These days, video game ads feel almost indistinguishable from movie ads. A trailer with super cinematic visuals may be released. And if you're lucky, you'll probably also get a poster with a slightly tweaked version of the box art. But there was a time when video game advertising was a law unto itself.
Ads for video games from the '90s and '00s regularly reappear online, and for good reason. Some of it is completely, completely, completely weird. Many readers of a certain age will remember the raunchy ads that accompanied the launch of the original PlayStation and tried to market it as a very adult gaming console. But those turned out to be the tip of a very strange iceberg. (Looking for a more traditional poster? Check out the best print ads of all time.)
Twitter (sorry, Mr. They are not creative. Some can be submitted simply because “I just can't get away with it now,” and that's understandable. For example, Virtua Fighter 2's “domestic violence” ad couldn't be more tasteless.
Yes, many of these ads are from the time and have a distinct “youth magazine” quality that is definitely not to be missed. But on the other hand, there's a creativity here that we don't often see anymore. As many X users have commented, it would be fascinating (and hilarious) to see a Mad Men style show set in the world of video game advertising around this time.
From FKA Twigs' Calvin Klein crossover to numerous TV ads, we've seen plenty of controversial ads in recent years. But one thing is for sure: video game advertising in the '90s seemed to be very consciously controversial.
