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Little Burger King's promotion for Little King's Story
Marvelous is taking an extra step in Japan to market the upcoming release of Little King's Story, and it's one that makes a lot of sense: the company is partnering with Burger King to promote the strategy game. Burger King restaurants in Japan are displaying the poster depicted to the right, and will also have LKS placemats. According to Andriasang, Burger King's mail magazine will also include Little King's Story information. In addition, a small army of Burger King employees, led by a real little king, will lead an assault on a nearby McDonalds in an attempt to take down Ronald. We may have made that up. It's pretty amazing that Little King's Story is a big enough game to get this kind of promotion, which is reserved in the US for huge franchises. Either that, or Burger King is a small enough operation.
Video: Burger King tests MotionPower kinetic energy harvester
Transforming kinetic energy into electricity doesn't often get taken seriously, but at least one Burger King joint has been hooked on to the idea. The New Jersey-based outlet is set to give the first roadtest to MotionPower strips produced by New Energy, which harness energy from vehicles passing over them. Based on the thinking behind regenerative braking in hybrids, the energy absorbers are made up of small plates moving up and down. UK supermarket chain Sainsbury's recently introduced similar "kinetic road plates" in its car parks, and hopes are they'll generate 30 kW per hour from the energy and weight of cars overhead. Sainsbury's plans to power store checkouts through the scheme, whereas Burger King will just exploit your energy to power various appliances. Provided someone doesn't sue for unlawful energy appropriation and the roadtest is successful, New Energy hopes to expand the use of its power strips to other high-traffic, low-speed locations like toll booths and intersections. Video after the break.[Via Jalopnik]Read - New Energy PRRead - Sainsbury's PR
Wii Warm Up: Burger things
Fast-food chain Burger King is now offering delightful Nintendo-themed toys with their kids' meals. We aren't superfans of Burger King's menu, but that Boo toy is way adorable, and has us considering a trip into a burger shop we haven't visited since those silly Xbox games were available.Do you ever go to eateries like these specifically for video game-related toys? Kids' meal bribes based on anything else don't have the power to draw us in. Even so, it seems like the Nintendo theme shows up about once a year, so it's possible to amass a pretty impressive collection of tchotchkes. Side question: when you go, do you just buy the toys directly or do you buy the children's meal? Do you get any trouble for either strategy?
Burger King offering free Wii toys in exchange for money, good health
It's that time again, everybody: time to sheepishly visit Burger King every day and buy a Kids' Meal for Nintendo freebies, all while trying to shut out thoughts of how disappointed your father would be to see you like this. Shame, shame.The fast food chain is giving away a bunch of different toys based on the Wii and its games, and all it wants in return is cash and a willingness to clog up your own arteries. We like the "Chain Chomp Launcher" the best, though the "Float and Go Boo" and "Light-Up Luma" are also nice. Plus, we can always keep telling ourselves we'll sell all this on eBay in the future for a small fortune. Yes, that'll do: it's an investment in our future. Pictures and details of all ten follow the break.
Check out the Pokemon goodies from Burger King
Remember last month when we reported on the team-up between Nintendo and Burger King? Well, now we get a glimpse at the Pokémon cards and toys being offered up by the fast food chain. You know, in case you wanted to take your little brother out to lunch or something. It's okay, your secret is safe with us.Anywho, we can't really comment on how awesome the cards are (we're no Pokémon Trading Card Game aficionados), but the little figures and plushies look cool enough. Each one seems to hold a card and there are also specific caddies that are available, which hold quite a few cards, we imagine.[Via Go Nintendo]
Nintendo and Burger King team up to promote Pokemon
We have to tell you, whenever we see that king of the burgers, we immediately think about training pocket monsters. Or greasy food. We can't really recall at the moment.But, someone at Nintendo and Burger King think the two are a hot ticket, as it's revealed that Burger King will be offering Pokémon-based prizes in their kid's meals. We can't say we're surprised, given Nintendo's recent enthusiasm with fast food outlets. Included in each kid's meal will be a Pokémon Trading Card Game card and accessory. There will be 12 different Pokémon TCG cards and accessories available through this promotion.The promotion will start on July 7th and runs until August 3rd domestically, and throughout the late summer and fall internationally. The press release also lists a site here, but it's currently down.
Viva Piata toys are latest spawn from Microsoft, BK love in
If last year's advergaming love affair between Microsoft and Burger King made you at all uncomfortable, you might want to leave the room, because the pair are at it again, though this time things are are a lot less interactive, and a bit more, well, plastic. In the march up to the October 30 release of Microsoft's 'family friendly' party game-montage, Viva Piñata: Party Animals for the Xbox 360, Burger King has made available a collection of Viva Piñata toys for customers with kids in tow (or adults with more shelf space than sense). The set includes a total of eight different colorful toys, including Horstachio, Sparrowmint, Elephanilla, Fudgehog, Macaraccoon, Fizzlybear, Cocoadile and Goobaa, with each packed with a 'surprise in every piñata,' such as a flying disc or every parent's favorite, a kazoo. Advil not included. [via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Viva Pinata toys busting out of BK
In celebration of the release of Viva Piñata Party Animals Burger King is offering a collection of new kid and adult friendly Viva Piñata toys. The set of eight toys are available in BK's kids meals and include a "surprise in every piñata" where you'll find one of two possible toy options varying from flip books, to yo-yos, to a wicked cool party knocker. The eight Party Animal toys (Horstachio, Sparrowmint, Elephanilla, Fudgehog, Macaraccoon, Fizzlybear, Cocoadile and a Goobaa) are only available at BK for a limited time, so stock up, use them to decorate your desk or give 'em to a piñata'less kid in need. [Via Pinata Island, Thanks jimmcq]
Burger King + Halo 3 = yummy food
Yummm, doesn't that picture just make you hungry and want to run to your nearest retailer to pre-order Halo 3? We stumbled across this picture while digging through the massive amount of Halo 3 marketing materials and if you haven't realized yet, it's a preview of the packaing for Burger King's Halo 3 promotion. Starting September 24th you'll be seeing Master Chief grace your large BK soda-pops and fry pods (we love the name fry pod) which will instantly give you a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that you're supporting the big man (Microsoft), the semi-little man (Bungie), the food man (Burger King) and the good man (Master Chief). We'll finish this fight ... on hunger.
The BK King gives out the 360 goods
X3F reader and overall good guy David wrote in to tell us that he has been touched by the BK King's giving hand. David entered one of BK's most recent giveaways that coincided with those lovely BK 360 games and came away with the stash you see above. In total, BK sent him an Xbox 360 premium, wireless adapter, faceplate, Vision camera, gold subscription to Xbox Live, three extra wireless controllers, a $50 BK gift card, and one sexy King mask. David just wanted to let everyone know those big companies do actually give away contest goods as he is living proof that it could happen to you. Congrats David, but you now must promise to play a few rounds of UNO with us on Xbox Live wearing your King mask ... that'd be sweet.
Burger King games available at BK online store
So, did you miss your chance back in November to pick up any of the three Burger King games with your Whopper? Well, the franchise's official website has you covered, since they are now available to order online. Each game costs $3.99 individually, or you can grab all 3 for $10.99, netting you a savings just a couple pennies shy of a buck. But watch out, the shipping is an extra $11.50 on top of your purchase, so you might just be better off going to your local EBStop and trying to nab them used for $6.99 or so.[Via MGC]
Promogames: another kind of advertising
Serious Games Source has posted an article schooling us in the history of game-based advertising. The focus is on the trio of Burger King Xbox titles released last year, and their place in the more than two-decade-old evolution of 'promogames' -- to be distinguished from 'advergames.' Ian Bogost writes:"I give the name promogames to video games whose primary purpose is to promote the purchase of a product or service secondary or incidental to the game itself ... While advergames promote the company, promogames offer an incentive to consume the company's goods independent of the game's representational properties."Bogost stresses the need to better understand the complex advertising methods being developed for video game audiences. Know how and why companies are pushing their products on you.
Best of the rest: Ross' picks
Lumines Live! (XBLA) On a big screen with surround sound, Q Entertainment's Lumines Live was easily the most-played game in my library (if you stretch the definition of library to digitally distributed titles). Although I railed against how microtransactions were implemented in this title and still think the extent to which they disclosed the dearth of features was misleading, both the Basic and Advanced Pack got more than enough play time, as did the multiplayer. It is the best Xbox Live Arcade title since Geometry Wars.
Burger King games as big as Gears of War
As marketing mash-ups go, the Burger King videogames is one of the strangest in recent memory (or is it?). Strange or not, you can't argue with success. Get this: all the Burger King games combined -- Sneak King, Big Bumpin', and Pocketbike Racer -- have sold ... wait for it ... over 2 million copies. That's right, in a matter of weeks, these games officially rival the sales of Gears of War. Now, we're not attesting to the quality of these games. After all, they're cheap and they're sold with food, something that Gears of War cannot claim. Still, the sales numbers are damned impressive. Who would have thought that junk food and videogames would go together so well? Maybe Burger King is in the wrong business.That's weird ... we're really hungry all of a sudden.[Via Joystiq]
Burger King games go double-platinum
What burger-backed trio of minigames reached the 2-million-in-sales mark faster than Gears of War? That's right ... Burger King's Value Meal threesome! Well, technically, 2 million is the number of combined sales (of the three games: Pocketbike Racer, Big Bumpin', and Sneak King); and each is only $3.99 with the purchase of an E. coli-free meal.Still, 2 million of these games consumed in just four weeks must represent a milestone in the evolution of fast food chain promotions. Look to Taco Bell to start thinking inside your 'Box to claw its way out of the doghouse.
Game with Fame: the BK King
Love him or hate him, everyone knows that cultural icon the BK King and who wouldn't want to head to head against him on Xbox Live? With the recent release of the Burger King series of Xbox 360 games, the King wants to challenge you to some online gaming, winners play for pride and maybe a Whopper or two. Also, NY Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma will be playing online the same night. So, if you want to play against the BK King go to BKgamer.com and sign up for the Game With Fame session and cross your fingers. The Game With Fame festivities are going down Tuesday, December 12th from 4:30PM - 6:30PM EST, be prepared.
Promote Burger King with your Xbox Gamer Pic
A filthy marketing scheme is slivering its way onto the Xbox Live Marketplace today: Burger King Games Picture Pack. We shudder at the thought of Xbox Live users handing over their gamer picture spaces to Burger King. But it will happen -- because the picture pack is free.Some may view this as a win-win situation (users get free pics, BK gets free advertising), but the BK Picture Pack also highlights a growing disappointment: there aren't enough freebie gamer pics to download. If we had our way, playing a game would unlock at least a pair of pics (additional content could still be sold); plus, achievement images (already cropped to gamer pic size) could be inserted into one's gamer card. Instead, users are eagerly downloading Burger King ads because they deviate from the pay-for-content norm.
Burger King picture pack is FREE!
If you are a fan of that scary BK King we all know and love from Burger King, then go to the XBLM and download the free Burger King picture pack. It includes a few BK King pictures, the big buckin' chicken, Whopper Jr. and others. And if you're having a little trouble locating the picture pack, (as I did) it's under the Xbox Community section. I think this subliminal advertising is taking effect, I have a weird jonesing for a Whopper and some fries. Don't be greedy, pass the ketchup packets!
Burger King Xbox games roundup
We finally decided to ante up and visit a local Burger King in order to pick up the three Xbox games they released recently. You can get 'em with any value meal for an additional $3.99, and they work in both the original Xbox, and the 360.Our first trick was in talking them into letting us buy all three without having to also buy three value meals. So, one Jedi mind trick on a manager and $15 later, we had our three games and a really nasty Chicken Fries value meal with hash browns. Not a good choice, FYI.All three of these games feel like they are the bastard children of Fuzion Frenzy, but what can you really complain about for $3.99? The only improvement would be to stick all of these on one disc and sell them at the same price. They run in HD, but the graphics are extremely last-gen.
NASCAR + Burger King + 360 = sweetness!
NASCAR fans who enjoy their Xbox 360 are in for a treat this weekend as Bill Elliott is going to racing the #00 Xbox 360 / Burger King racecar of death. This puppy is decked out in 360 signature green, sleek 360 curving rings and The King driving a bumper car. I may have to turn on the TV to watch cars go in circles for hours on end just to see this bad boy in action. Also, I'm compelled to ask; do you think this racecar makes more noise than an Xbox 360 running at full throttle?[Via, MajorNelson]
