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World of Warcraft in liquid form
Frigid night breeze sweeps through the Blizzard Overlord's grand chamber atop the highest tower of his headquarters, but he remains unaffected by the cold -- or anything else -- since his recent ascension to MMO godhood. The dark castle spans miles in every direction, built with the dedication and gold of millions of the Overlord's followers, tastefully decorated with the finest objects the world has to offer. He sits upon his throne, admiring the new gauntlets of his black, impossibly dense armor, forged from the souls of the faithful and the unbelievers alike -- the very image the Lich King was patterned after. A homage to his greatness. Pondering said greatness, he barely notices a panting, scraping sound as his Minion enters the grand chamber, taking a good three minutes to cross the vast room and reach the base of the Overlord's throne. The Minions dares not look his master in the face, genuflects and awaits the inevitable orders. Blizzard Overlord: Minion! Report! What is the state of my World?Minion: The MMO world is yours, my lord. World of Warcraft remains unassailable, and we claim more souls with every passing second... *hesitates a moment* Although there is the probl--Blizzard Overlord: Massively! Is it Massively again?! Are they still harping on the impediment to my Wrath in China? *telekinetically hurls a ridiculously valuable 19th century ottoman across the room, which splinters against the wall* I can suffer their existence no longer. Execute them -- burn their faces first -- and melt the servers down into tombstones. Monuments to their heresy. And don't even think of mentioning Germany!Minion: It shall be done my lord. I do, however, have a suggestion for how World of Warcraft can transcend all borders and appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike. If I may?Blizzard Overlord: You may proceed. Minion: You could co-opt the power of a multinational beverage conglomerate and tie World of Warcraft into that basic human need: thirst. No one will be able to resist the thirst for WoW. In time, the need to satisfy both intrinsic human needs will be intertwined.Blizzard Overlord: An excellent suggestion, Minion. However, I do not want my legacy tied in with any simple (scoffs) cola. I will force Mountain Dew to carry my banner to the non-MMO masses, under the guise of "game fuel."
Try and play Nobunaga's Ambition, win green tea [Update 1]
In one of the oddest gaming tie-ins we've heard of since the glorious days of Yo! Noid, Koei and Coca-Cola have announced a cross-promotion between Kunitori Zunou Battle Nobunaga no Yabou (Domination Battle of the Brains: Nobunaga's Ambition) and ... some kind of Coca-Cola-branded green tea.We've not the foggiest how the two products are related (we find it difficult to imagine Sengoku period warlords indulging in some green tea-sipping action), but the deal did give us a chance to sample the game through the promotional site that's been set up (scroll down and click on the white box to get things rolling). It looks and plays very nicely, so give it a go!Famitsu also mentions that 100 Japan-based players who try the demo will randomly be chosen to win a six-pack of Coca-Cola's green tea. Alas, it's not the most import-friendly of games, so even if we did reside in Japan, it looks like we'd be purchasing our green tea supplies like everyone else who doesn't have the knack for turn-based strategy.[Update: Corrected minor details regarding brand of green tea and prize.]%Gallery-19665%[Via Famitsu]
Microsoft stocks up on Heroes soda, clearly has a thing for lemon-lime
We're not exactly sure what's up with using sodas to celebrate the launch of something, but apparently, the folks in Redmond just totally dig it. For (at least) the second time in as many years, Microsoft has selected a lemon-lime beverage to create buzz (and fizz, we suppose) about a particular product launch. C'mon Microsoft, we know you like to stick to your guns, but what's a fellow got to do to get some rebadged NuGrape?
Japanese vending machine offers free drinks for watching ads
In a marketing case that just sounds too good to be true, vending masters Apex Corp. have purportedly laid out plans that will bring free or subsidized non-alcoholic beverage to thirsty consumers who are willing to watch a 30-second commercial before partaking. Aiming to launch next month in Japan, the MediCafe project will give users the option of plunking down the ¥70 ($0.58) to ¥120 ($1) required to purchase an item, or watching an advertisement for half a minute while the machine dispenses their liquid of choice. It was noted that not all drinks would be free, as some advertisers would only be offering up discounts in exchange for your attention, but this still sounds like a much more legitimate way to receive gratis soft drinks than other alternatives we've seen.[Via PlasticBamboo]
Microsoft rolls out Windows Vista soft drink
Windows Vista, the operating system, is still not due out until whenever Microsoft is ready maybe January 2007, but the refrigerators in Redmond are already stocked for the party. Presumably in an attempt to get those lackadaisical coders back on track, Gates and Co. has ordered a supply of Windows Vista beverages to compliment the plethora of other free refreshments available at the office. Decked out with the updated Windows logo and a URL to the company's internal Vista site (we've already tried to access it to no avail), the special-edition can of Talking Rain "sparkling water" is apparently just the thing to get those gears churning at Microsoft HQ. Although we don't expect these to be made available anywhere that undercover gold master copies of Vista aren't shuffling around, this just might be an obscure sign that we'll see the OS on store shelves this decade, and hey, we'll drink to that.[Thanks, David]
