Flush with success from its last Soulcalibur V ad starring Ivy’s massive, uh, weapons, Namco has released a new ad for the upcoming sequel that demonstrates the female fighter’s other notable asset. No, we’re not being subtle, but neither is Namco in this image from Famitsu:
Yup. There it is; Ivy’s chain-sword. You can kind of see it peaking out at the top right and then snaking in from the left over a giant honking image of her butt.
As a commenter at Kotaku points out, even the poster’s ad copy reflects Namco’s cheeky theme. The words “series” and “masterpiece” have been written in a way that can be interpreted as Japanese words for “butt”, essentially calling the next iteration of Soulcalibur a “mASSterpiece”, and totally stealing our idea for a headline in the process.
Ridiculously proportioned women are (sadly) a staple of the industry, but this campaign literally puts Ivy’s features front and center. What do you make of Namco’s marketing strategy? Silly fun or pointlessly crude?