Burger King Xbox 360 games

Burger King - Burger King - just raised the bar for brands wanting to get into those videogames things. Burger King stores in the US are giving away mini 360 games with their Slappy Meal, or whatever it is that their $3.99 feed bag is called.

Hey, those aren't bad graphics!

This is too weird. Destructoid has the details. I'm going to lie down.

Comments

[Nick]

the games can actually be played on a regular xbox as well, not that anyone cares.

[bigwig]

Anyone else concerned about corporations using video game culture to sell their products? In particular, how much of this is aimed at children? Admittedly, the demographics of video gamers widens daily, but how much of this is targeting children to sell unhealthy food to?

[Alice]

I'm with you on that one, although games are not unique to pushing junk food to kids. Movie characters, game characters, toys, cartoon/anime characters - they'll take whatever they can get their hands on that will speak to kids, and xbox 360 games is just a rather amazing technical evolution of that.

As ever, it's gotta come down to the parents - if you feed your kids Burger King, don't expect them to live long, healthy lives.

Unless, of course, they're DDR pr0s ;)

[Seb Potter]

It's funny that the entire industry for children's television content in the UK is on the verge of collapse due to government plants to ban advertising junk food to kids. (Junk food advertising basically funds the entire industry, and without it the BBC would be the only source of cash for independent production companies.)

I'm strongly against companies being able to push products to kids through any form of media. That BK have chosen games just shows the maturity and acceptance of the medium.

[bob]

I've often wondered at what point it would be economically possible to have "free" sponsored games (as with broadcast television). This example is discouraging. After all, not only is the entire game an actual advertisement (rather than simply being sponsored by BK), but they're still charging for it!
Perhaps this is just the nature of entertainment aimed at children in the U.S. I've read that a number of children's shows were created as toys first, then the tv programs were developed as ads for the toys.
(btw, I'm not sure being DDR pros would really counteract eating at BK. High fructose corn syrup and trans-fats, the staple ingredients of fast food, seem to do metabolic damage independent of how many unneeded calories they're a part of.)