In-game advertising: When does it go too far?

[elDiablo]

Got shown a rather interesting little discussion (well, point of view from a few people) about in-game advertising. The post is saying that in-game billboards aren't too much of a problem, where they are appropriate (F1 game with the adverts around the track, for example). However, Dungeon Siege 2: Broken World has an in-game NPC trying to sell you the PSP version of the game, as both have cross-over codes you can use in the other game.

Personally, I think that's a bit far. Especially (as the poster agrees) in a RPG, where the game is made to draw you in, and not bitch-slap you back into the real world without a warning first. I agree that in-game advertising may help the costs of development, meaning developers can make better games, but some of them really need to consider where to draw the line, in my opinion.

Just curious as to what you all think are the pros and cons of in-game ads, where they are appropriate and where they are not, or even if they ever will be "welcome" in any games.

 

[Ronin Storm]

Games development costs for triple-A titles are growing at a phenomenal rate. I read a BBC News article a few weeks ago interviewing Peter Molyneux over his studio's move into Microsoft's fold. He was speaking of how pleased he was not to have to worry about the money any more, because worrying about whether the studio was going to fail after producing a flop title or spending too long on the product to find it was no longer relevant at release was a damaging thing on game quality: corners were cut, risks were avoided, the resulting product quality was lower. Now he doesn't have to worry so much he feels his studio can produce better games.

Advertising seems to be big business. Every serious internet player appears to have their own advertising scheme with pay-per-click or some such behind it. We've been seeing product placement in films for years (since the damn of filmmaking?) because they've also seen the massive rise in costs to make their blockbuster titles and revenue from advertising helps to offset that. TV series are using the same techniques.

Why should games be any different? Good films and TV series manage to slip their product placement in under the radar (it was Wayne's World that really took the piss out of placement, wasn't it?). Admittedly, it only tends to work with modern or futuristic settings -- can't exactly drop in Pepsi Cola into some fantasy epic -- but the theory works.

If this cash can be used to offset game costs, perhaps we'll end up with better quality games, and that's got to be good, right?

We accept product placement in films because by the time we were all watching films and sufficiently aware that we could have had a choice, the choice had already been made for us. Advertising is there to stay.

We're questioning it in games because it's happening now and we feel that, at some level, we can affect it... even if only by refusing to buy games with blatant or out-of-theme advertising. Ultimately, I feel that advertising is here to stay in games too; they need to make up their funds somehow!

Is it a good thing? That's going to vary from person to person, surely? For me, as long as it stays subtle and in-theme and as long as it is ultimately leading to better quality games I'm all for it. Beyond that? I think I may just have to put up with it.

 

[pHatBambi]

I don't think product placement in games is too great a deal.

Obviously or blatant placement will probably be recieved with discontent but creative or subtle use of products could actually help create a more emmersive world. Especially if the designer is aiming for ultra realism.

It will be money driven of course. The danger is that advertisers demand too much exposure for their products that means you end up walking through a virtual shopping mall, etc...

As for fantasy games not having product placement it depends on how creative the designers are. That magic potion of +10 stamina could be called "Ye Olde Reddish Bull" and you would need to kill the appropriate animals to get the right ingredients for it (similarly it could be a potion of flight).

 

[Piacular]

As for fantasy games not having product placement it depends on how creative the designers are. That magic potion of +10 stamina could be called "Ye Olde Reddish Bull" and you would need to kill the appropriate animals to get the right ingredients for it (similarly it could be a potion of flight).

That's some brilliant creative thinking Mr C, you should put that on the ol' CV .

I agree that product placement wouldn't really be a problem unless it started to interfere with game play .

 

[DeZmond]

Obviously or blatant placement will probably be recieved with discontent but creative or subtle use of products could actually help create a more emmersive world. Especially if the designer is aiming for ultra realism.

Back in the day, there was a Vice city mod for GTA3 which used authentic billboards in-game... it did make it slightly more immersive to be crashing vehicles into huge mcdonalds signs!

I don't like it too blatently in-your-face though - the second my gameplay is interupted I'd be raging at the company/developers for putting the ads in.

 

[Tetsuo_Shima]

Yes, the EA 'Game Trax' pish did my head in on NFSU, and the 'Tonights fight sponsored by... !' as well as the dodge, everlast etc. merchandise in FNR3 makes me want to drill holes in my eardrum.

 

[Ki!ler-Mk1]

Well planetside (paytoplay) has ingame adverts if you have AOL as your isp regardless of where in the world you are.