Sony and Subway ran a combined sponsorship for Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception which include access to the game’s multiplayer beta. However, some wondered if the bonuses accrued from the game time would disrupt the competitive balance of the multiplayer when the full game released; Eric Monacelli at Naughty Dog answered those concerns.

“Players were allowed to level up their profile to level 35,” noted Monacelli. “Any cash, treasures and items unlocked during their time spent playing were not reset and carried over to the full retail version of the multiplayer. There were multiple unlockables such as the Subway T-shirt and Subway 5 dollar footlong taunt that were specific to the Taste for Adventure sweepstakes. If you were able to win one, these carried over as well.”

“Balancing the multiplayer gameplay to make it as enjoyable and fun as possible is always a goal that we strive to achieve,” he added. “During the Subway multiplayer experience, the level cap of rank 35 was put in place for this reason as it prohibited players from being able to rank up high enough to unlock some of the more powerful and effective weapons and kickbacks that can be earned in-game. Above all the most critical way we handle game balance is to make sure our matchmaking system works to appropriately match up players of similar rank and skill level.”

“Additionally, if players pre-ordered the game or purchased the Collector’s Edition at specific retailers some of the kickbacks, weapons and weapons mods that can be earned in-game could be unlocked early,” he said. “So even at the retail level there was a way for players, even those who might not have taken part in the Subway Taste for Adventure, to ensure they had early access to something helpful for their multiplayer game.”

“There was a lot of positive buzz and excitement around the promotion. The promotion itself was viewed as a way to get to experience Uncharted 3 ahead of release by the players who participated. The players who weren’t involved mostly wanted to wait for the full official retail release,” Monacelli concluded.

Source: IndustryGamers {link no longer active}