Mention the phrase “gas prices” to anyone who drives a car, and you’ll probably be in for a diatribe previously unseen anywhere outside of a soap opera. The situation isn’t not as bad as it was, but it’s certainly not “the good old days.” Why is this loathsome subject being brought up, you may well ask, in this time and in this place?

The two industries, gasoline and gaming, are going to be merging in a big way starting tomorrow. If you happen to live in LA, then you might want to make your way down to the Mobil station located at 8489 Beverly Blvd. in the City of Angels for EA Games’ “Petrol to the People, For Free!” event which starts a 6 a.m. tomorrow and will simply run until the tanks are bone dry. Believe it or not, this to be a tie in for Mercenaries 2, which comes out next week, and in keeping with that theme, the attendants and the station will all be decorated in a Mercenaries 2 motif and will also distribute promotional flyers to those who come to see the spectacle and to join in on EA’s pro bono gas distribution event.

Where is the link between gasoline and Mercenaries 2? Evidently, it’s one of the central themes of the game in that the plot itself is all about battling for control of the country in the game and its fuel sources. That’s the big picture in Mercenaries 2, but there’s also the necessity of gathering fuel to use in summoning weapons and supply drops for your personnel. If you can’t be in LA, but still want to see the sight of mercenary gas station attendants handing out gasoline for free, you can watch it comfortably from your own home.

Editor’s Note: For those interested, 1Up’s coverage also includes Google Maps links to get you to your free gas on time.