@Derigor: OMG do some history genius the references to the nazis are overwhelming as other people have noted. What is wrong with you people did you learn anything at school.

thebettertwin

@Cchrist: You call me stupid and you dont even recognise the nazi references in that pic. How about you educate yourself on the subject before castring the 1st stine. Look at any historic photo of the nazis and you will notice the similarites. The flag is the same as the nazi flag bar the symbols and the soldiers are dressed like nazis.

thebettertwin

The platform carrying the hand in the first picture looks like the front of a ps3. How they get the hand to steady on the curved top I dunnos

Derigor

@thebettertwin: ZOMG soldiers and flags! holy shit engineers! only germans have soldiers flags and engineers! they must be nazis!

Derigor

@thebettertwin: What exactly is so nazi about them? A red flag with a white circle? That's it? I don't see anyone repressing the Jews in those pictures...

Cchrist

@NateN: Aww,crap, they are casting ALL the symbols at the bottom of the molten metal trough, then carrying them away. It IS a lot easier to see in the big picture. Ok, I'm done playing where's waldo!

NateN

That hand is way to ginormous for the baseball player. Must be a daddy giant standing in front of the t.v. yelling about raking leaves, and reading gaming blogs when your 30. I have to move out...

joebobfunguy

In 1st image, I see 2 sets of symbols.

In 2nd image I see 3 Xs, 3 triangles, 2 circles and 2 squares.

The statues are holding controllers, can't tell if they have rumble or not.

Baff

@NateN: Top-Left of second X: Dude is carrying a big triangle on his back. It's like a centimeter away in the picture, beats me how I missed it.

I guess the flywheel or whatever it is at the top of the molten metal trough could be the circle.

NateN

@Cchrist: Are you insulting me too? Why don't you explain this ad to me then. Why is a good thing that they have these Nazi references?

thebettertwin

SWEET...Wallpaper worthy IMO, time to find some high res shots

Seiven

I don't think I agree with the message... whatever it may be.

Lokno

These seriously need to go on the back of some cereal boxes.

jamosthefifth

@thebettertwin:

I think the average Kotaku commenter I.Q. just dropped.

Cchrist

@TheExiledLeader: rofl... i didn't even notice that. your right. they are all lined up

ph15h

@Woland: Agreed. Tapping into the neo-nazi market is a new low.

Did anybody notice that they seem to have made the guys second hand too big? Maybe that's why they can't fit it on.

HEIL SONY!

NeoStarr

All of the symbols are on the base that the girl is on, from left to right you can see, square, x, circle(this is hidden behind a pole) then triangle. There are other shapes being moulded by the ogres.

I hope there's not a smelting accident.

Dannon

U R not RED E! (Anyone else remember the old PS2 ads, or is it just me?)

Seriously, these are pretty cool looking and more pleasant to look at then giant black squid tentacles for the PS3 TV advertising, but I'm not exactly sure where they are going with this :-P. (But I'll take this stuff over the "Hey guys, here's a picture of a pretty girl next to our product, buy our product!" style of advertising any day of the week.)

2nd picture:
Square on left, top side of the pedestal.
X in the middle of the pedestal, near the top of it.
Another X a near the bottom of the picture, look to the left of the bottom of the molten trough.

I'm sure there is more!

NateN

@LittleBigPlaneteer: please dont try to insult my intelligence, any ad that links the nazis in with your product is at best a poor choice at worst in bad taste. However, you are clearly more enlightened on the subject so please feel free to explain the references.

thebettertwin

second image theres X O ^ and [ ] all in a row being hauled to the statue by the guys at the end of the molten metal pipeline on the left near the bottom along with another ^ after them and an X and [ ] in the rim just under the statue, thats all i care to look for right now lol

TheExiledLeader

@TheDoomer: The symbols on the second pic are being emptied from casts below and just to the right of the statue. They are also repeated on her pedestal just like they appear on his

Brutalitarian

This makes me want to buy another Playstation 3. Crikey.

Arnold Rimmer's Garden Strimmer

need to fire BBDO as their ad agency. remember the awful baby ps3 launch ad? ugh.

kseezy

I think they look great, maybe not so much as advertisements, but great art nonetheless.

tehFluffz

@thebettertwin:

Yes the ad is stupid because you didn't grasp it.

LittleBigPlaneteer

Wow. Wilson, you're easy like Sunday morning.

DARTH_TIGRIS

@Baff: I feel stupid now, heh.

Acunia

So... Sony has been nazified? Have they finally come out?
If not, why is the first picture plagued with oppresion and dark mood, while evil soldiers (evil because of the helmets, because: german helmets = "evil") loiter around watching the construction as it progresses?

MasterOfPastures

@thebettertwin: That would explain why Waldo is hiding.

TheInquisitor

Unless you lock yourself in the house don't speak to anyone and have a complete loss of memory, viral marketing you will never be "immune" to; and even more so when its posted on Kotaku, giving it the exact effect it desires! :P

Communist_Gamer

If you follow the link, the original pictures are much larger, so its easier to find the symbols.

[ruliweb.empas.com]

Baff

@Woland: perhaps its suggesting that hitler played on the playstation lol what a stupid ad

thebettertwin

lol i dont get the 1st image is it trying to link sony with the nazis?
:P

thebettertwin

@Woland: They're not nazis they're playzis

Cchrist

For viral marketing, it's not particularly viral. In fact it's just a bit arty farty and apathetic.

I thought Sony were past this kind of stuff for their advertising, what happened to the shit-rock and showing off games.

Just show people how good GT5P looks for goodness sake!

This just feels pretentious, elitist and pointless.

Meldy

Is it really that hard? It's like, you're a god of the Playstation world.

BenKenobi88

What? How are these pix related to PS3?

djHEAT

Second picture, there are two Xs under the statue. I don't think there's more of ther rest. Anyone?

rich8606

I'm confused. Why are these Nazi-esque soldiers building a statue of a boy playing PS3? And HOW is that supposed to make me want one? As a general rule I DON'T LIKE things that Nazis do like.

Woland

x and square on the pedestal the girl is sitting on. Why the hello is the guy in the foreground carrying a head?

bloodyklown

So what exactly is the message of these ads again?

Mr-Karate

@v12qborony:
representing?

v12qborony

Can't find the circle on the second one =x

Acunia

there is an x and o's on the construction ramp on the second one and she is holding a controller

Dakito

this may be a silly ? But what is this an ad for? Or what are the images

v12qborony

Square, X, triangle at the base of the girl's statue.
Another set of those on the backs of ogre workers in the bottom middle.

JayD16

They are casting the shapes in the second image.

Clushje

@Cchrist: Doh! So is he!

Cchrist

*Banner has an X. The Flag has a Triangle. Square on the Armband. Circle is everybody's head.. muahaha. J/k there's a lil ring near that huge hand.

A square is in the bottom picture near the stairs. Can't find the rest.

ph15h

Also, I really don't think the ads purpose was to have us search for these symbols or anything. It's more of a "Playstation World" type thing, where the Flag of that world would have a PS symbol, and soldiers would have the same, and so forth.

LittleBigPlaneteer

the circle is to the right of the hand

Dakito

Oh hey she's holding a controller!

Cchrist

I hope Tyler Durden was involved on this job and had inserted some nasty NSFW pics on those things.

Wyld

Triangle on the flag in the top right.
Square on the soldier's arm in the bottom left.
X on the banner on the left.
Circular hoop to the right of the hand on the ground.

Another full set of symbols on the emblem on the base of the statue.

JayD16

Yes i just saw Waldo! He's behind the rhinoceros!

Cchrist

The pedestal that the boy is sitting on has all the symbols on it.

LittleBigPlaneteer

The words "Playstation 3" are hidden in the top right corner...

liquid_kore

I found the 4 symbols in the first one quite easily, assuming it's just those 4 and no doubles. But I have yet to see one in the second. Damn you Sony.

TheDoomer

The Flag has an X. OOoo.. It's Camel and Waldo time again. Chyeah.

ph15h

And the other flag has an x

mycodenameismylo

The arm band has a square.

Schoolimangooli

The flag has a triangle.

Schoolimangooli

Wow, those are pretty cool. It'll confuse the hell out of people, but still nice to look at.

LittleBigPlaneteer

I'm not sure I'm a fan of the soldier designs in the pictures, but will enjoy the search for PS logos none the less!

Zeouterlimits

There's more than one in each pic i found two x's in the 2nd one

Barf#1

really like the images ... even if it looks pseudo nazi. but whos taking over who....

fatez

I don't get it at all, how does this make people talk about PS3. Well thats my thinking at least.

djricekcn

@Cchrist: Yeah it was meant for me and since you are clearly not intelligent enough to remain above childish insults i don't see much point in arguing with you, but for the record their uniforms do look like nazi ones especially the distinctive helmet. I suggest you educate yourself on the subject because your ignorance is alarming.

thebettertwin

Those look like mustangs in the air... kinda hard to tell.
Is this one of those godzilla type things. Where america (microsoft) is coming to bomb the european playstation loving folk? Bombs with red rings on them falling from the planes would make it more clear.

Derigor

@thebettertwin: Ok to put things right:

You're being an asshat stop it please.

Cchrist

This must be sony's ad for the post-apocolyptic United Earth Federation generation

Master Saji

Oh sorry Neostarr the asshat comment wasnt meant for you!

Cchrist

@NeoStarr: You're being an asshat stop it please.

@NeoStarr: Ah yes it resembles it but it's not the same. For one the uniforms don't match. But most importantly you should see this as a parody on the nazis not unlike many things that have come before it. Does parading around in a movie as hitler make Charlie Chaplin a nazi?

I see these pictures as 2 opposing forces. You can pic your own sides.

Cchrist

The boys neck! It holds a tetris shape, Nintendo lives! For the wiivolution!

Bal-Cleric

@Philnolan3d: yeah but sure there is a right way and a wrong way to do that and using nazi-esque iconography is the wrong way.

thebettertwin

@NeoStarr: Thankyou which is why i am puzzled as to what the meaning of that ad is exactly.

thebettertwin

To those asking about what message is or why this makes you want a PS3. There is no message, the idea is just to get the name out there and get people talking about it.

Philnolan3d

@Cchrist: Actually it's pretty consistent with war photography of the time and that nazi red shines prominently over the newsreel-like black and whites of the image. Not to mention the fact that it's clearly a picture of a European city in shambles. And of course, the planes in the sky resemble something more from the second world war than anything we'd see in the sky today. Yup, pretty much clear as day.

NeoStarr

@thebettertwin: typo: that should read casting the 1st stone

thebettertwin

@Dioxen:

A stupid, idiotic troll

Describes Dioxen perfectly ;)

LittleBigPlaneteer

all the shapes are on the conveyor belt in the second image.

nautnaut

A bleak, barren wasteland.

Describes the ps3 experience perfectly.

Dioxen

Hey i might be a little bit on the microsoft side of gaming but as soon as i'm home one of these will be my new wallpaper!

Cchrist

@thebettertwin: i think the idea is still just that these are characters in a WW2 game's universe putting up a tribute to their 'gods'. it's not saying nazis love the ps3 or sony are a company of right-wing fascists. it might not have been the best choice of theme, but what else is there that would be so obvious? insurgents (modern warfare games), footballers (sports games) or anthropomorphic blue hedgehogs? people are looking too far into this and trying to find a way something to criticise it/sony for instead of just taking it for what it is.

lordofsword

Having come from an Ad Firm background and owwing a business involved in the Arts I have to say these are quite superb.

Advertising is not always about selling something directly. I think the purpose of these are to remind viewers that Sony is still very much in touch with its creative side. It is conveying a confidence to consumers that it able to think of something you cannot. Sometimes that is better than selling bullshit.

I'd call prints like these "WTF!?Cool-Branding" to be honest.

Patient

@thebettertwin:

I never said you did, which is why I was asking your opinion of this. You've been pretty much against this ad simply because there's Nazi references in it. On the simplest level, this is art. It is interpretive. it's meant to make you think. Unless we knew what the Creative team's motive was behind this, it's our best guesses. I don't buy the console war thing, I have other interpretations.

This is not the first image that this avertising agency has made that references soldiers. In fact, the name of this ad is simply called "Soldiers", but they made another one for the PS2 (same illustrator, director, etc..) called "Soldier". Take a look at that right here: [static.flickr.com] They obviously have a fascination with war time images used as art.

They're not trying to associate Sony with Nazi's though, they are putting different PS symbols on the flags because they simply can't use the real ones. That's my pragmatic view on that matter anyway.

I'm going to write my interpretations in another post once, I get it all straightened out in my head

LittleBigPlaneteer

@Meldy: Get's people talking about it ;)

And since when are eagles nazis? No i will not stand down from my statement it CAN be something else.

Cchrist

Any1 know where I can buy a huge-ass artprint of the top pic? DO WANT!!

I always feel like a God-Dictator, commanding the proles to build monuments in my likeness, when I get a roll going in COD4 :P

Utrulig

Neither of these are references to anything Nazi, they are references to games. The one with the girl statue is obviously God of War. The one with the boy statue is Turning Point: Fall of Liberty.

cduran02

@lordofsword: I get what you are saying but german soldiers with nazi-esque arm bands and flags? Come-on its pretty clear

thebettertwin

Monuments to a colossal waste of time, that's funny. I know some marketing guy giggled about this.

Islandkiwi

On the site where this is linked to, the word GOD is clearly visible. Interesting.

Also, to those complaining that there are supposed Nazi references, go complain to BBDO Chile and the people who worked on it. I really doubt they wanted a heavy Nazi themed piece. Now, War Themed? Yes.

Magic Emperor Anima

This is fun. I really like the images here. Sony never fails to impress with its artistic creativity. I don't think there's a lot of other companies willing to try out this sort of thing.

SolInvictus

@LittleBigPlaneteer: i dont believe that i said that the advert was pro-Nazi did i? when ww2 games approach the subject they unamiously declare that the Nazis were evil. It just seems that this advert is walking on sketchy ground as its message is unclear. I think this is further complicated by the fact that the PS symbols are incorporated into the flags etc. Furthermore, if as Juggrnott says this is to symbolise the winning of the console wars then the implict nazi iconography is surely in poor taste?

thebettertwin

@thebettertwin: the Wehrmacht were ordinary German citizens drafted into the army, as well as thousands of Eastern Europeans (most of those defending the beaches on D-Day were from eastern Europe). German soldiers =/= Nazis. The Waffen SS were the only troops that were really connected to Nazism, and even then not all of them were Nazis, just the most elite troops Germany happened to have.

And I think the whole point of these ads is that the people playing the games are like gods to the characters - controlling everything that happens in these virtual worlds. WW2 games happen to be popular, while the 2nd looks like a reference to God of War (minus the Tower of Babel), so that's why they're included. Having American soldiers building a statue in Washington or in France would make no sense, especially since Hitler did build a lot of gothic architecture/statues, as did the Greeks, whereas the Americans (or British) did not.

lordofsword

@NeoStarr: Typo but thanks anyway :P

Well i think it's funny replacing the swasticka with a playstation symbol.

Everyone knows where the swasticka originated from right?

As i said i'm not saying it's not nazis i'm just saying that if there is a possibility that it can be something else you can never be certain.

Hey maybe the playstation symbols are the religious influence in the opposing societies! They're fighting eachother over the same God!

Yeah we can go on like this forever...

Cchrist

I'm not sure if anyone actually noticed, but two things about the first picture. One, the helmets that we wear today are also very similar to the original German design. Why? Because it's a good design, not a philosophy. Second, the plans in the sky are look like the P-51 Mustangs of WWII. Definitely nothing Nazi about those.

GlossGreen

@Cchrist: Just looking at the hi-res image makes it even more clear.

The guy next to the hand is wearing an officers uniform.

The eagle like symbolism just above the PS symbols on the statue's base.

All that's missing is a swastika.

I'm not denying the artwork is impressive, but seriously what is the point of this in terms of advertising PS3 in general.

Meldy

2nd pic look like gow's set :)

fatez

@Derigor: They won the war now they are rebuilding and building in ruins on the second pic is MS Redmond HQ

Juggrnott

@kseezy:

It's a different agency from the one that made the white room commercials...

dgonchild

It seems that they're always doing this viral stuff to advertise God of War.

Yes... it's God of War. That should be obvious just from the way it looks. It's the exact art style that they used for the Chains of Olympus site.

MoarFightos

Really like how they imposed imagery from the Sony exclusives in the shots, quite well done if you have the time and inclination to actually stare at it.

Chris3000

These pictures have a certain God of War touch.

IntelSilver

@Juggrnott: If this symbolizes them winning the console wars... where's the guns! how to you have soldiers win a war without guns? or are they in piece time rebuilding their statues and putting back together their ruined city?

Derigor

Oh and secondly this is not a Nazi theme. I guess they missed the look alike when they did it. It is supposed to symbolize PS3 winning the console wars. That's why there are planes, soldiers, so on and so forth. You people are so sensitive geessh

Juggrnott

There's almost a thousand words here for just the first picture. (Pfft! You actually think I'm counting? Who is!)

And pictures alone can be interpreted in completely different ways. For example I see this as a parody of the Nazi's. Others may see this as offending and negative (a sign of ones that are looking for negativity).

Itchy (PSN: Kaizoku-ou)

@Meldy: maybe its my work monitor but the flag colors look gray scale to me. Speaking of work I better get back to it, It's fun playing devil's advocate but I am out of procrastination time.

Derigor

@thebettertwin:

Assuming there are "Nazi" references in it. Do you believe the ad is Pro Nazi? Many things have Nazi references in it, hell jusst about every WWII FPS game relates to it. People find it to be politically incorrect to even mention Nazi's these days. They're missing the point of this if they focus on that though.

LittleBigPlaneteer

@Cchrist: I see your point, but I still fail to see how this is a parody. Chaplins depiction of the nazi's didn't rely so much on imagery of brutal destruction and huge ideological stone structures. His portrayal of Hitler was funny because of how distanced it was from the actual man; this image on the other hand seems to embrace nazi imagery, even going so far as to adopt Playstation imagery within it creating a direct corelation between- oh fuck it, I have enough of this shit left to write for school. You get the idea.

Btw, nice typo/pun when you said "You can pic your own sides." lulz.

NeoStarr

@Meldy: But it can also be something else.

Cchrist

@Sorwah:

Future? Look at the image again

LittleBigPlaneteer

@Woland: I think nazis like breathing and drinking water too.

ohhello

The bottom picture is awesome.

DigitalHero - My Brain Hurts

@Derigor: yes but combine them with the distinctive red and white flags and its a clear reference if you ask me. All i know is that if most people saw that add they would ask why it has a load of nazis in it.

thebettertwin

The boy has a PS3 on his leg

Juggrnott

Beautiful. You gotta admit, for being a huge corp, Sony is very in touch with its artistic side. Taking risks and still making some serious kickback.

sascha23

How anyone can't see that Nazi symbolism in the first picture is beyond me.

The flag colours...

The helmets...

Seriously, it can't really be anything else.

Meldy

If this is how Sony pictures our future, I don't want to be a part of it.

Sorwah

I can has higher rez image?

Cruz

Killzone propaganda imo! ancient helgiest love them some baseball caps!

@thebettertwin: You know while the M1935 helmet is a distinct symbol of german military aggression, that style helmet was also worn by many other countries including China, Mexico, and several otherl atin american countries. So to jump to the conclusion that they must be nazis is kinda like jumping the gun.

Derigor

Direction pad on the second image on the blocks unnder her.

sbryce

Wow, that took me a whole 30 seconds to do both.

Seriously, that was simple.

Dr_Pie

@thebettertwin:

Poster 1 = Killzone
Poster 2 = God of War

kspraydad4

@Cchrist: Actually the eagle symbol is very Nazi-esque - just do a google image search for "nazi eagle".

Yeah, it does get us talking though!

I will back you up totally that it CAN be something different - but you really have to be careful with this kind of iconography. It really can give out a mixed message.

I think some of these comments back that up...

Meldy

I don't have an issue with the first one but I do have problems with the first. It has a feel of Nazi Germany... not really a good feel. So if SONY wants me to feel like owning a PS3 is like being a Nazi then I think I'll pass.

hondo

I actualy have to point out that the uniforms in the first picture actually look more like a very old Soviet issue standered then they do the other above pointed out type. Regardless of all of that , both picks are very nicely done, yet really don't scream playstation, but maybe thats just me.

Art Points = 10/10
Ad Points = 2/10

fawrh

This comment section epitomizes Godwin's Law.

cheez

@MoarFightos: really? the 2nd shot looks like it could be set in GOW's times, but not the first, it looks alot more modern...

squidboy007

I don't get why everyone is upset about "Nazis" when the "Mordor" picture below is clearly a more evil, savage dynasty. But I guess that's because Nazis were real.

Still, everyone's getting their pants in a bunch over these ads...it's just depicting the gamers as gods in their own dictatorship or empire.

BenKenobi88

@LittleBigPlaneteer: Tbh i didnt say these adverts were particularly bad either. In terms of an artistic perspective i think its great. However, i feel that any advert that links in this sort of iconography has to be careful or you will give people like Jack Thompson more ammunition to attack anything games related. which makes me think that as Cchrist says it is done to get people talking about it, which is not something i particularly agree with. In this instance the Nazi references i believe are there will undoubtably cause offence to some people.

Btw i get a completely different impression from the pic you posted not least because it looks like an american soldier.

thebettertwin

@kingme:

Read into stuff much?

I bet you're good at those 3D pictures that were all the rage a decade ago.

Groodle

Everyone in this thread who thinks this image is using nazi imagery reminds me of Uncle Leo from Seinfeld.

Groodle

nw this was a great waste of time. after finding all of the face buttons on both pictures...i can finally move on in my life ahahahaha

kingme

About any people having doubt about the first pic takes inspiration from Nazi Germany - look at the bottom right, those look like WW2 helmets to me.
Now look just beneath the statue's feet - you can see a symbol that sorta that resembles the 3rd Reich's eagle, underneath it you can notice the square, circle, x and triangle.

tehFluffz

Weird... I don't see it as viral marketing, nor I see hidden stuff.

I mean, the simbols on flags and statue are pretty obvious, there are no obscure references to games, just an artsy look.

The ad though is very nice. Seems to pass the message that Playstation players are "epic", or something like that.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

the "x" in what seems to be a nazi-esque flag? o right, just remembered sony can get xenophobic sometimes. i.e. the black and white psp ad thing.

genebeef

I think they were trying to win the console wars by making people on the opposing side invoke Godwin.

obonicus

The answer in the final image: follow the molten metal to the bottom and all the symbols are there.

SOUNDBWOY

So what I get from this is that Sony is likening themselves to the Dark Lord Sauron and... The Two Towers. Hmm, not sure that's really such a good camp to side with. Neat as the pictures are, I don't know how these are suppose to drive market awareness or really sell the item. It's in keeping with the rest of their ads though I guess (most of which suck).

sorolla

@tehFluffz: the Eagle has for centuries been a symbol of Germany and still is today. that icon in the picture is used in games that ban other nazi icons just by removing the swastika from underneath it, because again - these are wehrmacht troops, not nazis, and that was the wehrmacht emblem. it's blatantly obvious that these are german soldiers in ww2, but that doesn't mean they're nazis or that the image is any way supporting nazism.

lordofsword

cool, but utterly pointless

mbeck

What I took away from these images is, "In games, you rule the world." Or something along those lines. that particularly refers to the second one, due to the orcs and stuff, which are game references.

In the first one, I got the vibe of "the day a gamer ruled the world" heh. I dunno, either way, they are pretty cool pictures. someone spent some time on them.

Orin

In the land of Mordor, where no games lie...

Pantsman

In the second pic the Monster guy is holding a man's head...Creepy...

GUNDAM-RX-78-2

These ads are amazing. They reinforce my statement of the crap art that the U.S. currently possesses in contrast to the world.

CancerMan

@Meldy: Much the same way Lord of the Rings or Call of Duty 3 seem pretentious and elitist?

These are pure geek fodder. Nothing is particularly well hidden and it is just a throwback to epic geeky fantasy illustrations. Artsy fartsy?!? This is kitch to the maximum levels of such things. The bottom one is 3 boobs short of a 1980's metal band t-shirt. I shudder to wonder what you find speaks to you.

BornToFlail

I don't understand the nazi relation everyone talks of. They look more like american soldiers to me. sure there are the drop down flags and stuff.. but personally i think your all just a lil german-phobic or something. All i see is the Playstation army hard at work.

And yes.. god of war seems the likely nod here. Look at the Ogres, the flying beastie in the background of picture 2... ect. ect.

I can't wait for GOW3 to tell us that the reason the Olympus gods no longer exists is because kratos scattered them to all to the winds and a little bit of them went into each and every human being.. making us all a little godly.

I still dig the "Its not a Twisted Metal picture" pictures. Cause you know... it was obviously friggin twisted metal. Same color pallette and feel to it.

silkysm00th

Oh, and yeah. The guys on the left strike me as rather german, but the guys on the right (white house like structure in the distance, planes flying in to do bombing) seem more allied.

GnatB

Only thing I can think about the first pic is that they're trying to say the PS3 is all about the WWII games. In fact, they're so good they put you (ok, the console) into the era itself as the hero of the war (i.e. the statue their building in your honor). Which sorta makes sense since as far as I'm aware the only remotely good games for PS3 are WWII shooters.

Second pic seems to say the same things but with Fantasy games... though for the life of me I can't think of any good ones for the PS3.

GnatB

@silkysm00th: Hmmmmmm,why would would people make that association.....hmmmm maybe its the stalhelm they're all wearing.Maybe not though.

SlowDeath420

The first one is full of sony nazi's,i knew there was more to the superior hardware engineering than mere japs could pull off,and just because the second has what appear to be fantasy characters does not mean it has anything to do with GOW.

In fact being that the first clearly has no conection to any particular game i would assume the second doesn't either.

SlowDeath420

@Woland: The Nazi's are dismantling the statue because they abhor all that is good & true (ie. playing PS3)

Riquez

omfg this has nothing to do with effin nazis
its supposed to be RFoM in the top and GoW in the bottom
and like someone previously mentioned they are supposed to be representative of the eventually victory for sony gamers the people of the games are giving praise to the people that brought them victory...

(sniff) its just so beautiful

omegamalexxx

@lordofsword:
Look, I never said they support the Nazi's or anything like that but if you fail to see at least SOME imagination then you're just fooling yourself.

tehFluffz

It's 1:20 am, I've been up since 5, and i definitely don't want to play this game

shazmuscle

Dude, it's totally obvious.

This has got to be an ad for the Playstation Steampunk Adventures game.

You know, the one that comes with an anvil, wood burning (pronounced "USB") steam engine and a little dancing robotic steampunk monkey.

It's an rts where you control your hordes of robot construction workers to make ginormous statues of yourself, which are then worshipped by all your robots until some see how much cooler your friend's statue is and goes to war with them.

interstellartacofan

@thebettertwin: Resistance for image #1 and GoW for image #2

zoesch

they are kind of cool, i must admit.

i'd like to see them in much higher resolution, personally.

i don't mind these advertising things that have nothing to do with the product..

..but at the same time... i also liked the ones where they show off the best of the best games and stuff, and the cool features of the system (like the iphone comercials that were just "how-to" tutorials mostly!)

joelface

@liquid_kore:

haha i loved this comment dude. im not sure if this is replying to the comment or sending it as a message O_O i just signed up

USNCorpsman

haha i loved liquid_kore's comment

USNCorpsman

@thebettertwin: Maybe instead of Nazi Germany, the image is a reference to Resistance: Fall of Man.

Think about it. The first image is a Resistance theme, while the second is a God of War theme. It seems obvious to me, given the general setting of the images. A Resistance theme would place it in a ruined European city, and would probably look a lot like a World War II locale. I honestly think the image is meant to tie in with the game, as opposed to real world history.

Zeikcied

I kind of want to think this has something to do with killzone 2 the atmosphere and artistic style seem somewhat the same.

wowzors

Her necklace looks kind of like a memory card, and maybe it's just because I am so zoomed in but the crane looks like it says L1

whosaidpwned

There is also an X if you follow the piping carrying the molten metal down and then follow the catwalk till it ends and boom, right there is an X in stone.

crudedemon

Sony seems to be referencing to genres or games that have been successful during the last years. Nobody will argue that there has been a neverending slew of WWII-Games during the last years, and God of War on the other hand is one of their best franchises.

The art style is extremely detailed and almost too realistic on some parts - I really dig it, I'd love to have that at a much higher res.

That being said, people who don't see the Nazi-references in the first pic either slept through history lessons at school or have never watched any documentaries on that topic. Even the Reichsadler-symbol with the (replaced) swastika on top of it has been used on the base of the statue, the design of the architecture absolute fits the beginning 20th Century, armbinds, flags and wallscrolls just need the symbols replaced. The picture even has added grain and impurities, and looks as if it's been taken during that time.

Even if those similarities were just a faux pas, as long as there are enough people who link these ads to nazis (and the comments on this topic indicate that that's the case), the ad is a failure.

Anyway - as art, I definetly love those two pics.

Mendorian

@BenKenobi88:

no one is upset its just funny how bad they are at marketing. depicting what the world could have been like if a facist regime would have toppled great britian does not sell pokemons.

Sonovius

since when does the dream of nazi germany winning world war two sell video game consoles?

Sonovius

When Sony's advertising team are good, they produce lovely stuff like this. Sophisticated, sombre with a European feel to it, pure PlayStation chic! It's nice to be reminded of a time (pre PS3 debacle) when nobody could touch Sony marketing coolness.

Wazza85

Yeah I like the Xbox ads who teach parents to be cool.

Who am I kidding.

Jagzthebest

I like this "PlayStation through the ages" theme, the 2nd one is obviously has an Ancient Greek theme, notice the monster with the beheaded head. I like the top Nazi inspired oen though, you can see the distinctive banner, arm band, and St.Paul's Cathedral in the back which put this in the Luftwaffe's bombing campaign on Britain (Battle of Britain,. They've just cleared this area and are now restructuring it with PlayStation.

Jagzthebest

Very nice. I see some triangles and squares on flags and armbands

Huxle

Just to maybe settle this one aspect of this thread, the Nazi references are overt. These are definitely the uniforms of WWII German soldiers, right down to the gas mask canisters (you can look this up for proof). So that's that.

The question is just 'why'? Well, who knows. It's stated in the post that it was created by BBDO, an ad agency with branches everywhere (go to their website, you've probably seen a bunch of their commercials). This stuff was done by their branch in Chile, though, so if you think about it, some pretty weird stuff gets done in other countries that would never fly in America.

I suspect they were just thinking "powerful regime" and went with Nazi imagery to convey it. Clever? Not really. In bad taste? Probably. But hey... it DOES work. We talked about it all this time and there's plenty of people out there who will just look at it and go "Whooa... this looks cool."

CareyCondor

@lordofsword: "And I think the whole point of these ads is that the people playing the games are like gods to the characters - controlling everything that happens in these virtual worlds. WW2 games happen to be popular, while the 2nd looks like a reference to God of War (minus the Tower of Babel), so that's why they're included. Having American soldiers building a statue in Washington or in France would make no sense, especially since Hitler did build a lot of gothic architecture/statues, as did the Greeks, whereas the Americans (or British) did not."

quoted for being sane.

Come on people. Video games include themes like WWII. Nazi imagery is not surprising, nor should it imply hidden motives.

gozirah

wow, since i'm chilean, it's nice to know that an advertising agency from my country it's dealing sony's marketing.
About the helmet, in chile the official one used in parades it's the one they represent in the pictures, and it have been used for more than a century.
So nothing related to nazis... well at least for the helmet.
The strange thing though is that sony is not selling the playstation brand officially here in chile, only microsoft is taking care of the videogame market.

bodhirocking

dunno if anyone else saw it, but theres a chick in the second one

BlindedFTW