Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away - sorry, in a high-budget development studio - they decided to give the future a generous helping of product placement. Welcome to "Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet" by Naughty Dog, where the protagonist Jordan jets through space in a Porsche, wears Adidas sneakers and a Sony CD changer (naturally retro-futuristically adapted) belting out the melancholy sounds of the Pet Shop Boys. Yes, the future not only has style, but also sponsors.
And why? Because it works. Already "Death Stranding" and "Final Fantasy" showed us that futuristic dystopias cannot do completely without the warm embrace of well-known brands. Monster Energy? Of course. Nissin Cup Noodle? Logo. So why not add a bit of Porsche aesthetics to intergalactic space travel? After all, the audience wants to know which cars are still "in" in a world full of warp drives and anti-gravity fields.
The creative argument: It's not a commercial, it's art!
Of course there is the creative justification: Product placement anchors fantasy in reality, makes the unknown more tangible. Three stripes on a shoe say more than a thousand words - namely: "Hey, even in a dystopian future, your brand awareness remains relevant!" And honestly, what would be more credible than a spaceship with a Porsche logo? After all, it is logical for luxury brands to conquer space before mankind does.
But hand on heart: is it really creativity when Jordan's spaceship is emblazoned with "Porsche 9000" in a flawless metallic look while "It's a Sin" booms out of the loudspeakers? Or is this simply a playful version of a pop-up banner? Perhaps the message could have been conveyed more subtly - but subtlety doesn't sell sneakers.
Advertising as a lubricant for immersion?
In fact, product placement can create a strange form of comfort. A familiar logo here, a familiar song there - and suddenly the viewer feels as if the future is not so strange after all. "I know that one!" you think to yourself as Jordan whizzes through the spaceship in her Adidas. Is this genius, bizarre or simply a nod to the galactic advertising fence post? Probably all of the above.
ConclusionIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet" shows us a future that was designed less by visionaries than by marketing strategists. But hey, as long as the spaceship flies and the beats are right, who wants to complain? Let's hope that said brands will still be "hip" enough in 2027 - the speculated release date of the game, if the developers aren't overrun by an Adidas spaceship by then.
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