There can be no doubt that videogames are as integrated into our societal mainstream as Mom’s apple pie and political mud-slinging. As if there wasn’t enough proof, try this one on for size. EA and Nissan have announced another first for our favorite industry. Nissan will publicly introduce their 2009 370Z sportscar to the public at large through a videogame. The game given the honors is EA’s Need for Speed: Undercover.

GameDaily.com reported on the announcement. Christian Meunier, VP for Nissan Marketing stated, “Our relationship with EA has been instrumental in bringing the Nissan brand to a passionate and unique audience. By launching the all-new 2009 Nissan Z first through Need for Speed Undercover, we also gain the spirit and energy that EA gamers experience so strongly. Together with EA, we have truly integrated the all-new 370Z in the overall game experience in a meaningful, multi-layered and profound way.”

Corporate suit speak aside, this isn’t the first time that the automotive industry has been affected by videogames and gamers. If memory serves, part of the decision to bring Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution stateside was it’s placement in, and preference by game players of Sony’s Gran Turismo (I found an 07 blog on AdLab.com that backed up what my brain remembered). This is just the first time where an auto manufacturer and a game publisher have jointly introduced a new product to public via a videogame. While I’m opting for the 2010 Camaro, instead of the new Z, I think this joint marketing effort between Nissan and EA is awesome.

This post started out a simple post with little in it but the more I read about this boycott, the more I wanted to put in here. Joystiq and Kotaku (among others I’m sure) were not completely happy with the boycott. Kotaku said that it did nothing and Joystiq said it wasn’t necessary to boycott because if you don’t want the game, then don’t buy it. I disagree I don’t think that others should be punished just because I don’t want to buy a game. Yes, not buying a game is the loudest message a company can receive but I also think that the boycott was good because, A: I still don’t have to buy the game if I don’t want to, and B: the people that do buy the game aren’t going to be screwed out of a few dollars because we didn’t stand up for ourselves.

Now, back to the story that started all this, according to this article from Sarcastic Gamer, Kotaku thinks that the boycott was a “hollow victory.” Apparently, Kotaku thinks they are the Major Nelson (aka spinmaster) for EA. Also, here is the link to the story that Joystiq ran about thinking the boycott was pointless.

And just in case you missed the interview from IGN that had EA’s surrender in it, here it is.

EA is up to their normal ways again with screwing gamers out of money. This time it just happens to be European gamers who are getting the sandpaper bath towel. Ea is charging the equivalent of US$348 to buy the Rock Band bundle. There isn’t even a “bundle” but rather a package that comes with the instruments and then you have to buy the game separately. I think this is crazy because it is double what the US gamers had to pay. Would you buy Rock Band for $348? I wouldn’t. Sorry Europe. The story came from Eurogamer.net