Merchandise - too much of a good thing?

[chevkoch]

Stumbled over Volvic's campaign for Onimusha 3:

http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3343

Using videogame brands in merchandising via daily use items appears to have always been more prominent in Asia than in Europe or the USA. For that reason I always feel a strong desire to get my hands on stuff like the above.

Should this marketing segment grow bigger in the western hemisphere too, would we tire of game characters being used everywhere, on everything from pens to socks or household devices? Collectors, of course, would probably never tend to be oversaturated.

[XE-1]

Yeah, it doesn't seem to be a popular advertising thing over here.
Seems weird to have some videogames plastered with ads but no cross advertising on the products advertised in the games.

After sonic heroes, presuming sonic appeared on some snack or drink in the future it wouldn't make me buy another sonic game, maybe it would make me less likely to buy the product.

I would probably end up hating the blue hedgehog just like I hate jar jar binks if sonic was plastered on everything, the more I seen jar jar on snacks+drinks+cereal the more it made me hate that CG pos.

Doubt if I would pay to have that water shipped over from japan though, that is pushing my videogame collecting habits to new extremes.
6 bottles aint exactly light, unless you just go for the caps.

[chevkoch]

I've been buying videogame action figures/candy toys/keyring thingies etc. for quite a while, but recently I've come to neglect that habit, because 1) I only have so much free room on my desk or storage space and 2) after acquiring lots it feels I can't appreciate the individual item as much as I'd like to.

Still thinking how neat Viewtiful Joe figurines would be though, since I'm playing that right now. Ambivalence mode on.

And yes, I agree, being surrounded by products featuring one character would probably make me sick of it as well. I'll always have a soft spot for the occasional merchandise that comes included with a game. I fondly remember the Front Mission History pack Square Enix released last year which came with a 3 Mech diorama:

http://www.ncsxshop.com/cgi-bin/shop/SLPM-87330.html

This is an example of what I'd like to see getting offered more.

[dave heats]

Whats the best place to buy game related merchandise? Sites like NCSX and play-asia seem limited. Are there any merch devoted sites out there?

My dream is to track down some jet set radio merchandise, especially posters etc, but I've never seen any for sale.

[electric_warrior]

I saw these today and I have to say they look like hot ****.

http://cube.ign.com/articles/508/508281p1.html

Check out the media. Mmmmmm. Loverly!

[chevkoch]

The white red-eyed ones emanate a brilliant weirdness.

Just found these: check out the girls of DOA Beach Volleyball in a capsule toy incarnation:

http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3345

[karlidog]

inappropriate videogame merchandising would *rule*. project zero happy meals with little plastic blindeds (press her back! hear her shriek!)! cuddly silent hill monsters! ...and shooter merchandise would be amazing. give me a plastic five ascetics that goes 'level up' whenever you skim it against anything, and i'd be entertained for days. seriously. oh, and those pikmin are so utterly mine the minute i find somewhere that'll import them for me... if anyone could point me at a site that's likely to have those in stock (and has space channel 5 tat!), i'd be forever grateful...

[importaku]

Now these are just plain wrong for so many reasons. Anyone who even remotely thinks these are cool needs a good slap.

The 1st one is from the unforgivably **** super mario bros movie and the 2nd one looks like donkey kong in a mario outfit

[importaku]

After the abomination that was the mario toys i bring you this cool toy based on the Naruto anime / games series.

Naruto training mountain, its basically a motorised ball game where you navigate your way to the end of the course.





Pretty cool eh

[Len]

Do you have the biggest lock-up in the world...?

[MarkyB]

those mario toys are like the worst thing ever

[karlidog]

well, y'know, mario's had the fame, the fortune, the godawful movie... i guess collagen injections were the obvious next step in his star-studded lifestyle...

[phillai]

Merchandise - too much of a good thing? Nah!





Thanks Yakumo for getting me this!

[chevkoch]

This thread has somewhat turned into a merchandise appreciation topic, so some more:

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-7g-70-4dt-4-7.html

(Famicom keychains, apparently available in July)

And this Yogurt Plush seriously asks for a kick in the...

[Len]

So does anyone know where we'll be able to get our mitts on those bloody lovely Pikmin 2 toys that are linked above, and released tomorrow apparently...?