The history of video games is full of unusual and peculiar events. Endless developments, surreal bugs, intriguing design choices, urban legends that come true, and marketing campaigns that challenge consumers (or not).
Everything you can imagine has happened in the world of gaming, and probably even worse. To reflect on the bizarre things that have happened in the gaming world, here is a compilation of three of the most scandalous cases that turned video games into something very, very strange.
After all, in a way, that’s when the fun really kicks in. So now, let’s explore the hidden, surreal world that lurks behind the scenes of video games and their bizarre stories.
1. “What’s your name? Ranoldo”
For nearly three decades, “Pro Evolution Soccer” (PES), originally known as “International Superstar Soccer,” has been a tough competitor to FIFA.
However, in the toughest battle PES lost: it had a significant challenge in dealing with restrictions on access to official licenses from renowned organizations like UEFA, which limited its ability to use real team and player names.
While some people might expect them to be content with creating fictional leagues, Konami, the studio responsible for developing PES, has adopted a rather unique strategy, let’s say.
This is because they chose to create names that were similar enough to be recognizable, but different enough to avoid potential legal complications and litigation.
Thus, players such as Butatista, Naldorinho, Ranoldo, Ruud von Mistelroum and Ziderm, as well as notable stadiums such as Blue Bridge or Trad Brick Stadium, came to life in the world of “Pro Evolution Soccer”.
Amazing teams like Merseyside Red, London FC or AR Burgundy Blue also offer an exciting experience for players. After all, who needs to play with Messi when you can control the legendary Roberto Larcos?
Despite receiving much criticism and being the butt of jokes, the Pro Evolution Soccer series continues to delight football fans, offering a unique and entertaining approach, even in the face of licensing challenges.
2. The subway car head from ‘Fallout 3’
In some cases, certain things are challenging to accomplish in a video game. They require a considerable amount of memory and work, and can cause unexplained crashes in certain parts of the game.
And this is particularly true when dealing with games of large scale and complexity, like those from Bethesda.
In the game “Fallout 3”, released in 2008, developers faced difficulties when trying to create a functional subway system, due to the complexity of its systems and the vast size of the map.
However, they found an ingenious solution to get around this limitation. Instead of creating a fully functional subway train, they introduced a non-playable character with a subway car as a head.
This way, this character would travel around the map, simulating the presence of a fully functioning subway, without being noticed by the players. A beautiful, but bizarre, creative solution.
3. The Secret Cow Wars from Another Dimension
Some urban legends in the gaming world come true because the developers themselves have a sense of humor that resonates with the wildest fantasies of gamers. That’s exactly what happened with “Diablo II,” the renowned game developed by Blizzard.
When “Diablo” was released in 1996, many players began spreading rumors about the existence of a secret level, known as the “Cow Level,” in which a group of evolved cows transformed into warrior cows and sought to kill players.
However, in the original game, the cows were there, but they simply mooed and behaved like normal cows. But like everything that is bizarre in the industry, the developers at “Blizzard”, with a great sense of irony and humor, decided to embrace this idea.
Then, in “Diablo II,” released in 2000, they added the ability to open a portal to the so-called “Cow Level” by combining a specific set of items. This allowed players to enter the eccentric Cow Dimension.
There, a vast meadow was home to bipedal cows wielding halberds, known as Hell Bovines, who attacked players under the leadership of the powerful Cow King.
While they were challenging opponents, these deadly bovines left behind exceptional items and resources, making the “Cow Level” a popular destination for high-level players.
So what started as a rumor became one of the most visited locations in the history of Blizzard games, and Blizzard knew how to recognize an opportunity to be creative.