Electronic Art's video game Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, out now for the 360 and PS3, is set in the oil-nation of Venezuela, so, to promote it, EA gave out free fuel at a station in Los Angeles. Worked out great! Folks got a free tank, pumped by a dude in a Mercs 2 costume, EA got some press--everyone was happy. Things did not go so smoothly over in England, however.

EA were giving away £20,000 worth of gas at a station near Finsbury Park in London yesterday and the resultant commotion caused traffic tie-ups during rush hour. Local residents were so upset, many dropped their monocles and exclaimed, "I say!"

Lynne Featherstone, (an MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, according to the British Press) said: "Whilst a lucky few might have got some free petrol, hundreds of local residents have faced misery on their daily journeys this morning...They deserve an apology for being the victims of such an ill-thought out media stunt."

The promotion was shut down after only around half of the gas was given out.

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