When Formula 1's Singapore Grand Prix kicks off on Sunday, among the sea of Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes sponsorships will be Metaphor: ReFantazio. Indeed, Atlus and Studio Zero's upcoming Japanese role-playing game will cross over into the motorsports world in the form of a visible sponsorship on two vehicles.
According to a press release, Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen of the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team will have their vehicles adorned with Metaphor's logo on the nose. More specifically, Hülkenberg’s car will have the in-game companion Hulkenberg and Magnussen’s will have the game's protagonist.
Metaphor is making all the changes Persona 6 won't be able to make.
The real-life Hülkenberg sharing a name with a character in the game is precisely the backstory behind this sponsorship.
Irvin Ducournau, director of marketing at Atlus, said in the press release, “Overcoming fear and anxiety is a central theme in Metaphor: ReFantazio, and being featured on the racecars of Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen — drivers known for defying the impossible — perfectly mirrors our game, where players beat the odds in their chase for the crown in the Royal Tournament."
Somehow, though, when the race happens, Metaphor and F1...