. Even if you've already skimmed through our words on the award-winning piece, we've updated our summation with some insight from art director Rosemary Collini Bosso.This weekend's installment of Promotional Consideration takes a critical eye to an unconvincing ad that might actually drive away consumers. Read on for more details.
Blu-ray backers launch promotional website
A website that should likely be dubbed "Hollywood in Blu-ray" rather than "Hollywood in Hi-Def" has recently emerged, and while it claims to be a more reputable site than those "other promotional portals," we aren't buying it. The site -- which is purportedly backed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment -- includes the latest happenings in the BD universe as well as plenty of fluff to get you drooling over its silky smooth image quality. Notably, the site tends to address the desires of both early adopters and those just now taking interest in the format, and the running list of upcoming Blu-ray titles is indeed a nice extra. So go on, tag the read link to see what it's all about, but don't say we didn't warn you when you're overcome with Blu.[Via VideoBusiness]
Capcom wins at packaging
This is simply the coolest limited-edition box in recent memory. Forget the European Resident Evil 4 box. This Japanese Biohazard box is the business. For 3,675 yen, which is a suspiciously low $30, you get an awesome 20-DVD-capacity Umbrella Corporation biohazard storage box (itself inside an Umbrella Corporation shipping box), two keys, warning tags, and caution tape to seal it up. With a case this cool, who even needs a game? You could always buy this and RE4 Wii Edition and build your own limited edition set.[Via The Tanooki]
Promotional Zune sports Halo 3 branding
We're a little hesitant to call a Zune that has a tiny little Halo 3 decal on the front a "new Zune," and therefore we're assuming that isn't, by some sort of cosmic corporate joke, the Zune update that we've all been expecting. Nevertheless, this is definitely going to be of some interest to the Halo addicts out there (the same kind of addicts that are looking at the $130 Halo 3 Legendary Edition with anticipation). There's no word on whether this special edition Zune will ever get a commercial release -- as far as we know it was just a one-off for a recent Halo 3 event in New York -- but we won't be waiting around for it. We'll be busy losing at Halo 3.
Ugliest Luigi ever
Poor Luigi. The lanky plumber already has enough problems dealing with his older brother always stealing the spotlight and Princess Daisy's failure to commit to a serious relationship, but now he has to worry about embarassing photos from 20 years ago resurfacing on the internet. We all have our fair share of unflattering pictures from the 80s, but the images posted for this vintage Super Mario Bros. doll auction are downright embarassing. This 3.5'-tall toy was a promotional item from Nintendo that was never released to the general public. Head past the post break to see what the green guy looked like before he tamed his hair and trimmed his mustache. He really let himself go back then -- look at that hat![Via GameSniped]
Sony promoting DS games
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Sony_promoting_DS_games'; We have a shameful confession: sometimes we play games on other systems. Yes, there is a Playstation 2 in our stately Fanboy Manor, and it occasionally has a game in it. But our DS Fanboy Power is such that even the least Nintendo-like task we can think of-- buying a PS2 game-- becomes more Nintendo-centric in our presence. We recently ordered a copy of Soul Calibur III from Sony's own online store, and were surprised by what we received today. The game was in there as expected, but there was a large glossy piece of paper in the package with it. Upon unfolding the paper, we found ... a Spectrobes poster? Why on Earth would Sony send people promotional posters for a DS game? Have they given up on their own little project? Just in case there was some Spectrobes-Sony connection in the companies involved or something, we checked the fine print on the poster, and found only Disney and Nintendo copyright information-- nothing about Sony.
Bunnies can't play with a DS Lite
While we can't say much about the quality of Rayman Raving Rabbids DS yet, we're more than happy to sing the praises of Ubisoft's marketing behind the recently-released platformer. The France-based company sent out three promotional images showing the game's villains, crazed and deranged rabbits, in various states of distress.They're not as cute as kittens playing with a Nintendo DS Lite, but not much else is. Head past the break for more artwork of the disaster-prone bunnies.
Sneak King trailer wins Nintendo hearts
Self-admitted Nintendo Fanboy Nmaster64 threw this trailer up on YouTube because he says it inspired him to do what Gears of War could not -- get a 360. Creepy man. Sneak King, which -- despite appearances -- is not a sequel to Fight Night Round 3, serves up the fast food thrills later this month.
Sony tries baseball, bribery
Lacking anything positve to report, the Sony public relations squad took a bunch of press types to the ballgame for the the purpose of winning a few media hearts and minds. Tony and Ryan from VGMDaily recount how they were fattened with peanuts and Cracker Jacks while playing PS2 games on a Jumbo-tron screen at the Toronto SkyDome -- presumably in hopes they would forget to mention Sony's failures the next day. Having seen the effects of corporate bribery up close at E3, I can confirm that it is a useful technique for inspiring junket journalism, provided the perks are right. But Blue Jays tickets? We're talking massive PR damage here. Next time, try Yankees tix. Or at the very least, Red Vines.
