I LOL'd at this for quite a while this morning: Electronic Arts, in an effort to promote their new title Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, decided they would give away �20,000 worth of free gas (that's about 40,000 dollars) in London, UK. Instead, they were forced to stop the promo 5 hours (and �13,000) later after they reportedly caused "misery" and "chaos" on the streets of London. They bunched quite a few undies with the locals and the MP (Member of Parlament) who represents the district, Lynne Featherstone. Featherstone commented:
"Trying to recreate Venezuelan-style fuel riots on the streets of London s completely irresponsible and downright dangerous... Whilst a lucky few might have gotten some free petrol, hundreds of local residents have faced misery on their daily journey this morning. They deserve an apology." -Featherstone.
Knowing well as any American transplanted into the UK, London-ers are a bunch of miserable sods as a rule, with even the allure of free petrol being quite capable of pissing the whole lot off. Sadly, EA pulled the promotion completely and left residents to go back to existence as they know it on the foggy streets of Londontown.
But it's not just the UK attacking EA, as Mercenaries 2 has already been labeled by Hugo Chavez supporters as "psychological warfare." Venezuelan lawmaker Gariela Remirez had commented previously that:
"it sends a message to Americans: you have a danger next door, here in Latin America, and action must be taken. It's a justification for an imperialist aggression."
Can anyone say... lolz?
