Badger is a phone and telecommunications company appearing in the HD Universe of the Grand Theft Auto series.
Description[]
Grand Theft Auto IV and The Ballad of Gay Tony[]
The company manufactures and provides the network service for Niko's initial cellphone, given to him by his cousin, which he uses to communicate with other characters in the game. This phone lacks support for ringtones or wallpapers, showcasing only the Badger logo as its theme.
In the The Ballad of Gay Tony, Luis owns a more modern Badger Touchscreen Phone for the duration of the game. It is more advanced than Niko's initial cellphone, capable of taking pictures (though they cannot be saved outside of missions) and adding ringtones and themes.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars[]
Introduced in GTA Chinatown Wars, the PDA device operates on the Badger network, as well as running BadgerOS which allows access to game menus and features. Unlike a cellphone, which has calling capabilities, it functions akin to a computer, prioritizing email communication. There are three themes for the PDA offered from the settings menu; the default Badger skin, a Sprunk skin, and a TW@ skin.
Grand Theft Auto V and Online[]
In Grand Theft Auto V, Badger stocks are now available for purchase on the BAWSAQ website, and despite action prices remaining at a very low level, the company experiences steady stock increases throughout the storyline. The company has launched aggressive advertising campaigns across Los Santos targeting its main competitors, featuring slogans like "Wider coverage than Tinkle." The Badger Building, located at the corner of Elgin Avenue and Spanish Avenue in Hawick, Los Santos, likely serves as the company's national corporate office.
Badger cell tower stations can be found throughout the State of San Andreas, such as the one on Mount Gordo, situated at the spawn point of a Sanchez. The company also operates payphones that cannot be interacted with by the player and are not used by pedestrians; shooting these payphones will trigger a ringing sound.
In Grand Theft Auto Online, Badger is featured as the main sponsor on liveries for the Desert Raid and Tulip.
Influence[]
Badger appears to be primarily based on T-Mobile, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom. The animal-inspired name could be a nod to Fido Solutions, a company only operating in Canada. The company might also take cues from EMBARQ, one of the last major U.S. telephone companies to sustain payphones, which could be reflected in Badger’s operation of several payphones and cordless phones in Grand Theft Auto V.
Products[]
Mobile Phones[]
| Image | Product |
|---|---|
|
Badger Crappy |
|
Badger Cellphone |
|
Badger Touchscreen Phone |
Operating Systems[]
| Image | Product |
|---|---|
|
BadgerOS |
Communications[]
- iFruit Service Plans
Other[]
- Badger Local Amenities Guide™
- Badger Cordless Phone
Known Users[]
Locations[]
Gallery[]
Sponsorship Liveries[]
Trivia[]
- The company's logo takes direct inspiration from the black facial markings seen on European badgers.
- The name may be derived from the verb "to badger," which means to persistently pester or harass someone with demands or questions.
- In The Ballad of Gay Tony, even though the player has a Badger phone, if they go into the "Themes" menu, they are able to select a Whiz Wireless wallpaper.