Did you know that in 1996, PlayStation promoted Crash Bandicoot by shouting outside Nintendo's office?

 

Going back to a time when copyright issues and aggressive banter were still widely accepted—unlike today, where a simple online comment expressing dissatisfaction can land you a lawsuit at your doorstep. This was especially true in the gaming industry, which saw some legendary rivalries. One of the most iconic moments was the 1996 commercial for the first Crash Bandicoot on PlayStation. Sony Computer Entertainment went all out by driving a truck equipped with a TV screen broadcasting the game right to the front of Nintendo's US headquarters to taunt them. Let’s dive into this story with the video below

The commercial starts with a truck pulling up right in front of Nintendo’s US headquarters—with the Nintendo company sign clearly and boldly in frame. Out steps Crash Bandicoot, holding a megaphone and shouting, 'Hey, plumber boy! Your worst nightmare has arrived!' He then shows off the game on a TV screen, playing a bit of it to flaunt its 3D graphics. It was a direct message that PlayStation could handle 3D gaming just as well as—if not better than—the Nintendo 64 (at least, that’s what PlayStation claimed). The stunt ends with a security guard coming out to kick him off the premises for causing a scene

Behind the scenes, the production team didn't actually film at the main headquarters; they just made it look like it. In reality, it was filmed near another Nintendo-owned building in the Seattle area. At the time, Crash Bandicoot served as the face of PlayStation, much like Mario and Sonic were for their respective brands. This type of aggressive 'guerrilla marketing' and heavy trash-talking was quite common back then—even more brutal than the famous 'Cola Wars' between Pepsi and Coca-Cola. It’s a far cry from today’s climate; if PlayStation tried a stunt like that now, Nintendo would likely hit them with a massive lawsuit

If Nintendo were to see that commercial today, they’d likely just smile and hold up a copy of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy on the Nintendo Switch. It would leave PlayStation speechless, as Crash has long since ceased to be a PlayStation exclusive. Even more ironic is the fact that Activision, the current owner of the Crash Bandicoot IP, has been acquired by Microsoft. If this ad were aired today, it would be like rubbing salt in PlayStation’s wounds—a complete backfire. It's as if the joke they played on Nintendo in the past has come back to haunt them, leaving Nintendo with the last laugh

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