In-game ads adapting
by Zack Stern 
{ Oct 6th 2006 at 4:35PM }
While in-game ads aren't new, Wired News explores recent additions to the trend. Some advertisements are becoming more overt, while other forms of product placement are more subtly placed in games.Adidas uses the product-placement route with frequent branding in NBA Live 07. Burger King takes the obvious, if comical approch in Fight Night Round 3, with an unlockable King mascot character who joins your ringside entourage.
Acclaim plans a different approach with free, ad-supported MMO games; pop-up ads from corporate sponsors would let you know which real-world company just paid for your in-game sword. We're interested in seeing how gamers view that tradeoff, but clearly there's a line where too many ads will scare players away.
See also: Grand Theft Auto: Coca-Cola City
See also: The King is in your Xbox 360
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ejflex @ Oct 6th 2006 4:41PM
Man.. there must be a severe lack of interesting news today.
Petrie @ Oct 6th 2006 5:14PM
I for one find this to be an interesting idea. I have to question what level of advetising I'd be willing to tolerate along with many others in order to have my gaming experience be more affordable. At wat point exactly does the annoyance of ads begin to outweigh the savings on my part. Would I be willing to play The Elder Scrolls V: Brought to you by Hostess, in order to get the game at a lower price? Not that I think that would happen but it begs an interesting question. I'm not totally opposed to advertising if it saves me money on the games themselves, though that only works if the advertising is effective and those paying for the ads continue to pay for them, and that would mean that more money would be coming out of my pockets anyway theoretically.
BANDIT @ Oct 6th 2006 5:28PM
This is a must for the industry. A positive example of this in action in the game test drive where corporate sponsor ship lowered the price to $40 for the game. The replay value of it is also high and continuous. The poor example of this is anything from EA where they have product endorsements, charge higher prices for the game and put in sorry features. So it can go both ways, The issue is that consumers need CHOICE to pick out the bad ones.
FSK405K @ Oct 6th 2006 6:12PM
Hm....I pay $40 to $70 on something, and then am subjected to American sleeze? Someone told me that SWAT 4 is the greatest tactical shooter ever, but I know it won a Worst Advertisements Ever award on Gamespot, so don't want to even look at it.
Steve @ Oct 6th 2006 6:38PM
I just think of the ad thing like this... turn on your t.v.. Ok? Now randomly choose a channel. You will either see a commercial (advertising) or a show. If this show is not a documentary on Burgerking, or some crazy future or past show, you will see a lot of advertising everywhere, intentional or not. Go to the mall or drive down a road in a populated area. You will see billboards and signs advertising everywhere.
If the next gta was sponsored by thousands of companies who put their billboards in the game and their stores in the game, it would sure make it seem more immersive.
In real life advertising is everywhere, if a game wants to be realistic, there should be advertising in all the same places. If I can get GTA4 for $20 because it is filled with billboards and signs from real companies, well then good for me. Or in a game with loading screens, it could show screenshots of in-game advertisements, like your character running past a McDonalds.
Xiath @ Oct 6th 2006 9:32PM
As long as the in-game advertisements add more realism to the game, I'm all for it. Like Splinter-cell did with the vending machines and stuff. I loved seeing Sprite instead of generic SODA FIZZ!
mandarin @ Oct 6th 2006 7:26PM
Wait a minute, is that the Burger King stalking that girl in a trash can?
bob @ Oct 6th 2006 11:34PM
Nothing like Tony Montana playing some Bodog video poker...
Xavier Gill @ Oct 7th 2006 3:27AM
If you think companies like McDonalds etc directly targeting younger people is a good thing then i suggest you look at the child obesity rate in the US.
Also where do you think companies like Burger King get the money to pay for these ads? From the consumer. So from now on not only do you pay full price for a half finished game (updates to come on market place for only 1000 points!) but you pay for the ads that feature in them.
EA use ads to make an extra $1-$2 per title sold, its just pure greed, nothing to do with development costs.
If you think GTA would be better and 'more realistic' with real ads then you might be missing part of the point of the franchise.
FiredCylinder @ Oct 7th 2006 7:42PM
I wouldn't mind in-game ads if they would use the revenue created by the ads to reduce the cost of the game. Unfortunately, it seems like most companies are just pocketing the extra money. I applaud Acclaim for doing what they are doing with their future MMORPGs.