According to IGN, Sony’s latest PlayStation advertising campaign features the slogan “It Happens on PS5” while showing people in extraordinary situations that don’t actually occur in PS5 games. The campaign represents a return to PlayStation’s long history of bizarre marketing, specifically recalling David Lynch’s nightmarish PS2 commercials from the early 2000s. The current ads focus on selling the escapism of gaming through surreal scenarios rather than literal game footage. This approach stands in contrast to Xbox’s current marketing strategy of labeling everything as Xbox, including non-Xbox products. The Beyond Clips segment discussing this campaign features hosts Mas Scoville and Brian Altano, produced by Nick Maillet.
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PlayStation’s Weird Legacy
Here’s the thing about PlayStation marketing – they’ve always been willing to get weird. Remember those David Lynch PS2 commercials? They were basically short art films that left you wondering what you just watched and whether you should be scared or intrigued. And honestly, that approach worked. It created this aura around PlayStation as being for the cool, creative crowd rather than just another gaming machine.
But does that same surreal approach work in 2024? I’m not so sure. Back in the PS2 era, gaming was still fighting for mainstream respectability, so being edgy and artistic made sense. Now gaming is bigger than movies and music combined, so the landscape has completely changed. The question is whether today’s audience responds to surreal marketing or if they just want to see actual gameplay.
Escapism vs Reality
The “It Happens on PS5” campaign is basically selling a feeling rather than specific games. It’s about that moment when you’re so immersed in a game world that reality fades away. That’s a powerful idea, and honestly, it’s what keeps many of us coming back to gaming night after night.
But here’s my concern – are they overpromising? When you show these extraordinary, almost magical scenarios that don’t actually happen in any PS5 game, you risk setting up expectations that the hardware and software can’t deliver. It’s like selling a car by showing it flying through space – cool concept, but the actual driving experience might feel disappointing by comparison.
Xbox Contrast
Meanwhile, Xbox is doing the exact opposite – they’re calling everything an Xbox, which honestly feels just as confusing. When your brand becomes so diluted that it could mean a console, a cloud service, or a game pass subscription, does it mean anything at all? At least PlayStation’s weirdness has personality and consistency across decades.
Basically, we’ve got two very different approaches here. Sony is leaning into abstract emotional marketing while Microsoft is trying to make Xbox synonymous with gaming itself. Both strategies have their merits, but I wonder if either is really hitting the mark with today’s diverse gaming audience.
Does Weird Still Work?
Look, I appreciate that Sony isn’t playing it safe. In an era where most tech marketing feels focus-grouped to death, seeing something genuinely strange and creative is refreshing. But I can’t help wondering if this is nostalgia for a bygone era of marketing rather than an effective modern strategy.
The gaming landscape has changed dramatically since those PS2 days. We’re flooded with content, attention spans are shorter, and consumers are more skeptical than ever. Does surreal, abstract marketing cut through the noise anymore? Or do people just want to see what the games actually look like? Personally, I think there’s room for both – show me the gameplay, but also sell me the dream. The trick is balancing both without overpromising or confusing your audience.
