PlayStation's fictitious and unfeasibly versatile Vice President, Kevin Butler (aka actor Jerry Lambert) has lent his face to the marketing campaign behind the new ModNation Racers video game that comes out on May 25 (May 21 in the EU).
The popular Kevin Butler character started off as a spoof of and counter to Sony's austere image, portrayed as a big-headed buffoon who was constantly changing job-titles in order to stay relevant.
His presence also dovetails with PlayStation's initiative to ask genuine video game developers to try their hand at ModNation Racers' track creation mode. Staff from Insomniac Games and Sucker Punch Productions have weighed in with their interpretations of Ratchet & Clank and Infamous respectively - though both studios are independent, their output is steadily focused on the PlayStation platform.
In contrast with their professional knowledge, Butler's fat-headed nonsense provides some light relief - until Sony Computer Entertainment's real life CEO Jack Tretton steps in to trade put-downs and show him who's boss.
There is also a brief allusion to the much-delayed flagship title Gran Turismo 5, like ModNation a PlayStation 3 exclusive, leading to further speculation that a definitive announcement will be made during June's E3 industry conference.
The month of May has turned out to be unusually busy with regards to high-profile entries to video games' motor racing genre.
Split Second is an excuse to take high-powered supercars, pickups, and muscle cars through unique locations that are rigged with explosives in a vision of motorsport reinterpreted through the lens of a Hollywood blockbuster.
Blur's focus is more on the thrill and speed of street racing, featuring a fleet of licensed brands combined with collectible power weapons that can shove opponents out of the way.
Both the above are multi-platform endeavors, available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, while Sony will no doubt be pleased that TrackMania Wii, which is a similarly family-friendly title with a track creation mode all of its own, has had its release date shifted to September.
Link: Kevin Butler's Artist Spotlight on YouTube
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