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MP Demands Apology For Mercs 2 Free Gas Stunt

EA gave away £40 ($70) per person of free gas to promote Mercenaries 2 in London, apparently causing gridlock and prompting MP Lynne Featherstone of Hornsey and Wood Green to demand the publisher apologize to local residents for the "completely irr

Leigh Alexander, Contributor

September 8, 2008

1 Min Read
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Electronic Arts apparently brought London traffic to a complete standstill late last week with a publicity stunt for the recently-released Mercenaries 2: World in Flames. To promote the game, in which mercenaries battle for control of fuel supplies, EA commandeered a gas station to give away £20,000 worth of gas; drivers rode off with £40 ($70) per person in their tanks. According to UK publication The Guardian, however, the stunt went unappreciated by many gridlocked commuters, and police asked EA to disband the stunt after only a few hours when a major junction became obstructed by traffic. The Guardian's report also says Member of Parliament Lynne Featherstone of constituency Hornsey and Wood Green called on EA to apologize. "Trying to recreate Venezuelan-style fuel riots on the streets of London is completely irresponsible and downright dangerous," she said. "Whilst a lucky few might have got some free petrol, hundreds of local residents have faced misery on their daily journeys this morning. They deserve an apology." Variety reported last week that EA staged a similar event in Los Angeles to apparently more positive reception, calling it "ridiculous" but "fun."

About the Author

Leigh Alexander

Contributor

Leigh Alexander is Editor At Large for Gamasutra and the site's former News Director. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Variety, Slate, Paste, Kill Screen, GamePro and numerous other publications. She also blogs regularly about gaming and internet culture at her Sexy Videogameland site. [NOTE: Edited 10/02/2014, this feature-linked bio was outdated.]

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