15 Times Video Games Had Shameless Product Placements and Ad Campaigns

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Ignacio Weil

Gaming - November 2nd 2025, 13:00 GMT+1

Death Stranding 2019 Monster Energy — Death Stranding (2019): Monster Energy

When your job is to rebuild society by walking across a barren wasteland, hydration is key – apparently through cans of Monster Energy. Sam Porter Bridges drinks the stuff constantly in his private room, with cans glowing like holy relics on every table. The branding was so obvious that when the license expired, later editions of the game had to replace it with a fictional drink. Love it or hate it, this is Kojima being Kojima: turning a real-world energy drink into a post-apocalyptic survival mechanic, and somehow making it feel deep. | © Kojima Productions

Cropped Code Vein 2019 Dominos Pizza — Code Vein (2019): Domino’s Pizza

Somewhere between gothic vampires, post-apocalyptic ruins, and dramatic anime monologues, someone at Bandai Namco thought, “You know what this needs? Pizza.” *Code Vein* quietly features leftover traces of a Domino’s collaboration – unused voice lines and files pointing to a scrapped crossover. It’s the kind of partnership that sounds like a fever dream: a brooding vampire hero craving a Pepperoni Feast between boss fights. Even though it never became a full-blown ad, the idea lingers as one of gaming’s weirdest “what if” product placements. Because nothing says eternal torment like a two-for-one Tuesday deal. | © Bandai Namco Entertainment

Final Fantasy XV 2016 Cup Noodles — Final Fantasy XV (2016): Cup Noodles

No one expected an entire *Final Fantasy* questline to double as a ramen ad, yet here we are. In *Final Fantasy XV*, one of your companions gushes about Cup Noodles with such passion that it feels like he’s reading straight from a commercial. You even embark on a mission to find the “perfect” ingredients for your noodles – yes, really. It’s absurd, shameless, and oddly lovable. Somehow, between fighting monsters and saving the kingdom, you’re reminded to enjoy a hot, convenient meal. Few in-game ads have ever been this bold, or this deliciously self-aware. | © Square Enix

Cropped Mario Kart 8 2014 Mercedes Benz — Mario Kart 8 (2014): Mercedes-Benz

Picture this: Luigi in a luxury Mercedes speeding past Peach in a clown car. That actually happened. Nintendo struck a deal with Mercedes-Benz to add real-life cars as drivable vehicles in *Mario Kart 8*, and players could race using the GLA, 300 SL Roadster, or the Silver Arrow. The result was both hilarious and strangely fitting – a gleaming crossover of German engineering and cartoon chaos. It’s product placement so blatant it loops back to being brilliant, reminding everyone that in Mario Kart, even capitalism has blue shells. | © Nintendo

Phantasy Star Online 2 2012 KFC — Phantasy Star Online 2 (2012): KFC

In *Phantasy Star Online 2*, the future is full of lasers, spaceships… and fried chicken. This legendary collaboration with KFC introduced themed restaurants, in-game items, and even appearances by Colonel Sanders himself. It wasn’t subtle – players could literally grab missions near glowing KFC counters, because apparently humanity’s greatest achievement is still crispy chicken. For Western fans it was baffling, but in Japan it became iconic. It’s marketing genius in its purest form: turning a fast-food chain into a galactic institution. | © Sega

Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker 2010 — Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010): A bunch of companies (Mountain Dew, AXE, Doritos, etc.)

Leave it to Hideo Kojima to turn military espionage into a bizarre mash-up of snack ads. *Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker* proudly featured real-world brands like Mountain Dew, Doritos, and AXE Body Spray – all casually sitting inside the game’s menus and missions. Snake could literally heal himself with Doritos, because nothing says “tactical operations” like nacho cheese recovery. The best part? Kojima didn’t even try to hide the product logos – he embraced them with full-on confidence. It’s equal parts immersion-breaking and iconic, a time capsule of when stealth met snack aisle. | © Konami

Cropped Alan Wake 2010 Energizer — Alan Wake (2010): Energizer

When your flashlight is your lifeline, it’s only natural you’d trust a brand that “keeps going and going.” *Alan Wake* took that idea literally, filling its dark, atmospheric world with glowing Energizer batteries. They were everywhere – bright logos cutting through the gloom like mini billboards. It was such an odd choice for a psychological thriller that players couldn’t help but laugh mid-scare. Still, the product placement kind of worked thematically: survival through light, powered by corporate sponsorship. Who knew fighting shadow monsters could be so well-branded? | © Remedy Entertainment

Cropped Madden 11 Obama — Madden NFL 11 (2010): Obama campaign

By 2010, politics had found its way into football – at least digitally. *Madden NFL 11* joined the wave of Obama’s reelection advertising, placing subtle banners and campaign signs within stadiums. It was surreal: virtual quarterbacks throwing touchdowns while real-world slogans flashed in the background. Whether you saw it as clever marketing or unwanted intrusion, it marked a moment where games became a legitimate battleground for political messaging. Sports met politics, and the end zone doubled as campaign ground. | © Electronic Arts

Cropped Burnout Paradise 2008 Obama — Burnout Paradise (2008): More Obama campaign

Before *Madden* got its share of politics, *Burnout Paradise* was already speeding through them. Players racing through the open-world streets suddenly noticed digital billboards reading “Vote for Change.” Yes, even while causing fiery pileups, you could absorb real political ads. The 2008 Obama campaign used in-game billboards to reach younger audiences – and surprisingly, it worked. The contrast between high-speed crashes and hopeful slogans was absurd, but unforgettable. Only in gaming could political outreach come wrapped in flaming car wreckage. | © Criterion Games / Electronic Arts

Cropped Fight Night Round 3 2006 Burger King — Fight Night Round 3 (2006): Burger King

Nothing says “serious boxing simulation” like being coached by The King himself. In *Fight Night Round 3*, players could hire Burger King’s royal mascot as a cornerman – crown, cape, and all. He’d pop up ringside, offering motivation that felt equal parts bizarre and brilliant. It wasn’t just an ad; it was a full-blown cameo that somehow made sense in EA’s quirky sports universe. You’d train, fight, and emerge victorious under the watchful eye of a man who ruled both fast food and fictional boxing gyms. | © Electronic Arts

Battlefield 2142 2006 in game advertisement — Battlefield 2142 (2006): Target advertisement

When *Battlefield 2142* launched, players expected futuristic warfare, not department store loyalty programs. Yet there it was – bright red Target logos plastered across digital billboards on the battlefield, even Pepsi here and there. Nothing says “immersive sci-fi combat” quite like being reminded to pick up laundry detergent on your way home. The ads were part of an early experiment in dynamic in-game marketing, updating real-world promotions into virtual spaces. It felt jarring then, but in hindsight, it was a glimpse into gaming’s ad-filled future. | © DICE / Electronic Arts

Splinter Cell Chaos Theory 2005 AXE Body Spray — Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (2005): AXE Body Spray

Somewhere between stealth takedowns and covert missions, *Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory* decided Sam Fisher needed a whiff of masculinity – courtesy of AXE Body Spray. The game featured product tie-ins promoting AXE’s “Dark Temptation” line, which felt hilariously out of place in a gritty espionage world. Imagine sneaking through enemy territory while being reminded to smell irresistible. It was an odd match for a franchise built on shadows and subtlety, but it showed that even secret agents weren’t immune to a little marketing pressure. | © Ubisoft

Cropped Judge Dredd Dredd vs Death 2003 Red Bull — Judge Dredd: Dredd vs. Death (2003): Red Bull

In the dystopian streets of Mega-City One, Judge Dredd may be the law – but apparently, Red Bull gives the law wings. *Judge Dredd: Dredd vs. Death* proudly displayed Red Bull cans scattered throughout its grimy world, a bizarre juxtaposition of caffeine-fueled energy and totalitarian justice. The product placement didn’t serve any gameplay purpose; it was just… there, glowing with unapologetic branding. Somehow, it fits: a high-octane drink in a high-octane world where everything runs on chaos. | © Rebellion Developments

Cropped Enter the Matrix 2003 Powerade — Enter the Matrix (2003): Powerade

Of all the brands to invade *Enter the Matrix*, Powerade might be the most unexpected – and yet, weirdly appropriate. The game was practically drenched in product tie-ins, but the Powerade billboards stood out, glowing blue against the cyberpunk gloom. They were so prominent that fans joked about the machines running on electrolytes instead of human batteries. It was classic early-2000s marketing – loud, flashy, and everywhere. For a story about breaking free from illusion, this was one ad you couldn’t escape. | © Shiny Entertainment / Atari

Cropped Zool 1992 Chupa Chups — Zool (1992): Chupa Chups

Before Sonic or Crash were hawking sneakers, there was *Zool* – a hyperactive ninja ant from the ’90s whose entire game was a candy commercial. The platformer’s levels were covered in Chupa Chups logos, lollipops, and branding so thick it could cause a sugar rush just by looking at it. It wasn’t subtle, but it worked – *Zool* became an early icon of product-driven design. It’s one of gaming’s most blatant ads disguised as a mascot adventure, proving that even in the ’90s, marketing knew how to jump. | © Gremlin Graphics

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Product placement in video games isn’t exactly subtle. From cup noodles powering up warriors to energy drinks saving the apocalypse, brands have found creative (and sometimes ridiculous) ways to sneak into our favorite worlds. Whether it’s clever marketing or straight-up distraction, these in-game ads often blur the line between immersion and interruption.

For this list, we’re leaving out ongoing platforms like Fortnite or Roblox, where crossovers and brand tie-ins are practically part of the ecosystem. Instead, we’re focusing on standalone titles that surprised players with sudden ad breaks disguised as gameplay moments. So, grab your virtual burger, crack open that branded soda, and let’s revisit the most shameless product placements in video game history.