Bizarrely, Atlus will sponsor Haas for this week’s F1 Singapore Grand Prix in honor of Metaphor: ReFantazio

Atlus will sponsor the Haas racing team at this weekend’s F1 Singapore Grand Prix to celebrate the upcoming release of Metaphor: ReFantazio.

If that seems like an odd pairing, there’s actually a clear crossover. Metaphor features a red-headed elven knight called Hulkenberg, while Nico Hülkenberg is one of the drivers for the Haas F1 team.

Naturally, then, both Hulkenberg and the game’s protagonist will adorn the noses of cars driven by Hülkenberg and teammate Kevin Magnussen respectively.

A grand high fantasy anime RPG and an F1 race fueled by modern technology don’t appear to have a lot in common. Atlus, though, would beg to differ.

“Overcoming fear and anxiety is a central theme in Metaphor: ReFantazio, and being featured on the racecars of Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen – drivers known for defying the impossible – perfectly mirrors our game, where players beat the odds in their chase for the crown in the Royal Tournament,” said Irvin Ducournau, director of marketing at Atlus.

“Partnering with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team ahead of the Singapore GP is a natural fit, as the high-stakes nature of Formula 1 aligns seamlessly with the competitive election mechanics in the game, where players gain followers in their own race for victory.”

Ah, now it all makes sense!

Mark Morrell, the Haas team’s director of marketing also commented: “This hotly anticipated game is visually spectacular and filled with all the speed, suspense and excitement you would expect from a Grand Prix weekend. It’s our first partnership of this kind and we’re looking forward to sharing the exhilarating world of Metaphor: ReFantazio with racing fans.”

I went hands-on with Metaphor: ReFantazio last month, and while I can’t say I spent any time racing, I certainly got a taste of its competitive election storyline.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is the next game from Atlus, the creators of the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series, which launches on 11th October across Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.