Electronic Arts 'Scores' With Product Placement

Thanks to the San Francisco Business Times for its article discussing Electronic Arts' increasing use of product placement in its videogames. The article explains: "In EA's games, basketball players wear Adidas or Nike and run past a McDonald's banner on the court; Old Spice deodorant highlights football college players of the game; a snowboarder swooshes past Honda Motor Co.'s newest vehicle, the Element." It's also pointed out that "a six-figure deal with an advertiser defrays some of the costs of game development, which can run up to $10 million in the industry", but it's claimed: "Video-game makers said they try to take care when incorporating products in games, not wanting to overwhelm game players with product spots."

Comments

This is just fine!

[fuzzybunny]

I think I can safely say that this does not bother me at all. In fact, this is the kind of advertising I like to see--especially in sports games (or for all I care, pockmarked billboards on the side of a bombed-out building in some FPS) sort of adds to the realism.