Splinter Cell: Conviction promotion in NZ involves fake shooting, real police @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on April 19, 2010

News: So this is why toy guns have to be painted orange.

A promotion for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction in New Zealand started with a fake gunfight and ended with the real police getting called.

According to the New Zealand Herald:

About 20 revellers drinking outside Degree bar dived for cover after the promotions worker threatened them with a black imitation pistol about 8pm on Friday.

Witnesses said they heard someone shout "he's got a gun" and outdoor drinkers dived behind their tables.

Degree manager Steph Kurtovich said: "This guy with bandages on his hands pointed a gun at customers sitting outside. They were pretty terrified."

The police were called and the man, actually an actor hired by promotors, was detained while officers determined the gun was a fake.

It's common in the US for toy guns to be painted bright orange or to include an orange cap at the tip of the barrel. It sounds like the gun brandished by the actor didn't include any kind of bright coloring.

Ubisoft in New Zealand had contracted the promotion of Sam Fisher's latest game to the Monaco Corporation who then subcontracted this particular stunt to another, unnamed, marketing company.

One thing's for sure, this made EA's marketing efforts for Dante's Inferno look downright normal.