Video game commercials are no new thing in the gaming industry, as they’ve been used to promote video games since the early days of console gaming. Nevertheless, sometimes games or consoles need a little marketing push to catch people’s attention. That’s where celebrity endorsements come in, helping advertise video games with star power.
Over the years, plenty of high-profile celebrities have starred in ad campaigns or commercials promoting various video games. While some showcase genuine celebrity gamers, others promote in-game brand deals and features. These ten commercials starring celebrities are the most memorable and by far the most effective in terms of promotion.
10 Brie Larson For Nintendo Switch
Brie Larson, known for her roles in Room and Short-Term 12, as well as her status as Captain Marvel in the MCU, hasn’t kept her love of video games a secret. Particularly during the first COVID-19 lockdown, Larson was active on social media showcasing her Animal Crossing: New Horizons town and campaigning to play Samus in a Metroid movie.
Nintendo capitalized on Larson’s love for Nintendo by featuring her in an ad for the Nintendo Switch later in 2020. In the ad, Larson spends her time in quarantine playing Fortnite, Ring Fit Adventure and visiting her friends’ islands in Animal Crossing. Odds are, this ad isn’t much different from how Larson’s days normally looked in 2020.
9 Annie Murphy For Nintendo Switch
As a follow-up to Larson’s Switch advertisements, the Emmy-winning Schitt’s Creek star Annie Murphy also showcased a day in her life as a Switch owner. The commercial opens on Murphy relishing in a rainy day, giving her the opportunity to stay inside and play her Switch. Just like Brie Larson’s commercial, some of Murphy’s favorite Switch titles are featured.
After starting her morning with Ring Fit Adventure, Murphy is defeated by her real-life mother in Clubhouse Games and enjoys a fun afternoon with Just Dance 2021. These types of celebrity endorsements show not only the limitless fun of Nintendo’s latest console but also how diverse its library of games is for any type of player, whether veteran or newcomer.
8 Keanu Reeves For Cyberpunk 2077
The 2020 action RPG Cyberpunk 2077 had a beloved ad campaign by fans. Keanu Reeves, who features in the game as an important in-game character, played a big role in promoting the game. In one iconic moment at E3 in 2019, a clip of Reeves calling the game’s expansive world “breathtaking” went viral after a fan heckled Reeves by calling him breathtaking, too.
Although the initial game’s release definitely didn’t live up to expectations, Reeves’ appearance in promotional ads was beloved by Internet users of all kinds. Reeves’ intense description of the action-packed game was worth the price of admission alone and perfectly captured the tone of the game many video game fans were excited to try out for themselves.
7 A Celebrity Line-Up For World Of Warcraft
For some games, one celebrity endorsement is simply not enough to capture their games’ energy. Leave it to World of Warcraft to recruit a surprising line-up of celebrities to show off their own characters in the MMORPG, albeit each promoting it with their own tone. Among them include Mr. T, Chuck Norris, Aubrey Plaza, Verne Troyer, and William Shatner.
Even the legendary Ozzy Osbourne appears in one of the ads, albeit his is more profanity-laden than anyone else’s. However, Aubrey Plaza’s is perhaps the standout, giving the type of energy fans of her Parks & Recreation character April Ludgate, will adore. It only makes us wonder if all these celebrities were ever part of the same guild at one point.
6 Beyonce For Rhythm Heaven
Rhythm Heaven isn’t Nintendo’s most popular franchise, though it was a huge success in Japan. In anticipation of the series’ success in the West with the first installment on Nintendo DS, the video game manufacturer recruited quite the celebrity cameo for their advertisements. That cameo was none other than Queen B herself, Beyonce.
In the commercial, a casually-dressed Beyonce lounges in a living room, playing the various Rhythm Heaven minigames on her Nintendo DS. Like many of Nintendo’s best ads, this commercial showcases the fun that could be had by players, even those as high-profile and busy as Beyonce. Plus, it’s iconic to see her impression of the Glee Club singers.
5 Sam Worthington & Jonah Hill For Call Of Duty
You’d be hard-pressed to find a team-up between Sam Worthington and Jonah Hill outside this promotional campaign for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. The advertisements take advantage of the first-person shooter’s online culture, featuring Worthington as the stoic veteran player and Hill as the clumsy “n00b” being carried through levels.
Despite their unlikely partnership, Worthington and Hill make great teammates during these commercials, which combine their live-action segments with in-game footage. Basketball star Dwight Howard also makes an appearance in the ad campaign as himself, which is scored by AC/DC music, making it the perfect encapsulation of the Call of Duty fandom.
4 Kate Upton For Game Of War
In a few cases, the advertisements may be more popular than the game they’re promoting. That’s certainly the case for supermodel Kate Upton’s series of ad campaigns for the mobile strategy MMO Game of War: Fire Age. Upton’s appearance in these ads as the goddess Athena was extensive, including a real-life appearance in her character’s costume.
The commercials first aired during NFL’s Thursday Night Football and were continuous many times until Upton was replaced as the game’s spokesperson by Mariah Carey. Still, Upton obviously attracted a lot of attention to the mobile game, mostly from male players, due to her obvious sex appeal. This likely led to Game of War‘s high gross upon its release.
3 Celebrity Therapy For God Of War
Given the recent release of God of War: Ragnarok in 2022, many video game fans may remember the celebrity ad campaign featuring Ben Stiller, John Travolta, and LeBron James. In the advertisement, Stiller leads a group therapy session for celebrity fathers and their children, albeit his obsession with God of War is apparent, as Stiller is dressed like Kratos.
While Travolta seems endearingly enthused about Stiller’s constant references to Kratos and God of War: Ragnarok, LeBron James does a good job playing straight man as the only one weirded out by their behavior. Nevertheless, it’s a triple pairing that one wouldn’t expect to see in a commercial for any video game, let alone one like God of War.
2 Pop Punk Stars For Band Hero
Speaking of unlikely celebrity pairings, Band Hero pulled out all the stops by assembling perhaps one of the best super-groups in popular music’s history. In the advertisement, based on the iconic dancing scene from Risky Business, Taylor Swift is joined by Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, and Travis Barker of blink-182 in her band.
The foursome turns their living room dance party into an arena show with Swift’s hit song “You Belong With Me,” promoting the appearance of Swift as a playable avatar in the game. Other avatars in the game include Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and the band No Doubt. While No Doubt protested its appearance in the game, Swift was heavily involved in its advertising.
1 Robin & Zelda Williams For Ocarina Of Time 3D
It’s a little-known fact that Zelda Williams, the daughter of legendary comedian Robin Williams, was named after The Legend of Zelda. In a tribute to this, the father-and-daughter duo appeared in an advertisement together for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, one of Nintendo’s launch titles for the Nintendo 3DS.
Not only is this one of the sweetest celebrity appearances in a video game commercial, but it marked the beginning of a long collaboration between Zelda Williams and Nintendo. The comedian’s daughter later made appearances at the London Zelda Symphony Concert in 2011, and she and her father also helped promote The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
