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Adware Companies Buying Game Developers

Posted by Zonk on from the no!-anything-but-that! dept.

miller60 writes "At least one Adware company has purchased a game developer, hoping to use game downloads to install advertising software on gamers' computers. 180solutions, which recently received $40 million in venture capital funding, says its purchase of Full Armor Studios is the "first of many gaming relationships the company will forge over the coming months.""

3 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. Not the end all by pat_trick · · Score: 2, Informative

    Have you looked at http://www.fullarmorstudios.com/ at all?

    None of those games look like something I'd want to play anyway. I think we're safe from any of the huge game companies falling into this situation.

    As for Full Armor Studios...well, I think I just heard their profits choke and die.

    And the company to look out for is Zango, according to this press release: http://www.fullarmorstudios.com/news/180solutionsA cquiresFullArmorStudios.pdf

  2. Re:I wouldn't worry too much... by tepples · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'll deal with it effectively, by dropping all packets to or from the ad server.

    Error: No response from authentication server. Please make sure you are connected to the Internet before playing this game.

  3. Re:This is Crap by ps_inkling · · Score: 3, Informative
    Drive-by downloading of ad-ware is illegal. Installing ad-ware after "acquiring" a "business relationship" with you is perfectly legal. Read your EULAs carefully.

    From what I remember eGames was (and their older releases still are) pulling this type of stunt. If you were using some of the free ISP connectivity, your "spare" CPU time was sold to the highest bidder.

    The illegal act is not notifying the end user of the software and its purpose. As long as you are notified, its legal. (The notice could be similar to the "privacy statements" from financial instutions -- "We value your privacy.... We share only with [highest bidding] business partners your confidential information.")