In-Game Ad Market Booming
from the centipede-never-had-this dept
The market for ads embedded in video games is booming, setting the stage for a spat over whether they're intrusive, or a "creative element". A previous study -- albeit one sponsored by a game publisher -- found that in addition to in-game ads being highly persuasive, players say they make games more real. The BusinessWeek article raises a few examples: the first is a new Sims game where users run restaurants and other businesses, but EA eschewed using any real brands or products. The second mentions how an ad agency put some ads for Subway on some servers' versions of the online game Counter-Strike -- without the permission of the game's publisher. In the first instance, in-game ads and product placement could make it more realistic, even more interesting to some players, while the second seems like an odd intrusion into an online world. The key is context: in the context of the Sims game, product placement's appropriate; in Counter-Strike, the Subway ads stick out like a sore thumb. Sure, they'll get noticed, but their blatant appearance can cause a backlash that creates the exactly opposite reaction than advertisers want.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
omg
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: omg
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Ads in games
I can see how an ad in the sims is okay because yea that would make it more real. But if im in an army game over in iraq or I dont want to see advertisements for starbucks or mcdonalds.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
How abotu in online blog-games?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
bleh
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: bleh
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
Putting ads in a subscription based game, is not OK. If you are going to make me play the game only on your server, and also charge me to play it, then I don't think I should have to put up with ads. Too bad that most game makers won't see it that way.
Putting in ads that they make you watch at load time, or between levels is just annoying. people won't want to buy or play your game if you do that.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
For example, Anarchy Online has been doing this for almost a year - they have in game bill-boards. Those taking advantage of the free play option for Anarchy Online have no option to disable those advertisements, while paid subscription players (like I was) have a simple option to *turn them on*.
That's right - on. Funcom has done some silly things in the past, but one thing they did right was to disable adverts by default to their paying subscribers. That being said, I turned them on one day to see what they were like and they stayed that way - they weren't super intrusive and the adverts helped set ambience for the futuristic cities.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Whats in it for me...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Context is key
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No No and No
I uninstalled my SWAT 4 patch because the advertising it added was despicable! Even though SWAT 4 has a modern and realistic setting, real ads totally cut into the experience. After up the update I had posters for a new show on the WB everywhere through out the level! They did not fit into look and feel of the game and it was just a giant eye sore. I�d rather play a buggy game than a later version with ads in it.
I much prefer and actually enjoy the fake brands and ads that you see in some games to ad realism. They�re not obtrusive and you don�t notice them until you actually make an effort to look at them.
Real ads of any kind need to stay out of games. There�s a god damn reason the mail 18-34 group doesn�t watch TV anymore! Don�t let the same thing happen to our games.
And returning to my first comment, I just can�t believe the level of complacency with some gamers about ads. �It�s fine if I get a discount on the game�. Guess what, you�re not! �It adds realism�. If you want to stare at a giant neon billboard for AXE deodorant (Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory) then I think you have some issues to address about your unusually high level of commitment as a consumer.
Publishers are playing with fire and I hope to god they get burned.
-AF
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
It saddens me to see our community being infected with this in-game advertising. Gaming is supposed to be about escapism and having fun, yet if you keep pushing the real world into the games then this negates the purpose.
For the time being guys, we can hold this back. We can block off the ports this software uses to connect to the adservers. But how long will it be before they make it so we can't switch them off? We're too far down the slippery slope to go back.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]