As videogame quasi-journalists (or whatever category it is you'd like to put us in), we often get quite a bit of a random videogame schwag. 90% of this garba-- uh, awesome pieces of schwag, are articles of clothing. I recently donated 80 pounds of extra large t-shirts that don't fit me to the Salvation Army. Most featured logos and art from videogames like Donkey Kong, Devil May Cry, Grand Theft Auto, Prince of Persia, Ninja Gaiden, Killzone, God of War, Gears of War ... you get the idea.
So while I don't need this stuff, Sony Computer Entertainment America are hoping you will, and are launching a new line of apparel and accessories for various PlayStation brand games franchises. Listed in the press release (which you can see after the jump) are titles like God of War, Ratchet & Clank, Resistance, Heavenly Sword, and the upcoming Little Big Planet. Sony are promising t-shirts, headwear, hoodies, bags, and even boxers and "loungewear," whatever the hell that means.
Videogame apparel is not a new industry, with many licensed products being sold by Nintendo and others through online outlets and brick-and-mortar retailers like Hot Topic. Let's hope that Sony's partners (IV Gear Inc., Fortune Fashions, Bioworld, and MJC) can develop and design interesting products that look less like advertisements, and more like something a human being might want to wear.
SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LAUNCHES NEW LICENSED APPAREL PROGRAM
Companies Work Together to Showcase Top PlayStation® franchise titles
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA) today announces four new industry leaders in apparel and accessory licenses for the PlayStation® brand and various game franchises, including God of War®, Ratchet & Clank®, Resistance Fall of Man®, Heavenly Sword™ and Little Big Planet™. IV Gear Inc. will develop an extensive line of t-shirts, headwear and other apparel for the specialty and mid-tier market. Fortune Fashions will also focus on the mid-tier market as well as mass retail channels for t-shirts and hoodies. Bioworld will produce headwear, bags and accessories. MJC will round out the program with boys and young men's boxers and loungewear.
“PlayStation is an extremely strong and well-known brand” said Shelly Gayner, Director of Licensing, SCEA. “We feel that this is a great opportunity for us to satiate our core fans and extend and capitalize on PlayStation name recognition by creating a new line of apparel in connection with the PlayStation brands and our top franchise titles.”
John Leonhardt, President of Dimensional Branding Group, who is leading the DBG PlayStation licensing team, adds, “With the addition of this diverse roster of creative and passionate apparel partners this marks the initiation of PlayStation as one of the most innovative and cutting edge licensing programs.”
I will keep that in mind. I had considered randomly sending community members all of this crap I have, but some of the shirts I've worn to bed. I'm not sure you guys want my used stuff. Or do you!?!?
“This T-shirt was worn by Nick Chester, Editor-in-Chief of Destructoid.com. It is soaked with a variety of his bodily fluids.”
I guarantee it’ll sell for at least $50.
Possibly, I'm sure some shirts will make it into the hands of the homeless and that's a good thing. But I know the salvation army has thrift stores around here where they sell this stuff, then the money would go for other stuff they need.
If the shirts looked like something I'd like to wear I'd consider it. While a t-shirt with mario on it would be cool to some but I'm not 12 so getting a t-shirt with a cartoon character on it doesn't interest me in the least. Its hard to hit on a chick at a bar with a cartoon Italian sterotype on your shirt. =P
Love you, Nick.
You wear shirts to bed? Try sleeping nekid, I highly recommend it. It will save shirts and liberate you. Then with the shirts you've managed to save you can send them to the community.
Just sayin'.