Penny Arcade Gives Away DS Intended for Charity

Jan. 6 1:06 PM by Lynxara

The guys at Penny Arcade are as close to a legitimate fifth column as the gaming community has, quick to call out press and publishers alike for bad behavior. Like Thomas Nast, but with more scatological humor.

It was inevitable that when EA sent them a new-in-package DS along with a copy of Orcs & Elves, they quickly savaged the extravagant gift in a strip.

Problem: the DS wasn't meant for them at all. However, they didn't open or closely examine the packaging.

We actually sent that DS away as a prize in Gabriel's revolting cookie contest this morning, and pawing through the entrails of the box we found an absolutely genuine letter of support for both the site and for the mission of the charity. ... This was not some vile and crass manipulator. He wasn't trying to fly me out to gay Paris. He used his position to secure something incredible for the charity, and believed that I would be literate enough to read the enclosed letter. He was wrong.

I blame all the companies that would send out ridiculous pseudo-bribe swag like that for this, myself.