Sure, why would you shoot at your own car? But when it comes to the Porsche, Resident Evil 9 really takes us by the hand.
Product placements in games often raise a smile. Twenty years ago, Sam Fisher popped his Airwaves gum into his mouth before going into action, because nothing disrupts military operations as much as bad breath. And today? Porsche!
Porsche has been making a more prominent appearance in the gaming world for a few years now – even beyond racing games. In Cyberpunk 2077, Porsche provided the only officially licensed car in the entire game, and in the trailer for Naughty Dog’s new sci-fi game Intergalactic, you even cruise through space in a Porsche spaceship!
And in Resident Evil Requiem, powerhouse Leon naturally also relies on a vehicle from Stuttgart. In corresponding blog post by Porsche, it is described in authentic gamer language:
In Resident Evil Requiem, players accompany Leon S. Kennedy on his risky investigations in a mysterious environment. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is the ideal vehicle for this. The performance, design, and appearance of the Cayenne Turbo GT reflect the determination and unmistakable style of the protagonist.
Now the community has discovered that the Porsche is subject to very special rules in the game, because the car has plot armor. In Resi 9, you can shoot pretty much anything that moves, but not Leon’s car:
Can’t aim at the Porsche
by
u/SilentBread in
ResidentEvilRequiem
Of course, this raises the question of why you would shoot your own car, but back then, a logical “why” didn’t stop you from locking your butler in the freezer in Tomb Raider, so don’t give us that now!
Damage models are a delicate matter
In fact, the indestructibility of licensed cars is a tradition in the gaming world. Vehicle manufacturers often refuse to grant a license for racing games because they want to avoid their products being portrayed as destructible. After all, it’s all about image. The same applies to illegal activities, street racing, or illegal tuning. What we dismiss as silly nonsense in the game is not so funny for some car companies.
It comes as no surprise that Porsche is also keeping a close eye on Resident Evil Requiem to ensure that its cars are shown in the best possible light. The whole thing is part of an extensive advertising campaign via social media Leon S. Kennedy is even being given driving lessons.
Incidentally, Porsche already has a 40-year history in gaming. The first licensed appearance of a Porsche car was in the 1988 Taito racing game Chase H.Q., an action racer featuring car chases. However, most of us had our first encounter with the aptly named Need for Speed: Porsche in 2000.
Porsche isn’t the only prominent collaboration in Resident Evil Requiem. Leon wears a very special watch from the manufacturer Hamilton. The guy really knows how to get effective sponsorship.
