Of course, many people will be watching it for the game. After all, it will serve as the climax for what has been a pandemic-struck NFL season that has now finally culminated in Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs attempting to mount a successful repeat against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With that said, because of how millions of people will surely tune in to Super Bowl LV for the ads alone, we’ve decided to pay close attention to the commercials. In particular, to the video game ads that have gone on to make it to this annual spectacle. Below is a list of the best and biggest video game super bowl commercials ever.
1. “Switch and Play” - Nintendo Switch
We’re kicking off our list of video game commercials at Super Bowl with arguably the best and biggest of them all. Following the disappointing sales of the Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo needed something spectacular if they were to take some of the limelight away from Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One consoles. Enter, the Nintendo Switch. However, Nintendo didn’t just settle for your regular announcement trailer for their latest flagship console. Instead, with just a month or so between the launch of the Nintendo Switch and Super Bowl LI, Nintendo went big and played a flashy ad showcasing the hybrid console at its finest. Nintendo then capped this commercial off with a sweet line up of upcoming titles that instantly catapulted the handheld console to mainstream success. What made Nintendo’s ad so unique and successful was how they presented it in a way that would cater to both longtime fans and uninitiated audiences. Nintendo marketed the Switch as a family-friendly console that wouldn’t force consumers to tether themselves to a TV set. Instead, they presented it in a way that it would become a tool that they could bring anywhere, from family gatherings to group outings, and more. Then, after showcasing the Nintendo Switch, the company decided to end it with a shot of the Switch followed by the release date.
2. “Revenge” - Clash of Clans
As if Liam Neeson wasn’t popular enough after playing as the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn from the Star Wars franchise and Ra’s al Ghul in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, among many other notable appearances, his role as Bryan Mills in the Taken trilogy of movies cemented his popularity among mainstream audiences, with his now-iconic “I will find you and I will kill you” forever living on within the consciousness of the masses. So, when you’ve got someone that popular and well-known playing your video game, it only made sense to star him in a commercial at a Super Bowl event, right? Well, that’s exactly what Supercell did. For their Clash of Clans ad for Super Bowl XLIX, Supercell aired a commercial starring Liam Neeson playing their game on his mobile phone as he finds his village decimated by a random attacker, forcing him to vow to avenge his loss in the game. As you might expect, Liam Neeson channeled his iconic Bryan Mills role for this one, which only made it even better.
3. “The Future” - PlayStation 2
For this one, we’re going way back in the past to 2001 and Super Bowl XXXV. At this point in time, the PlayStation 2 had already released and was already the de-facto gaming console of its time. However, for some reason, Sony decided it fit to push the sales of the console even further, and what better way to do so in the United States than to air an ad at one of the biggest sporting events in the country? Supposedly set in the future where the PS9 had already released, this commercial featured the aesthetics that you would only expect in an ad made during its time.
4. “From Ashes” - God of War: Ascension
With the PlayStation 3 already on its last legs with the PlayStation 4 on its way, Sony decided to give it a proper send off by releasing several must-play titles for the console. This includes, among others, God of War: Ascension. With a live-action style Super Bowl trailer back in 2013, you’d think that Sony was working on a God of War feature film instead of a game. What really stood out was how the trailer was able to encapsulate what the franchise was all about and what had happened over the past decade or so, bringing newer audiences up to speed while giving longtime fans something to get excited about. While there’s no doubt that fans tuned in for the game that year, Sony and God of War proved, if only for a few moments, that they’re just as big of a draw.
5. “Teensy House Buyers” - World of Tanks
World of Tanks’ comedic approach to drawing audiences in, at a Super Bowl no less, earn the game a spot on our list. Airing not one, but two ads back in 2017, World of Tanks managed to squeeze in lots of laughs and draw in player interest in two 15-second ads that poked fun at reality television that both ended with a tank suddenly coming out of nowhere as the game’s title splashes all over the screen. Simple, fun, and effective, these two trailers were a perfect representation of the frenetic gameplay that the game has since become known for.
Will There be a Video Game Commercial at Super Bowl LV?
Well, we don’t really know. Some fans believe that Rockstar Games will announce either Grand Theft Auto 6 or a remaster of the first three Grand Theft Auto games at Super Bowl LV. This is following a rumor that’s been going around for quite a while already. What gave further credence to this rumor is this leak that’s been going around on Reddit. Of course, whether or not Super Bowl LV will treat us to such a big reveal is something that we won’t find out until it happens. But, if it’s any consolation, we won’t have to wait too long to find out. Kickoff time for Super Bowl LV is at 6:30 PM (Eastern Time).
