“A deal struck between Sims publisher Electronic Arts and the fastfood mega-corporation allows Sims players to open up their own McDonald’s kiosk and improve their game stats by consuming McD’s greasy goodies. While news of this groundbreaking sponsorship deal fades quickly from memory, failure to address this latest barrage in the war on ad-free gaming could result in a super-sized sandwich of misery. Based on the success of previous Sims offerings, The Sims Online is an ideal high-profile backdrop in the war against ‘advergaming.'” Tony Walsh

—Big Mac AttackedAlterNet)

Of Walsh’s suggestions for ways to combat the inevitable commercial colonization of virtual environments, I like this the best: “Actually order and consume virtual McD’s food, then use The Sims Online’s ‘expressive gestures’ in creative ways. Lie down and play dead. Emote the vomiting, sickness, or fatigue that might overcome you after eating a real life McNugget.”