January 14, 2009 9:58 AM PST
Weirdest swag of 2009: Frozen video game steaks
Mmmm, delicious frozen steaks...
We're only a couple of weeks into the new year, but we've already run into what will likely be one of the top 10 weird swag boxes we'll see in all of 2009.
The fine folks at EA, in an effort to promote the upcoming skateboarding game Skate 2, sent journalists a Styrofoam freezer box with some frozen Omaha steaks in it, along with a press release and an asset CD (wisely sealed in a Ziploc bag).
The tie-in? Well, the words "skate" and "steak" contain the same letters, and the game apparently has a mode called the Hall of Meat in it, so it's not as random as it seems.
Enjoy these photos of frozen video game meat.
New York native Dan Ackerman, a former radio DJ turned journalist, has written about technology and music for publications including Spin, Blender, The Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. He hosts the weekly Digital City podcast and the New York edition of Editors' Office Hours. Dan's new album, Tales Out of Night School, is available now. E-mail Dan.
Former radio DJ turned
journalist Dan Ackerman grew up in the Bronx and now lives in
Manhattan. He’s covered music, technology, and video games for
more than 10 years. His latest album, Tales Out of Night School
is available now. 
Joseph Kaminski,
when not juggling the dual demands of parenthood and HD gaming, is a
life-long Manhattanite and can be found testing the latest tech in
CNET’s Lab. 
Julie Rivera grew up
and currently resides in Brooklyn. When she's not deejaying,
bartending, or fixing gadgets for friends on the outside, you'll find
her testing, troubleshooting and developing benchmarks for laptops in
the "fish bowl" known as CNET Labs. 
Scott Stein, CNET's
newest laptops editor, was born in Queens and grew up a Long Islander -
and is now raising a kid in NYC. In addition to covering games and
tech, writing screenplays, and performing improv in seedy downtown
establishments, he's also a die-hard, season-ticket-holding Jets fan.
But STEAK and SKATE....COME ON
I mean it's a pretty thin line to run with, but I guess you gotta go with what you got sometimes.
Enjoy the steaks :)