Advertising in Lieu of Game Fees in MMORPGs?

Mat/.Cloud asks: " Am I the only one that thinks it's incredibly unfair to have to pay $20 a month to play a game that I've already paid $50-$60 for? I realize that companies have to charge this fee or they would loose money from the cost of operating the servers. I guess I'm just so spoiled from having everything else on the net being free that I expect this to be also. Then I realized how everything else on the net is paid for... advertising. Would it be possible for companies to put ads in their mmorpg without drastically detracting from the game play? The only reasonably feasible solution I came up with is to have a banner ad at the top of the screen. Do y'all think it would be worth a small sacrifice in game play to keep the games free? Any other ideas on how to insert ads or ways for the companies to pay for their servers?"

Comments

I suspect...

[cmowire]

I suspect that you couldn't get enough advertising revenues to recoup a $20/month fee unless the game was equipped with an electric shock device that physically forced you into purchasing advertiser's products.

Especially given that rates for advertising are falling.

Advertising costs the same

[Matthew Weigel]

You're either letting your privacy be violated to get something free (and let's face it, advertisers won't pay nearly enough to cover a $20/person-month subscription without mucho private info), or you're protecting your privacy by giving them just money.

No, subscriptions are the Right Way to Do It. It costs you money, but we're concerned about free-as-in-speech, not free-as-in-beer. Complain about the closed nature of the games first, then we'll talk about the cost (at which point I'll bring up the costs of paying all those developers, admins, and maintaining those servers - and subscriptions will still be the Right Way to Do It).

How to advertise on a MMORPG

[pyro_peter_911]

The key to successfully advertising on an online RPG would be to make the ads desireable in the context of the game.

In DiabloII, for example, collecting the runes 'C', 'O','K', and 'E' and putting them in an item could make a bad-ass and much desired rune word. Players would scramble about in an attempt to locate these "sponsored" items.

Your Paladin would soon be wearing Nike Mesh Boots, GAP armor, Dillard's rings, etc. Everyone would be walking billboards, just like in real life!

Hrmmm. Maybe this isn't such a good idea.

I can see it now.

[SuiteSisterMary]

Your character stalwartly advances towards the Bridge of Doom. It's a rotten, rickity rope and wood bridge. Looking down, you cannot see the bottom of the Gorge of Peril; only fetid smoke, smelling of the grave. You hear the gibbering of mad things, things just beyond the ken of mortals. north As you approach the end of the bridge. You see an old man, white of eye, stooped, gnarled, wearing tattered robes. At your approach, he lifts his head, and intones in a strangely singsong voice:
You must answer me these questions three, ere the other side ye see! /say I'm not afraid, bridgekeeper! Ask me your questions! The bridgekeeper nods, and asks the first question.
WHAT...is the worlds most refreshing drink? /say Coke. The bridgekeeper cackles in delight. What....is the athletic shoe most likely to improve your game? /say Nike. The bridgekeeper claps his hands sarcastically.
WHAT....was the effect Napster had on the sales of compact disks sold by the RIAA, as is generally accepted by journalists, the ignorant, and people afraid of 'that Internet thing?' /say What? But CD sales went up! The bridgekeeper grasps a lever and pulls it, and you are catapulted into the Gorge of Peril.

• You are dead! Press space bar to respawn.