Conan O’Brien Beats Up Fantasy Cosplayers in Bonkers Ads for Mobile Game

Conan O’Brien is so pumped about the new mobile fantasy roleplaying game Lineage 2: Revolution that he just might burst right out of your flat screen to tell you about it.

A new series of ads from game publisher Netmarble and Hungry Man director Bryan Buckley feature the late-night TV host.

In one, he climbs out of his sports car at a Comic-Con style convention, explaining that as a rich person with too much time and aggravation on his hands, he likes to literally assault people who are in fantasy costume. Before long, he’s punching out and dropkicking attendees, before expressing his relief that Lineage 2: Revolution, an iOS and Android MMORPG set in the same world as an earlier PC game, will allow him to get out his rage, anytime, anywhere.

In another, slightly more surreal ad, a couple of young dudes sit in a living room playing some console game when O’Brien literally crashes his entire body through the TV (where apparently he actually does live) onto the floor in front of them.

After introducing himself as “the world’s greatest gamer,” he dismisses their protests—arguing that a large display is obsolete, thanks to the new title he’s hawking.

Before long, he takes off—to dive through the next TV, somehow.

A third, behind-the-scenes ad offers a look at the “making of” the convention ad, while Conan delivers Christopher Guest style mock interviews, sassing the camera and offering his services as a tech support agent, easily reachable on an island in the South Pacific.

Overall, it’s a funny approach, with some real chuckle-worthy absurdist gems. “This game, Lineage 2: Revolution, has taught me a very important lesson about life,” deadpans O’Brien (who hosts a regular segment on his show called Clueless Gamer). “If you ever are confused, or don’t know what to do, find the nearest person next to you, and attack them.”

If the campaign seems to condone violence, it’s probably worth factoring in both the cartoonish tone of it, and the fact that gaming audiences often don’t want to be treated too preciously. A number of comments on the YouTube page for the “Conan beats up fantasy characters” video trash the game itself, while praising the ad.

“Horrible game but good ad,” says one, with 119 up votes, in the kind of review no marketer ever wants to read.

CREDITS
Conaco
Executive Producer: Jeff Ross
Head Writer: Mike Sweeney

Netmarble
Senior Marketing Manager: Joon Yoon
CEO: Simon Sim
Head of Global Marketing, Mani Shim
Marketing Manager, Minsun Kim
Marketing Manager, William Brinkman

Hungry Man
Director: Bryan Buckley
Managing Partner / Executive Producer: Kevin Byrne
Executive Producer / Partner: Mino Jarjoura
Executive Producer: Dan Duffy
Executive Producer / Head of Production: Jacki Sextro,
Executive Producer: Caleb Dewart
Producer: Rick Jarjoura
Production Supervisor: Mike O’Connor

Exile Edit
Editor: Kirk Baxter
Head of Production: Jennifer Locke
Senior Producer: Remy Foxx

The Mill
Senior Producer/LA: Anastasia Von Rohl