The world of Rick and Morty has merged with that of Death Stranding for a hilarious new crossover ad. Created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, Rick & Morty follows the insane adventures of mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his worrisome grandson Morty. The animated series debuted on Adult Swim back in 2014, garnering a passionate fanbase and widespread acclaim, and has since aired three intermittent seasons. It was ultimately renewed for 70 episodes - which will air across multiple seasons, including a truncated season 4 later this month.
Death Stranding, meanwhile, stemmed from the mind of Hideo Kojima. It marks the first game by the acclaimed director since the disbandment of Konami in 2015. It first caused waves with its teases of a naked Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), before generating buzz for its haunting visuals and mysterious storyline. The voice cast will also include Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, and Margaret Qualley. It will also feature cameos from acclaimed film directors Guillermo del Toro and Nicolas Winding Refn. The embargo on the game lifted not too long ago, revealing predictably polarizing reviews.
With both due for official release in the coming days, it emerged that the two properties had collaborated on a hilarious crossover. The ad (via elPumaProductions) opens with both Rick and Morty traversing the world of the game. According to Rick, they were tasked by Kojima to reconnect the fractured society and stop the Death Stranding. Based on his wording, it's clear that the characters know they are in a game. The mad scientist immediately reveals he hadn't been paying attention beyond that, however. "What are all these ghosts?" he asks, at which point Morty explains that they are in fact the Death Stranding. Learning this, he posits that the tube babies might be some kind of upgrade to help them "run faster or jump higher". At which point, Morty agrees to go along with Rick's disturbing theory. Check out the full clip below:
This isn't Rick and Morty's first foray into more singular promotion. They previously animated a leaked court transcript as though including Morty as a judge and Rick as an unruly defendant. More recently, they worked with All Elite Wrestling for a special Halloween promotion. It's also perfectly in line with the animated show's both scathing and loving references and homages to various movies and works of pop culture. The season 4 trailer alone was packed with them. As well as taking a shot at Doctor Strange, it featured a nod to Game of Thrones and direct mention of Akira.
In terms of Death Stranding, it does little to clarify what the story will entail. With the latest reveal being that the game will include Conan O'Brien in an otter suit, proceedings remain as mysterious as ever. Still, gamers will be able to explore the admittedly slow-burn nature of the world soon enough. It likely, however, will not require the eating of babies in order to progress. Still, in the meantime, the new ad will no doubt provide a few chuckles and tide over the fans eagerly awaiting the release of each individual property, if not both.
Rick and Morty season 4 premieres November 10 on Adult Swim. Death Stranding is due for release November 8 on Playstation 4.
Source: Adult Swim/elPumaProductions