Aaaahh!!! The wonderful powers of the internet! Before there was the internet, news spread fast via word of mouth. But with the internet and mobile broadband, word of mouth nowadays means that news or information, whether true or not, moves fast at the speed of light, or depending on the bandwidth one has.

In this case, something came up this week on Facebook. An graphic work of what is supposedly a marketing material for a Tokyo Marui 84mm Airsoft Gas Launcher was being shared around and no one knows its origins. This Gas Launcher is based on the Carl Gustav 84mm Man Portable and Reusable Recoilless Rifle with the “airsoft version” having the capacity to launch a shower of 1,200 BBs, if our translation is right.

Unfortunately, and to the let down of airsofters who welcome the production of an airsoft Carl Gustav, the image is a fake and there is no Tokyo Marui 84mm Airsoft Gas Launcher in the works.

When we first sighted this image on Facebook, we were actually excited about it. But with the mention that those who shared the graphic work cannot identify the source, something just was not right. Our experience with Tokyo Marui is that they rarely announce a product long before a major event such as the All Japan Model & Hobby Show, or the Shizuoka Hobby Show; or a video game launch, especially with their cooperation with CAPCOM on the Biohazard/Resident Evil Series.  And during an event, they give hints of what is to come such as plastic molds gas blowback pistols.

So, the best thing was to ask Tokyo Marui if this graphic work is theirs. And their reply was quick and short: they have not announced that they are making this product, nor they have plans in making one in the future.

But they were helpful to find out the source of the graphic and someone has photoshopped it out of this image of a blogpost on Yahoo! Japan. The post is already dated as it was posted on the 30th of November 2009 but the photo itself is even more dated as it was taken on the 7th of October 2004 at a JSDF shooting event at the Hachinohe garrison in Aomori Prefecture.

This indicates more of a Tokyo Marui fan making a concept artwork in case the company decides to make an airsoft Carl Gustav.

Don’t get your hopes down yet. Who knows? A company other than Tokyo Marui may build a Carl Gustva for airsoft so if any representative of airsoft manufacturers is reading this, its can be something to add in making a new annual airsoft product lineup.

For now, treat yourself to a video of the real Carl Gustav in action: