2010’s World of Tanks gets a Super Bowl ad while upcoming Sony, EA, and Microsoft blockbusters don’t

The Super Bowl is one of those rare events that still attracts a live television audience of tens of millions of people, and that continues to make it a massive venue for gaming publishers to tell people about their games. Only it’s the free-to-play game makers on mobile, console, and PC that actually drop the cash to buy these spots.

World of Tanks publisher Wargaming spent an estimated $5 million to market its free-to-play vehicle-based shooter during the Super Bowl. World of Tanks is one of the top-grossing free-to-play games on PC and console, and it relies on constantly bringing in new players. The ads are parodies of other television commercials and shows, with one aping the style of a Viagra ad and another that mimics the kind of promo you’d see for a property-buying show. These ads always end with a giant tank busting onto the set and interrupting the action.