Everyone has encountered them, whether it’d be popping artifacts, messed up polygons, or teleporting sprites. Glitches have been a normal occurrence for gamers since the dawn of video games, as Cyberpunk 2077 players know all too well. For that reason, Verizon is marketing its 5G network services in a pretty relatable way, promising the smoothest mobile gaming experience possible.
Despite lacking the star power behind Ryan Reynolds’ upcoming movie Free Guy or his Mint Mobile ads (the latest of which was inspired by Mortal Kombat), Verizon's open-world environment clearly seems to have drawn some inspiration from one of the gaming industry’s most publicized stories in recent times, so much so that the commercial might as well be called “Day City.” Bad first impressions are really hard to forget, and that will certainly ring a bell for Cyberpunk 2077 fans, who are waiting for updates and improvements that might help the game realize its true potential.
Although the coincidences might be obvious for gamers who have followed up on Cyberpunk 2077’s troubled released, Verizon opted to avoid taking another dig at CD Projekt Red since the company already has enough on its plate, so Verizon’s ad is simply named “The Reset.” Of course, the aesthetics for a phone carrier commercial differ a lot from Cyberpunk's modern setting, so the latter's edgier soundtrack goes out the window in favor of an older classic like Joe Walsh’s laid back “A Life of Illusion” for a truly immersive taste of an urban RPG.
The brilliant ad was made by director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Jumper), and while it’s certainly no showcase of his action movie credentials, it does capture many of the bugs players live through when playing Cyberpunk 2077, like drivers sitting outside of their vehicles, blurred faces, weird draw distances, and even some trees that definitely seem out of place. The Verizon ad closes off by prompting gamers to not "live with lag,” because 5G isn't here to spy on anyone.
With the likes of Fortnite providing satisfying mobile gameplay, the ever-present Pokemon GO's ongoing events, or even newer games such as Genshin Impact, gaming on the go continues to grow rapidly. This is especially true with the proliferation of high-end mobile devices, which also make great feature-packed smartphones.
One thing Verizon's glitchy ad is lacking is the iconic Pokemon MissingNo., perhaps one of the most famous glitches in the history of video games. Naturally, glitches are a normal thing, even Call of Duty: Warzone has them, and they’re just as fun to watch on TV as they are in games.
Cyberpunk 2077 is now available to buy for multiple platforms.
Source: Verizon|YouTube