Sony, Activision CEOs skeptical of in-game advertising

I don't mind adverts in certain game types like billboards in a racing game, but if a futuristic FPS/RPG has a 2008 Ford Fusion ad I think it breaks immersion and just looks like a lame attempt at money grubbing.

Alright! Someone is stepping up and saying advertising is a bad idea in games!

I agree!

If they lowered the prices of games, this probably wouldn't be as much of an issue. Same as I don't mind watching a 30 second Yaris ad every 8 minutes as long as it means I can watch a free episode of Bones on Fox's site. You can't have your cake...

They don't work on me.

I have no problem with real ads in sports games or racing games. They only enhance the realism. GHIII could have been a little less subtle with their in-game ads, but ultimately those were fine too.

If developers can't think of clever ads to put in their games, like Triple Play Baseball and You Don't Know Jack used to do, then real world ads are better than poorly made up ads.

It's really funny when you step back and look at how often you're assaulted by advertising just in general. I find it pretty frustrating when things are constantly trying to sell me stuff or grab my attention. When I play video games I do that to escape from BS like advertising.

That said, for some reason I feel the desire to buy some lightspeed briefs...

Adverts work, in certain games like sports. Futuristic games can have advert, but only if done in a right way like in Minority Report.

For something like a NASCAR or NFS game, sure... but I don't want to see Solid Snake shilling some two-bit arthritis cream or Samus talking about how well Kotex fits despite wearing a zero suit.

Blegh.

I definitely wouldn't mind that these days instead of paying $60(PS3/X360) or $50(Wii) for games. Maybe stick'em on load screens or background filler for "reality immersion"... and not a literal copy of the advertising skit in Wayne's World.

I try to make it a point to not buy products I see advertised in games usually, so...

But that's only if it's not glaring or if it's generic.
If it's for something as generic as a timeless brand, like Ford or Apple or something and it doesn't look completely out of place, I don't really mind it, I suppose.

But if it's tries to hit me over the head with something stupid, like the new Chevey Cobalt or something then it's gonna piss me off something fierce.

I don’t have a problem with people playing video games to some extent, but when the advertising community tries to force ads on America’s youth, that I have a problem with. We already live in a world that is bombarding us with advertisements everyday all day, covering topics from face cleanser to red bull and to be honest, I hate the ads as much as the next person. So this brings me to my question first question: Why do you think young people are playing more video games than watching television? It’s because of the STUPID ADS!! We can’t sit through an hour long television program without seeing the same ad four or five times, yet we can easily play one whole video game and not be bothered to spend our hard earned money on something that is too expansive and doesn’t work. Which brings me to my last question: If the video game industry allows advertising to be included in the video game its self, do you honestly think that will increase sales? I doubt it will. If anything, people are going to get so ticked off that they can’t watch television or play video games without advertizing, that they are going to find something else to do instead. Who knows, that just might be the very thing that jumpstarts reading for fun in this country again. But if it were me, I wouldn’t buy the product out of anger, and I’m sure I wouldn’t be the only one. Take a hint, don’t mess with something that’s not broken unless you are ready to deal with the disaster to come.

I don’t know about this whole advertising in games. I think its ok with a racing game or something where the actual product is in use. Why not you’re not really thinking about. Well I like this car in the game so I will probably like it in real life. It seems that advertisers now are just trying to push the envelope. I think if something like was started it would just get out of hand. Advertisers would soon try to fit in an ad anywhere they could. I think there is already a sufficient amount in the games now. The message is across. We see enough ads on TV and everywhere we go in out everyday lives. I don’t really see a need in making more and more ads. I could see people blowing this out of context. The game companies may consider because they are going to make money off of this. And money is what it’s all about.

When advertising enhances realism I find this to be a very acceptable application in a video game. Burnout Paradise is great because it appears in billboards or signs around the city. NHL08 has advertising that changes on the boards of the game and the "Dodge Player of the Game" just like in real-life.

When it's just tossed in there for no apparent reason (like Guitar Hero 3) then it becomes a problem. People will say GH3 is borderline because rock tours are sponsored, but the placements are much too blatant.

I think if developers and advertisers focus on where advertising can enhance the game AND make money this can be a big win.

As admirable as Vivendi and Sony CEO's sound, they're really just saying they doubt that going to the effort of making in-game ads may not be worth it. Not really as a "Do this and we scare off our loyal, loyal gamers", but as a "Why bother, it'll cost you as much to put it in as you get back". Meh

Again, you'd reduce the outrage from gamers by, I predict, as much as 90% if they would just pass the savings on to us. Advertisements are supposed to be there as us paying for something. Ads on TV and radio? so we don't have to pay the stations ourselves to watch it. What do we get for being subjected to ads in games?

Whatever happened to advertising as a way to get your product out there? It used to be just so people would think "Oh, there IS a cream for this embarrasing rash". Instead, we are bombarded with ads with the intent of "Buy, this. you didn't know you wanted it, but you do. get it now". it's more subliminal, and that disturbs me.

For instance, Halo3. Was there really anyone in the world that DIDN'T know about it? Then why bother spending millions of dollars to keep advertising it?

The irony of Activision stating this cannot be understated. It's one thing to have a company like Gibson or Zildjian do product placements in a game like Guitar Hero III. Those make sense and fit the genre, just like having real car manufacturers in a racing game isn't really product placement. It's another thing to record a video that looks a commercial for PONTIAC and AXE body-spray, things that have NOTHING to do with the gameplay AT ALL.

It's made doubly-annoying if the perceived corporate placement doesn't affect the length of the game or it's cost. TV is acceptable with commercials WHEN IT'S FREE. If I pay $60 for a game, I expect it to either be commercial free OR to show me a tangible benefit to put up with those placements.

I personally don't mind ads in games, so long as the developers are honest about and not trying to sneak it in my face (ala GHIII.) An example of good in-game advertising is the upcoming Battlefield Heroes, where they have stated there will be advertising between matches in order to provide a free game (I think.)

Advertising is not--and never was--necessary to enjoy games. We don't even need to rationalize it. ADVERTISING DOES NOT BELONG IN GAMES!

especially because we all know what kind of crap it implies...

Young people don't like advertising very much?

GOOD! Older people don't like it very much either. I'll be turning 36 in about half a month and I absolutely detest it. If you make a good game, money will come to you anyway without having to sell out your product and your soul to scummy advertisers.

Product placements however is a slightly different story. In a driving game for example you probably want to be able to drive, say, a Ferrari for example.

In a skateboarding game you probably want to be able to skate on a board made by...well, whatever company's considered hot and hip in that subculture.

I don't give half a s### sideways about billboards and such junk though, that's just visual noise that consumes memory space that could have been spent better on higher-res textures and more detailed worlds and so on.

I don't mind advertising in games if (a) it makes sense in the context of the game, (b) isn't blatant, (c) doesn't get in the way of the gaming experience and (d) goes towards making the games more affordable for gamers. a-c are possible, but I have a feeling the money that publishers make from the advertising will never go towards d.