Activision and Pepsi have created a unique promotion for Modern Warfare 3, a means of selling massive amounts of sugary goodness while enhancing experience in-game. “Rank Up XP” dabbles with the idea of offering bonuses via codes inside Mountain Dew or Doritos. A single Dew will net double XP for 15 minutes, a 12-pack 45-minutes. In other words, eBay will be flush with codes pretty soon.
But, a Forbes editorial calls out the Activision franchise, harshly at that, for what writer Paul Tassi sees as, “a new low.” He continues:
“More XP, especially when the game is new, means more weapons, more perks, more attachments, more killstreaks, and subsequently, usually more wins. Offering Double XP to someone who purchases Pepsi products is selling out about as much as you can, and for a franchise that’s already been accused of pushing the limits with “Elite” monthly membership and overpriced map packs, it goes to show that Activision will exploit its fans in any way they can.”
How much XP can someone garner in 15-minutes of game time? How long before someone figures out a loophole and dominates your inbox with offers for a private rank-up lobby? How much Mountain Dew can one consume in a matter of hours? Okay, well, it is Mountain Dew. Maybe Tassi has a point.
