Awkward encounter: Jake from State Farm appears in NBA 2K22

At a time in which advertisements and clever product placements are a common occurrence in video games, there are a few characters that players don't necessarily want to see when they pay full price for a new video game. 2K, a publisher that is well-known for heavily monetizing its annual basketball games, has now put an infamous character from an American insurance company into the new NBA 2K22 game (from US$59 on Amazon).

The game, which has just been released last Friday for PC and consoles, offers a game mode in which gamers can explore a neighborhood with their custom built basketball player. Of course, that neighborhood is not empty, and Jake from State Farm is patiently waiting for players to approach him so he can perform his most famous catchphrase. Everyone who has watched a minute or two of American television over the past years knows about the repetitive slogan that is intended to portray an insurance agency as a good neighbor.

After these TV ads have already featured NBA stars like Chris Paul, it is not exactly a surprise that Jake from State Farm has finally made it into the virtual game of basketball. However, it is quite controversial that buyers of a full price game are confronted with obvious advertisements and product placements like this, even if the respective character has grown into a pop culture icon. You can watch the awkward encounter with Jake from State Farm in NBA 2K22 in the embedded YouTube video below.