Imagic — “Dan Sonnet thought he could take the heat.”

A difficulty flex: the product is expert-only, and the ad dares you to prove you belong.

What this ad is really doing

It sells membership. The joke is that you’ll fail — and the brand gets to act like that’s a quality signal. Difficulty is positioned as prestige, not frustration.

Why it worked then

Early games often marketed challenge as value. If it punishes you, it must be “real.” The ad leans into humiliation as a form of motivation.

Why it feels unhinged now

Modern product marketing avoids blaming the user. This one basically says “skill issue” in print, then smiles politely beneath it.

Status: Alive (as a scan). Cause of death: difficulty stopped being a brag and became a settings menu.