Early warfare: Xbox 360 ads invade UK
by Kevin Kelly 
{ Nov 17th 2006 at 6:25PM }
Although the PlayStation 3 doesn't launch in Europe until March of 2007 (or maybe even later), and the Wii won't be out until next month, Microsoft has fired an opening salvo across the bow of the UK while both the PS3 and Wii launch in North America.Joystiq reader Ian noticed that today's issue of Metro (a free UK daily newspaper) has an ad from Microsoft on every single page, including the cover, touting the 360. There are two page spreads for Gears of War, the Xbox Vision Camera, and even Dead or Alive Xtreme 2.
Metro boasts that it's the world's largest free newspaper, distributing over a million copies a day. No doubt Microsoft imagines that UK gamers will be inundated with TV and web coverage of the launches across the pond this weekend, and hoping to get buyers to pay attention to the fact that while the PS3 hasn't arrived yet, they've got plenty of 360s on sale.
Now quick, someone suggest a song to get "The Metro" by Berlin unstuck from our heads.
[Thanks, Ian -- p.s. can you flip those images around? We're not da Vinci.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Spore @ Nov 17th 2006 6:39PM
Riding on the meeeeetttttrrrrrrooooooooo! dooga dooga - dooga dooga!
kye @ Nov 17th 2006 6:48PM
Although I havent seen that copy of the Metro (wicked newspaper by the way) I can confirm that Microsoft is spending top dollar ... errr pound on advertising over here.
Just this evening I saw 3 (yes three) consecutive commercials for the 360.
But on BBC2 The Wii JUST got excellent reviews from *pause* people who don't consider themselves to be gamers. The PS3 got the odd mention as well as being a system "for adults" coming out next year.
Munky @ Nov 17th 2006 6:57PM
There was also a 4 page pullout 360 feature in today's 'The Sun' newspaper.
fridays edition also has a 1 page games section.
cant remember the 360:PS3 news ratio.
hey alex @ Nov 17th 2006 6:54PM
Apple did back in '84, buying up all the ad space in Newsweek magazine so they could talk about the (then new) Macintosh. It's was the post election issue in November.
JBGUY2K @ Nov 17th 2006 7:01PM
You can listen to the remake of "Metro" by system of a down! It's just so freakin awesome.
LostToys @ Nov 17th 2006 7:02PM
Games Industry is pegging the ad buyout at £500k. Check it out at http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=21185
Duke @ Nov 17th 2006 7:13PM
Funny enough I just blogged about this. You can view the post via this link: http://www.alienpants.com/duke/?p=221 or check out all the ad's via my flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dce76/sets/72157594380122441/
Matt Malone @ Nov 18th 2006 5:53AM
Damn, the one day I didn't pick up the metro on the bus :P
Dale @ Nov 20th 2006 5:35AM
It wasn't "LITERALLY every page" (3, 22, 29, 35, 39 and 46-56 were all Xbox-free), but it was quite a comprehensive blast. I made a list of all the ads:
As context, the paper was 64 pages. (Page Number - Ad For... - Approximate Size on Page).
1 - Win an Xbox and a home theatre system - 1/24
2 - Splinter Cell Double Agent - 1/4
4 - Tony Hawks Project 8 - 1/3
5 - Gears Of War teaser - 1/3
6 - Gears Of War teaser - 1/3
7 - Gears Of War teaser - 1/3
8/9 - Gears Of War - whole pages
10 - Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2 - 1/2
11 - Open Season: The Game - 1/4
11 - Need For Speed Carbon - 1/3
12 - General ad (hand motif showing range of games) - whole page
13 - Saints Row - 1/4
13 - PC World savings - 1/3
14 - WWE Smackdown Vs Raw - 1/3
14 - Phantasy Star Universe - 1/6
15 - Disney's Cars - 1/6
15 - Deadrising - 1/3
16 - Xbox Live Vision (the camera as the eye on a face looking right) - 1/3
17 - Xbox Live Vision (the camera as the eye on a face looking left) - 1/3
18 - Test Drive Unlimited - 1/4
18 - Rockstar's Table Tennis - 1/6
19 - Xbox 360 Classics - 1/4
20 - HMV offer - 1/3
21 - Samsung ad focussing on Xbox 360 - 1/2
23 - Viva Piñata - whole page
24 - Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive (King Kong) - 2/3
25 - Metro competition (as trailed on front page) - 1/2
26 - Wireless controllers - 1/2
27 - Rainbow Six Las Vegas - 1/5
28 - Gears Of War - 1/3
30 - Traffic light photo, the red light featuring the Gears Of War symbol - 1/8
30 - Call Of Duty 3 - 1/3
31 - Game promotion for Gears Of War limited edition - whole page
32/33 - Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2 calendar - whole pages
34 - Gamestation offer - whole page
36 - Lost Planet Extreme Condition - 1/6
37 - Lego Star Wars II - 1/6
38 - Ninety-Nine Nights - 3/4
40 - Advertorial piece - 1/2
41 - Sonic The Hedgehog - 1/6
42 - BT Broadband wireless adaptor offer - 1/4
43 - Marvel Ultimate Alliance - 1/6
44/45 - These are the event listings pages, no ads, just faint red Gears Of War logos stamped on each page
- long break due to property ads -
57 - World Series Poker Tournament Of Champions 2007 Edition - 1/6
58 - Xbox Live Arcade - 1/7
59 - FIFA '07 - 1/3
60 - Pro Evolution Soccer 6 - 1/3
61/62/63 - Football scarf going along the bottom (1/4 of the page height) saying Next Generation Football Only On Xbox 360
64 - Merry Xbox - 1/3
Michael Kingston @ Nov 18th 2006 7:46AM
Too late I did a vid hours after i read it. It's on the video section of my Myspace.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1440317027
tracked @ Nov 18th 2006 9:02AM
I picked up this copy of Metro yesterday at the bus garage. They are right Metro is really popular. In my local bus garage you had to get there before 8:45 am before all of the copies were picked up. But now days they seem to stay there until 4 pm.
Anyway i noticed the Splinter cell advert and the Xbox/home entertainment prize. I was going to get in the comp but the answer was to easy. You can play over 100 games on x360.