In the age of corporate sponsorships and product placement dominating the world around you, a brand deal like The Schick Hydrobot terrorizing the red carpet at The Game Awards 2016 seems normal, even if horrifically creepy and a disgrace to the world. Brands want to get tap into the growing market of video games by all means necessary, and what’s a better partnership than Duracell, a battery company with Xbox, a video game console?
I mean… come on, who even uses batteries anymore? It’s 2018. In a world of USB charging, everyone is racing for those rechargeable controller add-ons and accessories. I guess that’s why Duracell took it upon itself to try maintain relevance among gamers, especially in the competitive holiday season. What makes you want to use Duracell batteries more than having a corporate logo plastered onto a limited edition Xbox One controller? That’s right, you can win a limited Duracell controller charitably identified as toxic brown. Both you and I could do a better job in the Xbox Design Lab.
Funnily enough, this isn’t the only social media plot to try and lure gamers back to the archaic days of powering controllers with batteries. Check out your who’s who of Fellow Kids-eque PR stunts:
This #Halloween, there’s nothing scarier than an @Xbox controller without Duracell batteries. pic.twitter.com/FxPyRc6QPa
— Duracell (@Duracell) October 30, 2018
Tag the person you love deeply, trust fully, and play @Xbox games with constantly. #XboxElite pic.twitter.com/zcYbI2haYQ
— Duracell (@Duracell) November 9, 2018
Time to pop the big question: “Do you promise to love me every season of the year and play #ForzaHorizon4 with me?” #XboxElite pic.twitter.com/jY0DbSg6Dq
— Duracell (@Duracell) November 29, 2018
Hell, they didn’t even shy away from the ill-fated Fallout 76 with plenty of battery-based promotion for that trainwreck. But perhaps that is more poetic than anything:
When everyone else is scavenging for rare materials but you forget to buy Duracell batteries for your @Xbox controller. #Fallout76 pic.twitter.com/LSgoJ0uLrL
— Duracell (@Duracell) November 27, 2018
But alas, I am a mere gamer and I should be turning a blind eye to these out of place sponsorships. Feel free to DM them to see if you can get yourself one of these. Then be a first-world anarchist and attach a good ol’ wireless charger just because you can.
If you want to see what the package looks like, check out the photo below from Reddit user MikePitch17 to see what you get if you manage to get one:
The post Battery-Maker Duracell is Offering a Branded Limited-Edition Xbox One Controller For Some Reason by Ben Walker appeared first on DualShockers.