Advertising In Games
esuna
Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
This is just something that i've just remembered, over the past few millenia, i've been playing Need For Speed Underground 2. In that game (shut up, i like it) are an abundance of Burger King and Best Buy outlets all around the fictional city of Bay View.
Back a while ago, in Dredd Vs Death, there was an abundance of Red Bull around, again, no doubt paid advertising in the game.
And recently, in the 150th issue of PC Zone, in an interview with American McGee, he mentions something about advertiser funded games entirely.
Am i the only person that doesn't see a problem with this whatsoever?
So many people are quick to jump in with comments like "they're selling out" or "f**k advertising", but is it really so much of a bad thing?
I see absolutely no issue whatsoever with advertising in games, be it a Best Buy in NFSU2 or the blatant <s>Virgin Cola</s> 7UP advert that is Cool Spot. These people are giving the game developers money to make their game, sure it gets their ad in there too, but i can't see it as anything else than an opportunity for games developers to find a new source of income away from publishers or private investors.
What does anyone else think of advertising in games?
EDIT: I've since been informed Cool Spot was the 7UP mascot, yeah, that was years ago, and the game wasn't all that great. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Back a while ago, in Dredd Vs Death, there was an abundance of Red Bull around, again, no doubt paid advertising in the game.
And recently, in the 150th issue of PC Zone, in an interview with American McGee, he mentions something about advertiser funded games entirely.
Am i the only person that doesn't see a problem with this whatsoever?
So many people are quick to jump in with comments like "they're selling out" or "f**k advertising", but is it really so much of a bad thing?
I see absolutely no issue whatsoever with advertising in games, be it a Best Buy in NFSU2 or the blatant <s>Virgin Cola</s> 7UP advert that is Cool Spot. These people are giving the game developers money to make their game, sure it gets their ad in there too, but i can't see it as anything else than an opportunity for games developers to find a new source of income away from publishers or private investors.
What does anyone else think of advertising in games?
EDIT: I've since been informed Cool Spot was the 7UP mascot, yeah, that was years ago, and the game wasn't all that great. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Comments
Personally, I don't think EA getting more money is a good thing. It just gives them more power to consume all the small independant software houses who are actually making original games.
It's like goblin zepelins in World of Warcraft would display Coca Cola comercials on a giant built in LCD... It would destroy the atmosphere.
Yeah.
It's like goblin zepelins in World of Warcraft would display Coca Cola comercials on a giant built in LCD... It would destroy the atmosphere. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
it's kind of acceptable in anarchy online in my opinion, seeing as they are letting you play for free for a whole year.
I've not found that it spoils the amosphere very much, the cities would looks kind of empty without them. It is a modern/futuristic game though.
I can imagine it spoiling WoW, as it is set back a long time ago, when such technology was not around.
NFSU 2 is a rather strange case though.
Generic shop-Generic shop-Generic shop-Generic shop-BURGER KING-Generic shop-Generic shop-BURGER KING-Generic shop-Generic shop-
a bit odd when there is only one real shop(i've never seen a best buy myself however)
Hey esuna... Appleseed <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
my friend showed me the trailer to that today and I noticed the avatar.
Yeah. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Maybe this is why you failed your drivers test
<!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
HAHAHAHAH
You sir have now made my new sig. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
^
I just keep thinking back to that game a while ago, with David Bowie in....that would been prime for some good (as in futurisitc and fitting with the theme of the game) adverts.
<a href='http://www.power-overwhelming.com/stuff/grimbergen.jpg' target='_blank'>click</a>
<a href='http://www.grimbergenbier.be/' target='_blank'>It's</a> Belgian beer <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Yeah, I agree. It really doesn't bother me much, it kinda gives the game a more "realistic" feel to it with real ads.
However, if you throw a commercial in before/after a loading time, or do things that the player can't avoid like that (because honestly, it's near impossible to make out those EA game posters going 200mph). As long as they don't do crap like some DVDs have, where there's the "Coming soon from ___" portions that you can't skip. 6th Sense comes to mind.
As long as it fits the atmosphere it's okay, and as long as it's not forced.
Compare:
Pizza Hut and Pepsi in Back to the Future to
Converse and Audi in I, Robot;
see which one disrupts the plot for their product placement?
NFSU2 is a game about getting enough money to buy advertisements to improve your brandname car so you can get sponsorships from reallife companies. Basically, you pay full price for an interactive commercial.
When it comes to MMORPGs I have no objection to there being ads as long as I don't have to pay a monthly fee to play. I'd rather have to sleep in a bed from IKEA, regain HP by eating Big Macs and kill quillboars with a Black&Decker drill, than pay $10 a month. But of course, the option to pay to play without ads should be supported too.
Yeah. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Maybe this is why you failed your drivers test <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Damn you!
reminds me of real life
Ingame banner ads could get a bit irritating, but I always thought it'd be cool if the advertising was, well, integrated into the game world. I mean, it's a fact of life and has been since the dawn of commerce. Of course, there are problems when the game world isn't the right setting (coca-cola brand healing potions, anyone?).