Sony continues its legacy of weird ads with this PlayStation 4 Pro gem

By Gabe Gurwin October 28, 2016

ps4 pro retro ad ps4proretro — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The PlayStation 4 Pro will be the most powerful system Sony has ever released, with support for 4K resolution and higher frame rates bringing the console into the future, but Sony’s latest advertisement appears to be more interested in the past.

“Introducing the super-charged PlayStation 4 Pro console system!” says the extremely enthusiastic pitchman. “Discover the power of our super compact mega processor, revolutionary cord-free player paddle joysticks, and super fresh graphics that are so real, they suck you right in!”

Reebok Pumps… MJ… GnR… Pac-man… BTTF and PS4 Pro? We ♡ the 80s! #Woahhh pic.twitter.com/qfoysB7iFm

— PlayStation UK (@PlayStationUK) October 28, 2016

The entire commercial uses a desaturated color scheme evocative of ’70s and ’80s television, which is contrasted by footage of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare‘s “Zombies in Spaceland” mode to create something akin to an acid trip.

This is far from the first time the PlayStation brand has produced an odd advertisement. A commercial that ran near the beginning of the PlayStation 3’s lifespan featured a sentient baby doll alone in a large, white room with the console sitting on the floor, before he apparently uses telekinesis to lift the PlayStation 3 into the air as his eyes emit a troublesome glow. Another ad has basically nothing to do with PlayStation at all, instead featuring a Scottish girl giving an odd speech about the mood in what appears to be an interrogation of some kind.

For the sake of humanity’s well-being, Sony switched to more conventional commercials later on, with the famous Kevin Butler character serving as the goofy, lovable face of the PlayStation brand. The actor who portrayed Butler, Jerry Lambert, was fired from the role and sued by Sony after he appeared in a Bridgestone advertisement that offered customers a Nintendo Wii. The suit was settled in early 2013, with Lambert agreeing to not appear in another video game-related commercial for two years — hey, that time is up!

The PlayStation 4 Pro launches on November 11 for $400.

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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