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Interstate Fallout




No, this is not going to be about a nuclear war erupting in one of my Wargame: AirLand Battle games, although if there were nukes available in a skirmish game you might be reading just that by now.   No, rather this is going to be about one of those interesting and increasingly common events where a game crosses over into mainstream culture. 

Have you seen this TV ad for Interstate Batteries?




Seems kinda familiar, doesn't it?


Now, if you are a gamer, I suspect this immediately reminded you of a rather successful ad for a rather successful (to put it mildly) video game by the name of Fallout 3:



Am I right, or what?  The derelict vehicle that appears to have been rusting away for ages; the warm, yellow glow of an old analog radio that plays out a haunting tune from decades ago; the way the camera slowly moves in / out from the vehicle.  The coincidences are just too strong.  Either the ad agency that did the Interstate commercial are fans of Fallout 3, or the Interstate people are!

Now, I thought it was possible that it might just be this game-addicted fan reading more into a commercial than was there, but based on the comments posted on YouTube others seem to agree that the similarities are just too striking:


"War. War never changes."
 
 
"im glad im not the only person to think fallout when i saw this. i wonder if anyone from interstate batteries is a fallout fan."
 
 
"Fallout 4 Confirmed!" [LOL!  I liked that one! - ST]
 
 
"I don't want to set the world on fire..."


Yup.  It's not just me!

Whoever is responsible, I think this is just great.  I love it when gaming crosses over into other media because it is indicative of how gaming is beginning to influence the wider culture.  Only good things can come from that as far as I am concerned.  Not only that, but this commercial also is a great tribute to a great game. 

I already have an Interstate battery in my car, so I won't be running out to get one.  But if I didn't, yeah, this could get me to do so.  In fact, if Interstate Batteries would include an official Vault-Tec 3000 Pipboy bobblehead with a battery purchase, I would run out to get another battery just for the bobblehead!  

pipboy bobblehead 02
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Comments

  1. JayedubJanuary 14, 2014 at 6:22 PM

    I've got one of those bobble heads!

    ReplyDelete
  2. RooksBaileyJanuary 15, 2014 at 11:52 PM

    Lucky! I have to confess that I do regret not getting the collector's edition of Fallout 3. It was one of the rare games that lived up to the hype. Really need to re-install the game and finish it for once and for all! I got real close but lost my save game files. :(

    ReplyDelete

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