10 CLASSIC Video Game Commercials That Were Peak

Crafting a truly great video game trailer is easier said than done. Even if the graphics are out of this world and the game is swimming in pre-emptive hype, it mightn't be enough to grab potential customers' attention. To leave the biggest impression possible, the marketing team needs to do something extra special.

That's why the best gaming trailers, commercials, and TV spots don't just sell a product, but make it resonate with players on a personal level. Rather than shoving iconic characters down your throat, some advertisements articulate the joy, intensity, and escapism that defines what gamers strive to experience.

Instead of depicting gaming as a mere hobby, ads may portray the medium as a way of life, emphasising the social or cultural impact Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have had on the world. By celebrating the players rather than the titles themselves, commercials can leave viewers pumped beyond comprehension, even if they didn't witness one second of gameplay.

Even though there have been a multitude of awesome commercials over the years, the ten entries on this list made us proud to be gamers.

There were concerns for the Batman Arkham brand when Rocksteady announced they wouldn't be working on Batman: Arkham Origins. Skepticism escalated further when it came to light Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill wouldn't be reprising the roles of Batman and the Joker respectively.

With that said, the marketing for the prequel was a work of art. A tv spot perfectly conveyed Bruce Wayne's transition from an innocent child to a hardened vigilante in less than 30 seconds. The time-lapse effect displays years of pain and discipline in mere seconds without a word of dialogue. 

As impressive as this clip was, it's merely an appetiser. The five-minute trailer blends cinematic storytelling, enthralling fighting choreography, and visceral action on par with the best Hollywood blockbusters. Although trailers tend to have one or two defining moments, this trailer was composed of nothing but money-shots.

It was also a treat for comic lovers to see lesser-known villains like Deathstroke and Black Mask taking the spotlight, signalling Origins would explore lesser-known members of the dark knight's rogue gallery.

Batman: Arkham Origins may be the black sheep of the series, but it's impossible to fault the promotions.