Sony announces dynamic in-game ad deal
by Jason Dobson 
{ Jun 4th 2008 at 10:00AM }
Even so, the announcement was not wholly unexpected, particularly given the PS3's newly opened advertising platform, which was announced last February and allows firms like IGA to sell dynamic ads in PS3 games. Through this deal, IGA notes that it plans to offer clients the eyeballs of "16-35 year old consumers with disposable income," though the question as to whether or not gamers are inclined to run out and spend their money on whatever billboards happen to be in the line of fire remains a topic for debate. The bigger question, as we see it, is to what level Sony chooses to embrace in-game ads, especially given that two years ago competitor Microsoft went so far as to purchase in-game ad firm Massive for its very own.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Fernando Rocker @ Jun 4th 2008 10:05AM
Why didn't you guys included the king on that pic?
=(
Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 4th 2008 10:08AM
He's an EA exclusive....
Markez (MKWii 4339-2878-5120) @ Jun 4th 2008 10:08AM
Fernando my guess would be the BK King is going to bring up the rear as the gunner on a tank or something.
That picture is horrifying. I mean, I don't think it'll be that bad, but still...
Turrible.
PojoMofo @ Jun 4th 2008 10:11AM
I doubt that ads are going to saturate the landscape like that, but is it really a big deal to have some Mountain Dew billboards in the background?
If I am forced to watch any commercials in-game I will start a revolt!
CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 4th 2008 10:23AM
I don't care if it's on billboards as you drive through a city or whatever, I think that adds to the immersion. What they should do is lower game prices though:)
Fernando Rocker @ Jun 4th 2008 10:30AM
In games like GTA, Burnout Paradise and other modern city games, yes, they are immersive, and kinda nice.
But just imagine if they add ads for example, in the menus, or in loading screens.
CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 4th 2008 10:33AM
If they added anything like the hummingbird to games I would quit gaming. I clicked reply once, got the bird, clicked skip, and then had to watch the whole commercial after which nothing happened. So I clicked refresh, did the same thing again, clicked refresh again and then finally got to leave a comment. And before you say use firefox blah blah blah I can't, I work at a place where I test software that uses IE. Joystiq you are literally giving us the bird with this ad.
343 Guilty Fart @ Jun 4th 2008 12:25PM
This loading screen brought to you by Head On, apply directly to the forehead!
343 Guilty Fart @ Jun 4th 2008 12:27PM
This loading screen brought to you by Head On, apply directly to the forehead!
Paul (PSN: heypaul) @ Jun 4th 2008 2:31PM
This loading screen brought to you by Head On, apply directly to the forehead!
McWeen @ Jun 4th 2008 10:10AM
Then lower the fucking price of your games if you are going to draw revenue in this way.
James Hare @ Jun 4th 2008 10:14AM
Exactly. I put up with advertisements on TV because I don't pay for the shows. I do pay for video games, and it's obnoxious beyond belief that they feel they can assault me with advertisements while I'm trying to enjoy myself playing a video game. None of the games I own currently have ads in them, and that ain't going to change. I guess it's no buying games then.
Wii60 @ Jun 4th 2008 10:56AM
Well, if they start saturating the games with that mess, I'll start modding and stop buying. Then it'll be an ad-based fee.
Markez (MKWii 4339-2878-5120) @ Jun 4th 2008 10:11AM
Hardcore dbag gamers claim that casual games will ruin videogames forever... But I will tell you what could really ruin gaming...
IF THEY PUT THAT G@D@M& M0+HE$ F]C^IN@ HUMMING BIRD AD IN G@D@M& M0+HE$ F]C^IN@ ()*#&IT VIDEO GAMES!!!
WRE (PSN: WorstReviewEver; Gamertag: HaloKissesBoys; Wii Friend Code: 4204-4590-6106-3583) @ Jun 4th 2008 10:16AM
I haven't seen the hummingbird since I started using Firefox...
Fernando Rocker @ Jun 4th 2008 10:22AM
Please Joystiq... listen. The hummingbird ad is very annoying. Even when you vote someone the stupid ad appear.
Just stop it, please.
Zertoss @ Jun 4th 2008 10:26AM
What hummingbird?
RoboChamp @ Jun 4th 2008 10:32AM
I've never gotten the ad ever. Mac Safari FTW! ALthough it does sound annoying Joystiq, get rid of it.
Fernando Rocker @ Jun 4th 2008 10:36AM
Almost every time you press a link, the reply button, or vote someone, the screen turns black, and this ad appears. Then, it has a text that say: "Skip Commercial", but when you press it, sometimes it doesn't dissapear, and you need to reload again the page.
http://s129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/fernando_rocker/?action=view¤t=Untitled.jpg
Phranctoast @ Jun 4th 2008 10:37AM
Use FireFox. I haven't seen this Hummingbird ad either.
CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 4th 2008 10:39AM
It's horrible, can you imagine if in a game everytime you had a load screen it was that hummingbird, and then when it was done loading and said press a button to continue it just ignored your button presses like how this ad does? I vote that all posts today be directed towards getting this ad off here.
Zertoss @ Jun 4th 2008 10:49AM
http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/
http://noscript.net/
CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 4th 2008 10:57AM
I would use firefox but I can't because the job I do requires IE.
mocax @ Jun 4th 2008 11:13AM
I use Firefox 3 and I get the hummingbird ad about HD videos sometimes when I click on links to image galleries on joystiq.
Zertoss @ Jun 4th 2008 11:14AM
You can use multiple browsers.
Alternately: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419
Wii60Warrior @ Jun 4th 2008 11:31AM
I AGREE WITH YOU 100%! PLEASE GET RID OF THAT DAMN HUMMINGBIRD ADVERTISEMENT. ITS REALLY STARTING TO GET ON MY DAMN NERVES...
Vcize @ Jun 4th 2008 11:36AM
Zertoss, many of us don't have the ability to download new browsers at work.
It wouldn't bother me that much if it was just a matter of clicking 'skip commercial'. The real crime lies in the fact that it breaks half the time and you have to close down the whole dang window and start over.
mocax @ Jun 4th 2008 11:40AM
I understand ads are a source of income for blogs like joystiq, but showing the same ad all the time is really stretching it.
How about a cute panda or otter?
Zertoss @ Jun 4th 2008 11:54AM
Alright, if you can't install Firefox because of your employer overlords, can you install toolbars for IE? If so, this may work for you:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=e59c3964-672d-4511-bb3e-2d5e1db91038&displaylang=en
xFenixKnightx @ Jun 4th 2008 12:43PM
Yeah I've gotten a hummer and man...wait what are we talking about here? Errr scratch that. Yeah, the hummingbird, no sir I dont like it!
Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 4th 2008 10:11AM
I'm indifferent to it. It's not like Burnout 3 wasn't littered with Axe Bodyspray, NFS, and Tiger Woods ads.
As long as it's not distracting or breaks the atmosphere of the game, I don't see a problem. What WOULD be cool is if the advertisers actively sought to keep the atmosphere of the game. Like seriously, who doesn't want to see a Red Bull: The Official Energy Drink of the Helghast Empire billboards in the Helghast cities you're invading?
Jnas @ Jun 4th 2008 10:18AM
As long as it's not the "In your face-cannot proceed until you see it" type of advertisments, then i don't mind it.
arrrgh @ Jun 4th 2008 10:22AM
GOOD FUCKING JOB SONY!!!
open up the flood gates for more shit. You're on a roll! Thanks again!
Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 4th 2008 10:31AM
"The bigger question, as we see it, is to what level Sony chooses to embrace in-game ads, especially given that two years ago competitor Microsoft went so far as to purchase in-game ad firm Massive for its very own."
You sir, fail at life. Might I also take this moment to mention Nintendo's very broken game registration system, which I have thankfully abandoned. Why? Well, they send me ads for the games I register. Do you know how stupid it is to go several weeks without a single DK vs Mario ad in my inbox until I register the code on their website and suddenly I got three in one week? "Oh, this Nintendo.com registered user bought DK vs. Mario. Maybe he'll be interested in DK vs. Mario, let's send him ads for the game he just registered!"
PojoMofo @ Jun 4th 2008 10:34AM
I would say he "fails at life" (dont know the cat) but he does fail in this thread, If you think this the first time this sort of dael has happened, you need to do some more research
kagai @ Jun 4th 2008 10:56AM
Dude, get used to it. You are aware that Microsoft owns Massive: http://www.massiveincorporated.com
If you're going to run your mouth, make sure that it's fueled with gas and not sh*t.
eugene @ Jun 4th 2008 12:37PM
What the hell does MS owning massive have to do with sony doing this guy's post? Did he bring up nintendo or MS? That's like saying, "I hate oranges!" and then you guys screaming at him, "Oh yeah? Well kiwi's are also fruit!"
I mean, WTF? How does that even begin to make sense to you?
chadyasutora @ Jun 4th 2008 10:42AM
What the hells the point in ads? As if any gamers are actually gonna look at them and say 'ooo, I think I'll try that product!'
It's just pointless spam.
CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 4th 2008 10:43AM
You could say the same about any other form of advertising. If this was true though I'm sure advertising would have stopped a long time ago.
Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 4th 2008 10:51AM
I bought my guitar strings from a rack of strings just because I recognized the package from Guitar Hero...
mike @ Jun 4th 2008 10:54AM
well he has a point tho. Ads realy are for dumb people, or people who are less ambitious about what they want in life. Some1 like me, has never bought anything I have ever seen in my life from an ad. If I want something, I research it, and buy it. I dont see an add and say, "oh that looks interesting" and try it out. But the older people do. especially those who watch tv since they are not the most technologically advanced.
Putting an add on cnet.com is sure to attract some attention. putting a gaming ad on joystiq.com will also gain some attention, but probably not much. putting ads like american apareal and humming bird intel ads on joystiq is probably just a big ol waste of money. Gamers are generally smarter then the average person (im talking street smarts here). They are alot less likely to care anything for an ad.
If they have ads in a game that sells 500 000 copies, I can see it being very possible that not a single person who plays the game pays attention to an in game advertisement.
Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 4th 2008 11:20AM
You dismiss ads far too easily, mike.
Say, for example, I'm cruising a website and I see a banner ad for a new MMO or one I was waiting for, free to play, I'll give it a shot. If I like it, I may throw some money at it.
Or in the case of my guitar strings. Never bought strings before, had no clue what the good brand is. And with strings ranging from $4-$28, I sure as hell wasn't goign to get a straight answer from a salesperson. But then I saw the Ernie Ball fronts. Recognizable to me, so I went with those.
Advertising has power and can inform you of products. But as far as ads making you spend thousands of dollars, not happening. The most you'll see is impulse buy style items having effective marketing.
Nobody expects your Mustang purchase to be based on an ad in Halo Wars.
thenk83 @ Jun 4th 2008 10:59AM
Haha its funny, you guys used a Battlefield 2142 header image. We 2142 fans all know the billboards are annoying.
Marty @ Jun 4th 2008 10:59AM
Ignoring the fact that there really is no definitive proof that in-game advertising works well enough to warrant its existence in the first place, this seems like a slap to the face to the people who complain about XBL being a pay-fop-play service and still having ads in the GUI.
Iridium @ Jun 4th 2008 11:08AM
In game ads are going to be a fact and it isn't going to reduce the cost of games. Maybe they can make them $50 again, but thats about it. I'm afraid $60 is here to stay since nobody dropped a hat to pick up Halo and GTA for $60.
They are going to use ads to offset production costs. Maybe a few ads will mean a longer than 3 hour campaign in COD5.
It has never been proven that the stupid ads plastered all over internet sites actually increases revenue. I don't think I've ever clicked on an internet ad. But hey its brought Google billions of dollars in stock revenue.
Aly Hawana @ Jun 4th 2008 11:36AM
It's great that Sony is finally doing this. I work at Massive Inc so I already know what to expect in this department. It should be noted that ads are not over saturated like that. The pic is just a goofy mock-up. And advertising in the games won't lower game prices, let's not forget that we get online servers for free and such, much like television is free, they need some kind of revenue, therefore advertising is essential and certainly a smart move. TV is to commercials as Free Online play is to ad placement, I'd say.
J @ Jun 4th 2008 12:51PM
I'll buy that analogy when I start paying $60 to watch a tv show. ...which will be never, in case you were wondering.
The price should come down.
Tiago @ Jun 4th 2008 1:22PM
Wrong.
If that were the case, the adds would only be put in the online component of the game. Even then, it would not be done on Xbox live since people already pay for that. It would also not be done on the PC when servers are maintained by fans.
I assure you it will not be the case.
If your game device is connected to the internet the adds will be shoved down your throat even while you're in single player mode you already payed full price for.
chez @ Jun 4th 2008 11:50AM
So sony and devs are going to get money from ingame ads.
They're also going to start charging fans to pay for promotional media.
Any chance of a price cut on either the system or the games to match this? Nah. Probably not.
Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 4th 2008 11:58AM
I assume you're referring to Qore. Which is sadly pathetic because when I look at the project, I'm reminded of the CD-ROM magazines attempted many moons ago. I'm reminded of the discs on the covers of Official Playstation and Xbox magazines. I see an attempt for Sony to throw one of their own promotional informational magazines in high def at a low cost.
I know it's pretty much a commercial, but so are game magazines in general. So I guess my only decision is really $5 for Nintendo Power or $3 for Qore. One is a print magazine, the other is a video magazine.
I think you do a disservice to the project by instantly dismissing it. Especially when we, as gamers, used to shell out $12 just because a magazine had the Ninja Gaiden demo...