Over at the Guardian Games Blog they're pretty fond of a game development company called Persuasive Games. Apparently the company has created some rather thought provoking titles in the past, ranging from games that are based upon the "inconvenience and the tradeoffs between security and rights in American airports" and political titles such as the Howard Dean for Iowa game. With their next title earning the name of Disaffected, it's not hard to guess that it'll have a similar premise to the company's earlier efforts.
Disaffected is aimed at challenging the view that games and advertising are perfect for each other. The press release mentions that primitive advergaming goes all the way back to the Atari 2600, but also highlights the increasing popularity of advertising in games within the last ten years. The main questions which the creators hope this game will provoke are: "Are games only capable of carrying positive advertising messages? Or can they also enact dissatisfaction and criticism against corporations?".
It's not the first time that someone has made a game with a distinct anti-corporate streak, but it treads new ground in that the subject specifically relates to a problem that gamers will have to face. Whether you find it fun or not isn't relevant, since it's more about making a statement than entertaining players. In fact, since you play a disaffected employee of a photocopying shop, the boredom you experience actually lends more credence to its anti-corporate stance. We're happy to see that somone within the "games industry" is expressing another opinion on the inevitability of in-game ads.
(Page 1) Reader Comments
The only thing I dislike is when you have to watch through the opening credit crap every time you start a game, a la Battlefield 2. EA is a huge noob company for not letting us skip them.
But, yeah, as for in-game ads, I say let 'em do it. I personally enjoy them. Don't know why, but I guess it's better than the Devs making up lame fake company names like they always used to.
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Huh?
How is it possible to "enjoy" seeing corporate logos in a video game or movie? This culture has gone so corporate, it's pathetic.
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And if advergaming can make games cheaper, then I'm all for it.
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"Everybody rapping like life's a commercial,
Acting like life is a big commercial" - Mike D
And while 'video games' are not life, the pervasive reality of advertising in everyday life, especially in large cities, is being steadily emulated in video games - the difference is that in when one company pays to make it 'more realistic' than "lame fake company names," it's actually _more fake_ because now you only drive past, climb over, or crash through ads from a SINGLE company, unlike 'real life' where all the competitors are visible too.
I prefer the fake companies myself, it's funny to catch hints from color or shape and guess what they're based on.
Eh, whatever. I wish it would actually benefit us as gamers and lower the price of games - Disappearing is the age-old model of 'watch an ad, it makes things cheaper' - it's sort of pathetic when advertising increases with the price of games and younger generations act like advertising is a treat. I like to keep up on ads and all, but it's really getting twisted now.
In the Naomi Klein non-fiction book about corporations and advertising 'No Logo,' a group of interviewed teenagers actually thought atheletes like Jordan wearing Nike had paid for the priveledge, rather than the reality of a sponsorship. Branding has become that persuasive and desirable.
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The next Gran Turismo will have ads for Pepsi everywhere and Forza Motorsport will be brought to you by Coca Cola.
It'll happen. Walk into almost any restaurant or movie theater if you want proof.
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