We are seeing more deals involving different dynamic ad agencies and video game developers popping up with the biggest one involving EA and Microsoft. These in game ads are billed as great things and from an advertisers perspective that is getting in product placement opportunities across a widespread demographic they are fantastic, but what do they mean to us the consumer?
Since we are allowing all these ads into our homes involuntarily, will we get an option to turn them off? I paid for a video game not commercials, on television I can change the station but what about my video games, I am forced to sit there and see ads I don’t care for as I race through whatever stage I am on.
Will this dawn of new ad placements in our video games lead to lowering of prices or consoles? I doubt this very much, ads are already in certain games and we all are still paying top dollar. We as video game consumers are not benefiting in any way shape or form, from these new “dynamic” ads, so why should I sit and take them?
Will developers and manufacturers step up production and innovation ow that they are getting a new source of income? Can we expect to see greater, faster game engines or upgrades to video game consoles? A frustrating thing about htese ads is the uncanny fact that many games are released into the market with bugs and EA games are no different. With these new ads and multi-million dollar deals, will we as video game consumers see a decline in these quality problems or can we just expect to be brainwashed and still have rushed titles hit our consoles, to only wait for patches at a later time.
Now that these great deals have been made and we will be seeing more ads in our sports titles, racing games and god knows where it will stop? I know this isn’t a huge thing yet, seeing a billboard for Axe body spray or a Gillette commercial, but there is a break point as to how much crap can go in our games and at what price? Will this mean all games will become subject to cheesy ad placement, will Blue Dragon get downloadable content to include a Yankee hat? I was surprised to see an achievement sponsored by Stride gum in the All Pro Football 2k8, even our ahcivements are sponsored now. Will the boxes themselves become sponsored and have Kellog’s logos on them?
The topic of in game ads opens up a pandoras box of questions and I think that the move oof Peter Moore over to EA is no coincidence with the fact that Microsoft and EA signed this new deal. There is a strategic alliance forming and Peter Moore is still at the helm in soem capacity.
What do you think or what would you like in return for seeing these ads?
3 Comments
Write a Comment»Personally, I like the idea of ads in games. With sports and racing games I think they increase the realism of the game by replicating what we get at the side of all pitches and tracks. I believe this is the way to make games seem closer to real life, by intergrating certain elements of this world into the game world. Take GTA for instance. I would find the city much more believeable if instead of ’sprunk’ its was ‘cola’.
In game ads were inevitable, it could have never been stopped. Yeah it is nice that the companies making the games get a little more money to make the game. But at the same time in a game like rainbow six vegas, i could see the ads as being a distration. Something catches your eye just when an enemy opponent runs up at you and kills you. It some scenerios, love the idea of in game ads. It adds more real life to the game. But in other situations, just plain wrong
In game ads are a dangerous proposition, it can lead to bad and cheesy things in games. Think of it as the gateway drug that gets you started on other stuff.