Destiny: The Taken King Commercials – USA vs. Japan

Activision will release Bungie’s Destiny: The Taken King expansion in both the United States and Japan (among other places), and while the content is the same, the advertising is quite different. Case in point, live action Taken King commercials currently playing in each country. Both emphasize Destiny’s co-op feature, but this is where similarities end. Watch both, then tell us which you prefer. 

The Taken King Commercial – USA

One player casually walks into Oryx’s Dreadnaught ship while chatting via microphone with his fire team. Suddenly the expansion’s new enemies, The Taken, appear; each creature splits into two aliens, further increasing the odds in their favor. No worries for the hero, who quickly disposes of his adversaries before his teammates arrive. It’s a microcosm of American action films, the one-man army battling a legion of warriors and coming out on top. His fire team is merely along for the ride. It’s Commando, when General Kirby and his soldiers show up after Arnold Schwarzenegger destroys a small country. Machismo personified. 

Now let’s see how things play out overseas.

The Taken King Commercial: Japan 

Whereas the USA ad shows off the Dreadnaught ship, the Japanese commercial takes place (in all places) a laundry mat.  A man clad in Guardian gear storms inside and launches into a powerfully motivating speech about the Darkness and its threat to humanity while two surprised people stare in disbelief.  In addition to the guy’s overly dramatic facial expressions, at one point he even screams into a washing machine. The commercial concludes with the other two actors asking if what he wants is to play a video game, to which he replies, yes.  Then we see footage of all three enjoying some Destiny. It’s in contrast to the American commercial where the one players does it all himself. In this one, the enthused Guardian realizes how important it is to work as a team and recruits.   

Personally we enjoyed the Destiny commercial from Japan, but let us know which is best. Then head to our walkthrough and guide for The Taken King.