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In-Game Advertising Moves Towards Testing
Thanks to HomeLAN for the news that Activision and Nielsen will be testing in-game adverts starting at the end of the year. Though we've mentioned this previously, the press release would seem to indicate things are moving into their final stages. "The two companies announced that they are launching a groundbreaking test using the newly-released Activision video game, Tony Hawk's Underground 2 to determine how long and how often players interact with brands. The test will feature Nielsen's watermarking technology that uses audio encoding to uniquely identify when players are exposed to product placements within the game."
Play EA Sports NCAA football 2005 - after each score, they do a "Pontiac Drive summary" like you'd see on TV - and they don't let you skip it.
A fine is a tax you pay for doing wrong and a tax is a fine you pay for doing all right.
People who watch television or listen to radio put up with advertising because the programming is provided at no cost.
If that were really true, I wouldn't have a monthly cable bill. I get 50 channels. Only 2 don't show commercials (both are PBS stations). And yet I have to pay $45 a month for that.
It is bloody despicable they did this. I saw THUG2 running the other day. Very nice game, was debating buying it, but after reading this, I most certainly won't be.
As I stated in a prior post, I'm into racing sims, which by their very nature have logos plastered everywhere. That is the exception I make. If I'm paying $55 for, say, Unreal Tournament 2006, and when I load the game there is an unskippable ad for Sunny Delight... That's the last title I buy from that company. Jarring and offensive is about right Jack!
I like your idea of choice. Though really, they're not going to do that when they can shove them all out at $50 and make fat bank from it.
I've played through a lot of THUG2 by this point, for the PS2; the PC version appears to be what they're targeting this gimmick towards, though.
But isn't it already a walking ad for skateboarding companies (volcom, girl, etc.) and all of their clothing/boards/other gear/skate videos, plus an ad for all of the musicians on the soundtracks... and there's been product placement bits in these games forever. Weren't there Mountain Dew ads in THPS1 or THPS2?
My guess is this will be more about product placement than "sit and wait" ads, anyway. Plus, if you see an ad you don't like, you can hop off your board and go paste your graffiti tags over it!
When did the future switch from being a promise to a threat? -C. Palahniuk