Sony Pictures UK has launched a Rambo Facebook Game as a cross promotion for the local release of the new Rambo movie.
John Rambo the Facebook App taps in to the growing mania for games on Facebook, complete with scoreboard and rankings. Users attack other users, and as they progress through levels users earn additional weapons. The app allows you to virtually punch any of your friends, for example Robert Scoble*, or kick Scoble, or shot him with a crossbow at the first level. Various levels present options such as shooting Scoble with an AK47 or even a Rocket Launcher. Wholesome family fun.
On one hand it’s a clever use of Facebook to promote a movie, and yet for some reason I feel like taking one of the weapons to myself for having even written this post, because I just know that I’m going to get even more “add this %#%^@$ Facebook app” requests on top of the 999 million I seemingly have in my inbox every day already. Happy shooting readers, happy shooting 
(*Scoble used for demonstration purposes only)
Why not TechCrunch makes an app to let your commenters crunch some company?
Is this what passes as news these days *sigh*
But I guess it’s a good way to get more money from your RSS Feed Adverts
Duncan,
Didn’t you get the memo? TC supports the Special Olympics and other charitable causes.
Why punch the disabled?
Hey Duncan, Leave Robert alone, I don’t think he can take a punch because lets face it hes pretty fragile at the moment(well he must be if a MS product can bring him to tears :p).
Robert Scoble is my hero
3 & 4
lol.
Lame
Gosh, if you are going to promote anything, let it be some small guy like me and my app instead of some billion dollar company who will see your traffic as a blip!
Have to admit, it looks more professional than most apps, love it and can’t wait for the film.
Lame facebook app. But the fact that you could punch Scoble is hilarious. Maybe those politicians could get their revenge from Davos.
I love how people always complain about how posts like this one are “lame” because they don’t feature the commenter’s generic Web 3.0 mashup widgetized ebiz startup company.
This is the first TechCrunch post I’ve clicked on in a couple of days precisely because it was funny and didn’t involve some horrible startup.
*grin* You don’t like Robert because he was able to break some stories sooner than you, muhahaha. Scoble is just a better blogger no matter how long you will virtually punch him.
I have a feeling this is going to lead to hundreds of “You’ve been punched by ____” notifications.
Thank god for the newly gifted ability to block apps.
Seriously Arrington? How much is Facebook paying you? What a corny story, you do a disservice to your readers by spotlighting any nonsense that includes Facebook.
There are thousands of viable startups, cover one of them.
@#14 …. seriously? how much is fred wilson paying you? look at the author?
wow! Sylvester Stallone must be glad to hear this.
I think it has been perhaps proven - by TechCrunch references at times to Robert Scoble (and most seem very positive and not, as with this post, in fun) - the saying that there is no such thing as bad press.
Do you think that Facebook intentioned that the vast majority of their applications to be absolutely worthless when they were making the API? I’ve seen some good ones now — but still I think the majority (and the most popular ones) are so utterly useless that it degrades all Facebook applications .. most people (including me and Duncan mentions it too) just ignore invites from any app because most are so worthless.
Arrington recently posted (possibly in comments) that a lot of stories are added to Techcrunch to help drive traffic to the site. That traffic, in turn, is very beneficial to the start ups whose reviews are intermingled with the puff pieces. I totally buy that. A smart move on Arrington’s part that makes a lot of sense.
The one question I have is for Duncan…how do you feel about being the purveyor of puff pieces (that, by definition, lack substance) that are solely used to drive traffic? I was under the impression that you considered yourself to be a serious journalist. Are you jealous that Eric Schonfeld gets to do the real journalism while you’re relegated to this?
How come everyone’s talking about the game? Have you seen the state of Duncan’s inbox!??!??!one!
;-P
This whole idea is pretty wrong, actually immoral, if you ask me. Go down this road at your peril.