PlayStation is getting weird with commercials again just in time for PS5

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(Image credit: Future)

PlayStation has been known to make a weird ad from time to time, and today’s new ad is the latest in their long tradition. At nearly two minutes long, the trailer starts out almost like a level from a co-op shooter or the latest horror movie, with five soldiers cautiously scanning a tunnel for what lurks beyond the shadows.

And what do they find after they brave the tunnel to its dead end? A server farm full of what appears to be PS4 Pros, and they’re powered by human hearts tattooed with the iconic PlayStation face buttons. Okay, Sony. You’ve outdone yourself.

The ad is grimy and frankly creepy. In other words, it’s not the sort of thing you’d ever expect to see modern day Microsoft or Nintendo create as promotion for their brands - though Xbox did have that one trailer. But for Sony, it’s just the latest in a long line of high-concept marketing moves that play more like movie trailers. A recent example was the trailer where an entire city was devastated by flooding, only to zoom all the way out until it’s revealed that the rush of water came from a man who was crying in unison with Death Stranding’s Sam Porter Bridges. See, weirdness is sort of their thing.

The PlayStation Twitter account shared the trailer too and the caption offered a more grounded interpretation for the artsy ad. “What PS4 game makes your heart race?” asked the brand. While the company does ask about PS4 there and the trailer features dozens of what appear to be PS4 Pros, the final slogan, “Feel The Power of PlayStation,” has strong PS5 vibes. As we hit mid-February, we're still keeping our eyes peeled for the rumored PS5 February reveal event. Hopefully we don’t have to investigate any decrepit tunnels to pick up our pre-orders.

Looking for more PS5 news? Check out our ever-growing list of upcoming PS5 games.

Freelance Journalist

Mark Delaney is a prolific copywriter and journalist. Having contributed to publications like 12DOVE and Official Xbox Magazine, writing news, features, reviews, and guides, he has since turned his eye to other adventures in the industry. In 2019, Mark became OpenCritic's first in-house staff writer, and in 2021 he became the guides editor over at GameSpot. 

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