Part of Square Enix USA’s marketing strategy for Final Fantasy XIII is “prominent exposure” during the 2010 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
Final Fantasy XIII will be featured on the court and on ESPN, which is broadcasting the game on network TV this Friday. Fans of basketball and transforming hot rod cars can play demo the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII at the show.
What does the NBA have to say about the partnership? “Final Fantasy is a storied brand in the videogame category and this partnership will bring an exciting new element to this year’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game,” said Mark Tatum, NBA Executive Vice President of Marketing Partnerships. “A good portion of our fanbase overlaps with the young, videogame-playing audience, so it is a natural fit for us to partner with a leading franchise like Final Fantasy around one of our marquee All-Star events.”
Sega tried a similar partnership this year with Bayonetta where the game presented Ultimate Fighting Championship 108. Wonder if the extra exposure truly broadens the audience and leads to more sales or not.
