As an American, I know very little about soccer (for simplicity’s sake, that’s what I’m going to call it). Most of my closest friends played the sport when they were kids — even the uncoordinated nerds — but I spent ten years playing (read: sucking at) my favorite sport, baseball. But soccer is the biggest sport in the world once you leave the United States, and I don’t blame Mad Catz for trying to capitalize on that in the European market.
So Mad Catz, maker of crappy controllers for nearly two decades, will be bringing you soccer-themed videogame stuff! According to Gameinfowire.com, Mad Catz Europe, Ltd. has licensed Arsenal FC’s logos and such for “customized videogame controllers and other accessories” in a multi-year agreement. The list of stuff that will be branded with the Arsenal crest (see header image above) includes controllers, faceplates, “Console Skinz”, and carrying cases for the PS3, 360, Wii, PS2, PSP, and DS.
Again, I don’t know anything about specific teams, but from some quick reading, I gathered that Arsenal FC is one of the most successful soccer franchises in England, and they’ve been around for a very long time as well. So would I be correct in my analogy that Arsenal FC are like the Yankees of English soccer? I’ll leave it up to Destructoid’s British readers to confirm or refute that. All I’ll say is this: I’m a huge Yankee fan, but I’d never buy a third-party controller with the team’s logo plastered all over it. Would you?
[via Gameinfowire.com — Thanks, Jonathan!]
Contest:
2:44 PM on 04.10.2008
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I'm with Samit on this. No. Hell no.
This really isn't new, I've seen other teams with their logo on controllers, just like here in the states (I lived in Manchester for 4 years).
I wouldn't compare them to the yankees, from what I've heard from friends, the Yankees are a bunch of whiney pricks, and so are their fans. That would be Chelsea.
The best find of any Sports team?
Why that'd be the Manchester United Gameboy!
I was really pulling for the Gunners this week though, Liverpool didn't deserve that win :'(
If he had the chance to buy PS2 controllers that were Dolphin-related, he'd be on those like Sally Struthers on a box of Twinkies.
Oh and I need to remind everyone that Canada prevented Mexico's men and women soccer teams from making the Olympics :D. Woo! (although it does create a conflict since I'm half-Canadian/half-Mexican ahaha).
Still wouldn't buy a shitty branded controller tho'.
Course, Rodriguez draws more parallel to Christiano Ronaldo-- both are completely dominating their respective leagues, even though neither is particularly super-old.
Me, Im a Mets/Spurs fan, I guess. Although I'm mostly watching KC, Seattle, Cincinnati, and Milwaukee this year.
That could be said about so many English teams, tell me who the biggest names that come to mind when you think of Chelsea, surely you've got Lampard and Terry, but all of the other big names are from all over Europe (Ballack, Shev etc.), at least Arsenal has a good English Youth player (Theo Walcott?)
Hell, look at United, the biggest player is clearly Cristiano Ronaldo, and he's Portuguese.
Liverpool is all about Torres, and Babel, and they're sure as hell not English (Gerrard is an underworker, I don't care what you damn pool fans say)
It's just part of the sport, and I really see nothing wrong with it, you build a team to build a team, not to strengthen the national team as many English people like to tell me.
I agree about liverpool and man u lacking however, but you know, theo and hoyte don't really compare to rooney, gerrard, carragher, ferdinand etc just yet.
But hey ichigo! i'm just saying, it's just been talked about lately since the england squad are pants lately, i like arsenal.
@Ichigo Style
Gerrard and underworker? WTF are you talking about? Liverpool all about Torres and Babel? No way son. Only in the last game maybe. You should go back to soccerschool and do some homework. There are more than enough matches that will show you why Gerrard is a damn good and dedicated player.
@Ichigo Style
Gerrard and underworker? WTF are you talking about? Liverpool all about Torres and Babel? No way son. Only in the last game maybe. You should go back to soccerschool and do some homework. There are more than enough matches that will show you why Gerrard is a damn good and dedicated player.
I'm probably not getting this one though. But make a United one and I'll think about it.
Ha! I don't think a lot of us would give balanced views either way.
Haha, I'm not coming after you or anything :P It just feels like there are too many people who think that the english league should only have English players, which is kind of ridiculous. I'm a United Supporter, through and through, but Arsenal has been a wonder to watch this season, and I hope they step it up next season even more to give Ronaldo and the Red Devils an even closer title challenge!
Takashi
I hate Liverpool and their supporters, so that's my oppinion, win the Premier League before you call any of that team achievers of anything, Milan has won the champions league a whole bunch of times, we still think that they're a joke in the domestic league in Italy.
The domestic league takes a lot more consistency to win than the CL, and so far, Gerrard has not impressed me, I won't respect 'Pool until they go out and win something other than the CL, and I fear that won't happen until Benitez leaves, I fear. A team as "great" as 'Pool shouldn't be fighting for 4th in the domestic league... United is a good example of that, they're solid this season on those big European Nights, and in England. Liverpool, they got lucky in Istanbul, against an aging Milan, meh.
I respect your opinion (with one 'P' this is Samit's blog you know :D). I don't think this blog is the right place to start a soccer discussion. We'll never agree on this subject. But we might agree on one thing. The English Premier League is one of the best and most attractive leagues in the world.
yuck, somebody is a spurs fan here?
I wouldnt buy a branded pad unless it had an awesome D-Pad!!(360 owner)