10 More Embarrassing Product Placements In Video Games
6. Cup Noodle - Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV has so many examples of in-game ads that it’s impossible to know where to start.
Your party uses Coleman branded camping gear. Noctis drives a real Audi car. There’s a side quest based around a Vivienne Westwood store. There's even an advertisement for American Express somewhere in the game, which kind of implies that America is a real place within Final Fantasy XV’s setting of Eos? That probably has some incredible implications for the in-game lore (that Square Enix wilfully ignored when American Express's cheque cleared).
Yet somehow, the worst, most egregious of these has to be the Cup Noodle side quest. You can genuinely hear the English voice actors struggling to keep a straight face throughout the dialogue in this quest, with Gladious’ voice actor taking the brunt of challenge as he tries to convince Noctis to search for the “perfect ingredient” to put in his instant ramen.
The quest wasn't the last we'd see of Cup Noodles however, as Square Enix added a DLC that allowed Noctis to equip a giant Cup Noodle hat. On the plus side, the wearable advert's inclusion really added to the levity of some of the more heartfelt scenes in the game.