This ‘sexy’ PS4 commercial is actually so offensive that Sony had to pull it

Sony has published a new PlayStation 4 ad on its European PlayStation channel, but pulled it rather fast (technically, the ad is listed as private) after realizing the commercial can be perceived as quite offensive to a certain group of gamers. The ad — which is still available on YouTube, as it has been quickly reposted by others — features an attractive female doctor who seems to suggest the viewer has been “furiously masturbating,” as Business Insider puts it.

“I bet you’ve already done it today. Or are you afraid you’re doing it too often? In your bedroom under the blankets? Or perhaps you prefer the kitchen or the toilet? Or do you like it in the garden?” the doctor in the short clip says.

However, the ad is supposed to highlight a PS4 feature called Remote Play that lets users play games anywhere on the PS Vita and Xperia Z, but Sony chose to revert to some old cliches to transmit the message.

Not that it makes things any better, but Sony isn’t the only company that used sex innuendo to promote gaming. A 2010 ad from Xbox 360 also claimed that “everyone is doing it,” but the approach was slightly different (that commercial is also embedded below, after Sony’s PS4 ad).

Sony’s commercial ends with a “this is for the players” message, as seen in the image above, though it’s likely not all of Sony’s potential customers will be flattered by it.