Take a look at these weird old PlayStation ads from Japan trying to sell European games
Take a look at this unusual marketing strategy.
In the 1990s, Sony took an unusual approach to marketing British-made PlayStation games in Japan. Instead of blending them into the local gaming culture, the company leaned into their European origins, creating bizarre commercials that featured exaggerated British stereotypes.
A marketing gamble for WipEout and Destruction Derby
As highlighted by user Sean Seanson on BlueSky, these ads were used to promote WipEout and Destruction Derby, two games published by Psygnosis. The commercials featured two overly posh British men attempting to explain the appeal of each game to Japanese audiences. One particularly eyebrow-raising line from the ads stated, “It’ll certainly challenge those clever little fellas.”
discovered a genre of Japanese PlayStation commercials used for games made in the UK
— Sean Seanson (@seanseanson.bsky.social) 20 de abril de 2025, 12:10
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Did it work?
At the time, Western-made games struggled to gain traction in Japan, where local developers dominated the market. While titles like Tetris and Populous found success, many European and North American games failed to make an impact. Sony’s attempt to market these games as distinctly British was a bold move, though it’s unclear how effective it was.
Looking back, these ads serve as a fascinating glimpse into PlayStation’s early marketing strategies. While modern audiences might find them outdated or even questionable, they remain a quirky piece of gaming history.
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