I don’t think that I’m breaking news here when I say that the video game industry is huge now. This multi-billion dollar business is the new juggernaut on the entertainment scene and it was only a matter of time before blatant advertisements and outright product whoring appeared in the games we all love. The idea that in-game advertising would lead to a lower retail price has yet to manifest however. True to form, EA (who claim to have turned over a new ‘good guy’ leaf despite still acting like the Darth Vader avatar they are ala Take-Two) announced that they plan to extend their in-game advertisement deal with Microsoft owned Massive Inc.
Find out how bad things will get, after the jump!
Massive provides dynamic in-game advertising, allowing them to update ads if granted online access. One day it’s an ad for a soft drink, the next an ad for a crappy car. EA seems to think this is great as they have signed on with Massive for a multi-year deal on a number of their titles on PC and 360.
Among those games set to suffer are the upcoming installments of Madden NFL, NBA Live, NASCAR racing and NHL hockey. This may not be so bad, since ads in sports games are not THAT terrible, though that extra revenue has yet to lower the cost of the actual title, which means we get to see ads we don’t want and publishers get more money.
Now, some games DO suck with all the extra crap plastered all over them. NFS: ProStreet comes immediately to mind. Massive will be providing in-game ads for the NFS series as well, though why they bother is beyond me. If ProStreet is an example of the type of quality we can expect from that franchise, advertising to the 40 people who like playing that piece of crap and the equally lackluster Carbon seems like a waste of time. Anyone who wanted to destroy the in-game ads in Burnout Paradise will also be unhappy to learn that, thanks to Massive, those ads will remain indestructible. To be fair Konami, Take-Two Interactive, Atari, THQ, Eidos, Vivendi Games, Sony Online Entertainment, and Ubisoft are also among Massive Inc’s clients.
I’m rather torn on the whole in-game advertisement situation. On the one hand, if it meant lower retail prices, I would be inclined to give it a shot. That has yet to happen though. Ads that appear on load screens and between actual gameplay are not as bothersome or ugly as those actually placed within the gameplay, as in ProStreet. There is still no word on how EA’s deal with Massive may affect other titles, but given EA’s infamous love of money and power, and their questionable devotion to actual consumers, I think it’s safe to say the next few years are going to be better for advertisers, publishers and their sponsoring companies more than it will be for gamers.
Thanks EA.
Source: GameSpot
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8 responses so far ↓
1 World of Warcraft games » Blog Archive » EA loves to AD // Mar 19, 2008 at 1:49 pm
[...] Broadband wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptI don’t think that I’m breaking news here when I say that the video game industry is huge now. This multi-billion dollar business is the new juggernaut on the entertainment scene and it was only a matter of time before blatant … [...]
2 Atomic Flapjack // Mar 19, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Product Whoring? Have you seen the song select screen for GH3, A pack of Wriggley’s 5 Gum, a red bull on a stage, pontiac… Advertisements much? My friend and I tried to find them all!
3 RK1 FaMiCuS // Mar 19, 2008 at 4:29 pm
@Atomic Flapjack
Let’s not forget the Tony Hawk series.
4 Pablos102030 // Mar 19, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Among those games set to suffer are the upcoming installments of Madden NFL, NBA Live, NASCAR racing and NHL hockey. This may not be so bad, edit: because these games SUCK ASS
5 Artemas // Mar 19, 2008 at 8:17 pm
@Atomic
At least one stage has an ad for the movie 10,000B.C as well.
But yes ads suck. I still have to pay for live and yet have be asked daily to join the army…
6 Keith K // Mar 20, 2008 at 8:00 am
I dont care much as long as its taking place in a modern setting. I prefer seeing humourous fake ads like in GTA games, but seeing ads plastered all over city blocks just seems natural to me.
However, putting in-game ads out of context, in sci-fi or fantasy games just doesnt work. Not that I play WoW, but if I heard of a giant McDonalds ad in Azeroth, I’d be confused and discontented.
7 Tenk // Mar 25, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I may be the unpopular guy for saying this, but some games with ads are pretty cool, as it gives a feel of realism, and while it may not cut down on retail price, it is possible it is working to put more time and programming into games that may otherwise show up as lackluster. I like ads in the sense of things like ‘realGTA’ now, I know thats not commercial, but seeing a mcdonalds in a game as I shoot people in front of it gives me the Sh*ts and giggles. I mean, I love GTA’s Fake stuff, but a real one every now and then doesn’t bother me, and if they have ones that can change on connect to internet, I think it’s cool to see a different poster everytime I go to a place. but then, thats my choice, I’m sure it annoys other people, and sometimes the ads are excessive
8 alles inc // Apr 6, 2008 at 9:09 pm
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