10 Video Games With Shameless Product Placement

6. Pole Position - Marlboro

92029 Zool 2 (World) 4
NAMCO

It's very strange to see tobacco advertisements anywhere these days, let alone in a video game. But smoking was still cool in the '80s, and you know what they say: better to hook them early.

Pole Position was one of the first games to feature in-game advertising, both as a way to accurately portray the Formula 1 action on offer, and to earn developers Namco a chunk of fast cash. Amongst the brands whizzing past at 200mph in the Japanese version were Canon, Pepsi (this time without Coca-Cola's blessing), and Marlboro. The US cigarette giants were a very common sight on the circuits of the time as an iconic component of McLaren's livery, but there's still something deeply unsettling about seeing their logo in innocent 8-bit.

Since all games are for kids, Pole Position's American equivalent excised the offending tobacco ads. They were replaced with ones for chewing gum Dentyne - much more wholesome, and better for your breath.

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Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.