EA to use in game advertising.....ugh

[steveunderwood0]

Just announced, EA has put together deals with Massive and IGA to include "relevant" in game "fresh advertising." 

I remembered thinking that things were going downhill when I saw my first coke commercial on an original dvd....

It seems to be fairly unobtrusive....but you know how those things go in the end...

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060831-7632.html

[TriniXaeno]

To be honest, I'm not too put off by this.

If it's not done in a tasteful fashion there will be a backlash, so I'm sure they will endeavour to do it in a cool way.

You know, like when they have some particular car or phone featured in a movie. As opposed to a blatant, 30 second pause in the middle of your game to advertise cereal fortified with calcium.

lol

[Narcissus]

yuh fuhget fibre de Baego

The ads will initially appear in Battlefield 2142, apparently because gamers from the future have traveled back in time to tell EA that combat is only realistic when it features billboards promoting Visa.

i doh think i'd notice billboards wen i lookin to frag some ppl...

[TriniXaeno]

lol @ fibre

ent

Well in Battlefield you're not shooting all the time. Is not like Quake 3 kinda pace. So while you're driving across the field, heading to the next fire fight you may be inclined to take in the scenery, inclusive of the banners and billboards.

That'd be fine by me and not too invasive at all.

[Heady]

ummm since when this new?

i remember advertsing in games long time now. GT always had some billboards advertsing something.

[TrinireturnofGamez]

 i think they should make some games FREE and fund it with advertising.... if you get Half Life/ Halo/Wow numbers of players its highly viable....
   imagine if they made Wow free.... i won't be surprised to see 10-15 million people playing it , advertising would be very viable as you can stick ads on load screens then everyone has to watch...

[Crixx_Creww]

lol @ load screen
and with the gigantic numbers load times would be super insane

it would be almost like plastering it to yur eyelids yes

[vivman1107]

I doh have a problem with it. It actually makes things more realistic, IMHO. If you driving down the highway, you always expect to see billboards so why should a game be any different. If you walking down a street, you will see different stores and a game should be similar. It draws you into the world more. I remember Crazy Taxi with the KFC and Pizza Hut. That was done pretty good, I think. It was just part of the gameplay and it made sense that you would take people to those places. Anyway, with EA doing it in Madden I just hope they at least put in a Gatorade bath for the coach.

[TriniXaeno]

lol

yeah, the key is when it is relevant just as you said.

it would suck if it is not relevant (as in Trini's examples)

Out of timing ads for KFC while waiting for World of Warcraft to load. weak.

That will take away from the experience (unless it was a 3d animated battle betwoon orks and humans fighting over a bucket of chicken. Now that would be relevant!)

[TrinireturnofGamez]

Several games already have videos playing during loading eg. Generals zero hour  , won't be much to do the same semi relavent ads in games.. i won't mind it though if it came with benefits eg. Free MMORPGs or cheaper MMos , continued support for FPS/RTS multiplayer games using money made from advertisments

[catalyst1295]

As long as the ads do not interfare with the game play I am fine with ads in games.

Currently in games like GT4, GTA Vice City & San Andreas, FIFA 06, NBA Live and ALL sports games, the 'ads' appear as they would in the real world - posters, billboards, on he cars, clothing etc and background signs. The problem with advertising is if EA Sports increases the load time process by placing an ad. Example placing a car ad for Yaris in the middle of the load time/screen for any game. Or if they have the audacity to do: this quick battle is bought to you by.... etc.

Ads reduce the cost of the games to us. It also adds to the realism of the games eg in car racing games. I can not think of Need for Speed: Underground without the hundred sponsorship links.


Cheers,

Cat1295

[steveunderwood0]

Ads reduce the cost of games to us?

Um....on what planet?  Theoretically, they SHOULD, but I have notice no price break on games that have ads supported versus those that do not.  Ads are a way for a video game maker to make back some cash on their product, not a way for them to help us out.

[Exar_Kun]

We won't see a cent from these ads. Especially if we're talking about EA.
Their costs will go down, our costs remain the same, they profit more. That's all win as far as EA is concerned.

EA sucks. Tasteful ingame ads have been done before but with those morons at EA on the scene expect ads a la The Truman Show.

[BeoBear]

I wouldnt mind fragging a guy under a big old "health net" bilboard, atleast he might know where to go with his bullet wounds....

[shivadee]

We won't see a cent from these ads. Especially if we're talking about EA.
Their costs will go down, our costs remain the same, they profit more. That's all win as far as EA is concerned.

EA sucks. Tasteful ingame ads have been done before but with those morons at EA on the scene expect ads a la The Truman Show.

LOL.....hehehe, yea we pwn everything

[Nephilim]

As long as the ads do not interfare with the game play I am fine with ads in games.

Currently in games like GT4, GTA Vice City & San Andreas, FIFA 06, NBA Live and ALL sports games, the 'ads' appear as they would in the real world - posters, billboards, on he cars, clothing etc and background signs. The problem with advertising is if EA Sports increases the load time process by placing an ad. Example placing a car ad for Yaris in the middle of the load time/screen for any game. Or if they have the audacity to do: this quick battle is bought to you by.... etc.

Ads reduce the cost of the games to us. It also adds to the realism of the games eg in car racing games. I can not think of Need for Speed: Underground without the hundred sponsorship links.


Cheers,

Cat1295

i agree with the placement of ads in a fashion to enhance game play, but, when you have a game like halo/cod/quake, and games of the like i go get vex, i paying for a product that is of a certain calibur i doh expect while i driving my hog to suddenly see a ad for kotex on the side of the cliff (doh ask where i get that from).

however the adverts have a great effect in sport games/real world sims (where in the real world sponsors ads are regullary seen),  but adds in game that doh fit, uh uh, absolutly not i paying for somehting for you to be collecting royalties for years to come and that basically f-ing up my experience, f-that!

The only way i go tolerate this is if it free, and by free i mean completely free no hidden cost bs!