February 11, 2012 1:00 pm

Eating all that Taco Bell may not get you a free Vita after-all, sorry

Matt Hawkins Contributing Writer, Video Games

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It would appear that the aforementioned giveaway contest is a bit of a bust.

According to a report filed by Kotaku, a number of folks who got that five dollar box filled with Mexican food that actual Mexicans wouldn’t be caught dead eating, the ones containing codes that may fetch a free PlayStation Vita, is looking to be a total rip. Are none of the numbers lucky? Was that promise of a free system every 15 minute like every hallow promise from an advertiser?

Far from it; many were pleasantly surprised to discover that they’re winners! Problem is, once redeemed, follow-up on the part of either Taco Bell or the PR firm that they hired was supposed to happen. Well, it didn’t.

Naturally, everyone has banded together to swap tales of woe via the formation of a Facebook group. Meanwhile, other have received follow-ups; it would appear that the issue is mostly with those that were part of the very first sound of the round, specifically those that tried to redeem their codes on January 30th.

Taco Bell, when pressed on the matter, said folks have been trying “game the system” the system, so anyone that honestly feels that they’re entitled should either shoot an email or make a call. No word on whether anyone got responses from the former; when Kotaku checked the voicemail was full for the later.

But even better was the response that those left in the dark eventually got, which basically amounted to: ”we have arbitrarily assumed that you’re a cheater, now screw off.” Yikes.

I personally never thought this contest would actually result in more than a handful of folks actually getting the new Sony handheld, other than friends of Taco Bell employees. Still, it always sucks to hear of anyone getting shafted, especially anyone that paid the price of consuming lukewarm dog food in the process.