Today, on what must obviously be an incredibly slow news day, Microsoft has come under fire for BLATANT THEFT, shamelessly stealing the music that was 100% totally invented for LittleBigPlanet. This incalculable controversy has swept up the gaming blogs in such a whirlwind of confusion that the videogame industry may never recover.
On a more serious note, Go Team's "Get It Together" is a song that existed long before LittleBigPlanet came along, and has been a staple in commercials and television trailers for years. I had heard "Get It Together" long before LittleBigPlanet existed, as it's been used to promote all sorts of things, at least in Britain. That Microsoft would use it for an advert may be a tiny bit notable for we hardcore gamers and fanboys looking to start a fight, but it's not that big a deal.
If you're going to kick up a fuss every time someone "copies" LittleBigPlanet over the use of its licensed, non-copyrighted music, you'll be here for a very long time. LBP uses music that has been in all manner of commercials and TV shows. Most of its tunes are recognizable to me from other forms of entertainment. I'm guessing that's why Media Molecule chose to use the tunes it did -- they've long been established as good background tracks.
Nevertheless, people have been quick to call this "theft," and get into arguments about it. Just check out the comments to the Youtube video of the commercial, contained after the jump.
I doubt that the chaps who put this MS ad together have even heard of LittleBigPlanet, let alone tried to rip the game off. Show me a Sackboy in an Xbox advert, and then we can talk.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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If I heard a muzak version of this song in an elevator, I would think LBP.
If M$ is using it, fine, but I doubt they want people distracted from whatever the message of this commercial was supposed to be...something with wires... and an xbox live logo... I don't know, but I have the strangest urge to fire up my PS3 and smack little stuffed people in the mouth.
it's not theft, nor that big of a deal, but Microsoft knew exactly what they were doing when they picked that song. It's a cool song, but it would have been smarter for them to pick a song that would distinguished themselves from little big planet. I mean, what would people be saying if Killzone 2 had a commercial with that "mad world" song?
This song is everywhere. Actually, I remember reading an Interview where go team said they refused to have their song in a coke commercial because they didn't want to sell out. Yeah... Right.
And now, my humble submission for Fanboy Friday, courtesy of erok8150's brilliant analysis of that YouTube clip (I've bolded my favorite part):
"thank you god.
out of the crowd of IDIOTS one guy GETS IT.
everyone here should just carry
ihavemoneyinthebank on that thing that Xerxes Rode on in 300 while Supermodels feed him grapes As the startled humanity looks on because he was the only one who got the IRONY of this video.
clearly this is the REACTION Microsoft wanted to elicit from the mindless Sony drones and it worked.
we've taken ALL of your exclusives, now we'll take your Music Too. i LOVE IT."
Why must fans of a particular console refer to a company as "we?" It makes me want to cry.
It might be conceivably douchey that they used that song, but I'm far more annoyed and offended by the fact that the video says "Connect for free" near the end. That's technically true, you CAN connect to some watered-down semblance of XBL for free, but given the context in which it appears in the vid, that might be one of the most misleading things I've ever seen in an advertisement.
Well it may not be theft, but lets think about this, if it was the other way around and Sony did it, you guys would be flipping over desks and swinging from chandeliers over this. And that's what I find funny.
@forgot my password and people saying it reminds you of LBP. Yes it does, but what about people who haven't heard of it? I have personally, but people who haven't when picking up LBP might think the music's from this advert. Hihgly unlikely though.
@Genius, I'm guessing you mean that Sony get the bad end of things more, am I right? Just wondering as wasn't sure. If so, I agree.
wtf they mean with this? free trial? are they straight up lying to the audience that XBL is free? is XBL now Free? do you guys no longer have to pay the yearly pay?
Why are they subliminally using a song that is used by Media Molecule for the PS3 game (you know they would have never used this song if LBP didnt use it for their game, they would have used Ricky Martin's "Living la vida Loca") and then mention "Connect for Free" ?
is this their form to fight back sony's ad: "FREE PSN" ? cause if it is, then I think its pretty low and shady.
I agree, but that is still very ballsy of Microsoft. In whatever context that song was used beforehand, and god knows I've heard it enough, it became pretty iconic for Sony and LBP. I don't think they made a wise decision using this song. They should have just used "Take Me Out" like everyone else in the world.
What Topher said. Part of me thinks that this was a stunt to get the fanboys in a tizzy over a song used in an advertisement. Nothing drums up sales and industry buzz like a little rage right? I haven't heard the song before it was used in LBP, but its not solely Sony's property as they didn't make the song themselves. Balsy by Microsoft for sure since it has been widely used for LBP in many commercials, but really nothing to get upset over, but I know there are people that will. I'm more concerned with what Topher brought up, the whole "free" thing at the end.
I wouldn't call this Theft, because Media molecule don't own the rights of this song. Although in my opinion the song worked tons better with Littlebigplanet, this didn't at all
What? There are lots of other thematically similar Go! Team songs they could have used and this is the one they went with? The one that defined Little Big Planet? I'm not even saying they stole it, I'm just saying there are certain associations that song draws up in the video game community. Don't they have a team of people whose jobs are to make sure this DOESN'T happen?
I think this is less a story about how MS used a song that LBP used, and more "lol archaic". I mean, those were fucking CRT TVs in that display supposed to be representing the innernet! Come ON!
Out of millions of songs to choose from, they choose what is basically considered the theme song of one of PS3's best game. It's not theft, but it's certainly blatant douchebaggery. But, Microsoft isn't really known for being original.
This is probably marketed at people who arent gamers so maybe they won't know little big planet but that is poor choice.
I watched an episode of Rex the Runt that had that music in it and instantly though of LBP
And yet this song has been used in other games and other advertisements before, but I guess LittleBigPlanet has a monopoly on that song because everybdoy knows about it, right?
Also, XBL is technically free if you have silver membership.
Haha... I hate to hear that song in an Xbox commercial though. It just doesn't feel right without a bunch of Sack people running around, grabbing on shit.
Haha... I hate to hear that song in an Xbox commercial though. It just doesn't feel right without a bunch of Sack people running around, grabbing on shit.
I *love* The Go! Team. 'Milk Crisis' is one of my most favorite songs EVAR.
Good on Microsoft, giving them more exposure. That being said, it is pretty heavily associated with LBP at this point - it may not have been the wisest marketing choice. At least considering the obvious shit-storm it would cause.
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Contest:
1:40 PM on 08.06.2009
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Jim, you need to join us for FNF's :P
♪"كل نفس ذائقة الموت" ("kollo nafsin tha'iqatol mawt", literally: 'Every soul shall have the taste of death').
"كل من عليها فان" ("kollo man alaiha fan", literally: 'All that is on earth will perish')♪
Whoops! Wrong one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9CkA5fD4FE
If M$ is using it, fine, but I doubt they want people distracted from whatever the message of this commercial was supposed to be...something with wires... and an xbox live logo... I don't know, but I have the strangest urge to fire up my PS3 and smack little stuffed people in the mouth.
"thank you god.
out of the crowd of IDIOTS one guy GETS IT.
everyone here should just carry
ihavemoneyinthebank on that thing that Xerxes Rode on in 300 while Supermodels feed him grapes As the startled humanity looks on because he was the only one who got the IRONY of this video.
clearly this is the REACTION Microsoft wanted to elicit from the mindless Sony drones and it worked.
we've taken ALL of your exclusives, now we'll take your Music Too.
i LOVE IT."
Why must fans of a particular console refer to a company as "we?" It makes me want to cry.
Leaving satisfied.
I thought it was going to be 8 replies in. but man. I should lower my expectations.
when i saw this commercial all i thought about was lbp
Oh, and Go Team is cool.
@Genius, I'm guessing you mean that Sony get the bad end of things more, am I right? Just wondering as wasn't sure. If so, I agree.
That's kinda funny!
"CONNECT FOR FREE"
wtf they mean with this? free trial? are they straight up lying to the audience that XBL is free? is XBL now Free? do you guys no longer have to pay the yearly pay?
Why are they subliminally using a song that is used by Media Molecule for the PS3 game (you know they would have never used this song if LBP didnt use it for their game, they would have used Ricky Martin's "Living la vida Loca") and then mention "Connect for Free" ?
is this their form to fight back sony's ad: "FREE PSN" ? cause if it is, then I think its pretty low and shady.
Also, what Topher said.
microsoft = fail
pathetic
No one would be discussing this ad otherwise.
Also, people are idiots.
(Lies)
PLEASE MAKE YOUR THIRD ALBUM BETTER THAN PROOF OF YOUTH. THAT WAS TERRIBLE. I STILL LOVE YOU ALL. JUST STOP WITH THE MELLOW SHIT. THANKS.
DEAR LBP FANS,
HAHA. IT'S A COMMERCIAL. GET OUT. THANKS.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/luigilemonfa/microsofthasredsteelonsite.jpg
Why do I still have a picture from 2007? Because I'm a god damned fanboy (seriously i have no idea why I still have it...)
I watched an episode of Rex the Runt that had that music in it and instantly though of LBP
Also, XBL is technically free if you have silver membership.
Good on Microsoft, giving them more exposure. That being said, it is pretty heavily associated with LBP at this point - it may not have been the wisest marketing choice. At least considering the obvious shit-storm it would cause.