10 Video Games With Shameless Product Placement

5. Crazy Taxi - KFC, Pizza Hut, The GAP, Others

92029 Zool 2 (World) 4
SEGA

It was a sad day for the video game industry when SEGA pulled out of the console market in 2001, but hardly a surprisingly one. Especially when you consider some of their zany business ideas, such as paying firms to advertise in their games.

That's right: SEGA was so eager to infuse a bit of authenticity into the oh-so-realistic Crazy Taxi that they spent money to have mainstream brands adorn the game's locale. Unsurprisingly, companies jumped at the chance, allowing players to joyride between branches of KFC, The GAP, and Pizza Hut whilst imbibing advertising logos for the likes of Levi's and FILA.

SEGA later defiled the mobile MMORPG Phantasy Star Portable with items tying in to the 40th anniversary of KFC's landing in Japan. Colonel Sanders, the lovable segregation lobbyist, even turned up as a playable character, just as he did in WWE 2K18. This means he has made more video game appearances in the past ten years than Soul Reaver's Raziel. This world.

In this post: 
Zool Amiga
 
First Posted On: 
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.