In-Game Ads
Although I'm sure this will hardly come as a shock to any of you, it would seem that with the rising costs of game development, we're on the verge of being further inundated with virtual ads. Now I'm not sure how such ads would fit outside game environments set in the current day, recent past or near future, but there are enough FPSs and MMOs out there that fall within this range to make it a lucrative market. Second Life anyone? I also wonder on the impact this could have on the independent developer. While a home brew game might not be able to pull off the high ad rates promised to a major manufacturer, could it provide an alternate revenue stream to help keep interesting independent games coming our way? In-game advertising leader Double Fusion predicts revenues of up to $1.5 billion in less than four years. I have mixed feelings about this. In some ways, it does allow for games to be more realistic. Walking by a Coke vending machine in the right scenario is more believable than a generic cola vending machine. On the other hand, everything everywhere seems to be becoming branded. It's like capitalism run a muck. At least I can rest assured that there will always be game realms where ads for real products just don't fit, and I won't have to be faced with them in order to relax and have fun gaming.
The coming age of interactive video game ads [Salon]
Mikey
Posted to Hot Stuff, Video Games on 24 July 2007
· Comments (2)
Well, so far, all the in-game ads I've seen were unobtrusive and I hope they will remain like that. In Splinter Cell: Double Agent they did it quite nicely - plasma screen in your ship cabin is playing ads for shavers, and if you go into the bathroom, you find a range skincare products for men. I personally found it quite amusing, and as long as Sam Fisher remains unshaven, I'm a happy puppy.
The ads in double agent change too. I noticed an ad for the 300 DVD in a multiplayer round the other day.