Tangentially related to my most recent piece at Nightmare Mode, I recently came into ownership of the Slime-shaped PS2 controller modelled after the iconic enemy of Dragon Quest.
I don’t bring this up in the article but I tend to frown upon the merchandise that surrounds video games. The t-shirts, wrist straps, plushies, and practically everything that’s bundled around a popular video game when it’s released. It’s not because I’m against the idea of advertising, I simply find it concerning so much of video game advertising is focused around the “extras” rather than the main course. If advertising is meant to facilitate interest and engage people with the product, I can’t help but feel we’re missing out on the interactive side of video games when we buy the t-shirt.
I don’t need my Dragon Quest controller, but I do like how its advertising facilitates experiencing the product.
So that's what it looks like! I can't imagine it'd be comfortable to play with. Do you use it, or is it just for decoration?
ReplyDeleteI have played 2 hours of Dragon Quest VIII with it and it was okay! The shoulder buttons are the trickiest part but everything else is relatively comfortable. You hold it like a bowl :p
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