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In-Game Advertising Poised for Explosive Growth
bart_scriv writes "A new study from Yankee Group predicts a fivefold increase in the in-game advertising market over the next four years. The market, which grew from $34 million in 2004 to $56 million in 2005, is expected to reach $732 million by 2010. Although in-game advertising is currently controlled by a small number of independent networks (IGA, Massive, etc.), the study suggests that the larger game companies will eventually dominate the market by bringing ad serving in-house."
Inquiring minds want to know!
- Paul
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/04/14/ 1510238
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I'm too lazy to look up and link, but I'm sure lots of other regulars around here have read about the horrible failures of most modern advertising to really do anything other than annoy and frustrate the "target audience". I'm not a big fan of the GTA series, but I've been around people who were, and listening to the parodies of actual radio advertisement and seeing the parodies of billboards was a clever and fun way to make the game world more interesting. On the other hand, basically every "real world" advertisement put into a game is hideously overdone. I remember somebody commenting on the spammed billboards for some company or other in a recent racing game, and the "dnL" vs 7up thing is just ridiculous.
The way that things look to me is that two things will end up happening:
1. The only advertisement that will really continue to flourish are the sorts of things that make it to the Super Bowl commercials, which is to say that they'll actually be entertaining.
2. "Advertising" as an industry will basically keel over and die, because products will eventually reach a point at which they will stand or fall on their own merits. The internet means that the exchange of information is certainly possible; all that remains is for people to realize that 99% of advertisement has nothing to do with the product and everything to do with making as much noise to get as much attention (negative OR positive) as possible.
I really don't care about the advertising industry; I'm not the sort to know or care what's in fashion, I just buy what I want (or need) and any advertisement aimed at me beyond the introduction of new products is doomed to failure.
I actually like seeing real life ads in games, games like SWAT4 with real movie posters or real coke machine makes it much more realistic IMO. But then of course it will get annoying if it's too intrusive, like flyers/posters everywhere on the wall and floor. On another note, I found it interesting that in SWAT4, most of the computers in the game are destructible, while the one with ads on the screen are indestructible.
Whats the chance that they'll make more money on the advertising and just give the game away. I think this would be a great method of product placement. Worked great when the US Armed Services gave away 'america's army'. They could also update the ads either on a regular basis over the internet, or through patchs.
Heck, why not include some form of google ad sence that ties in with your brousing and PRESTO your new faverate video game not only sells you products but products specificly marketed to you.
Although I wouldn't play a game like this for free, people will soon be PAYING to be sold advertisements. Like when you sit and watch the newest pop film in the theater.
It'd be interesting to see them try to sneak an ad for Coca-Cola or whatever into something like Oblivion. ;)
I don't see how they could advertise many products in a fantasy setting. It'd ruin the immersion. Unless they have Ye Olde Coca-Cola ale for sale in a tavern or something... But even then, someone would doubtless quickly mod the game to replace it with something non fourth-wall breaking.
It's really nice to be able to support a user base of millions very few of whom ever choose to put any money into the game. At least in our platform, however, the advertisers have to be hand-picked to fit our "world", and the advertisement method and material have to be tailored by hand. It's hard to see what the role of a mediator would be in this kind of setting. Maybe consultant, but probably only before our platform is chosen as the channel.
I was the real korpiq until I woke up clowned.
Gun companies advertising in FPS games, like the video game industry needs more "links" to violence and violent behavior.
If it brings down the price of games (doubtful) it would be nice.
But really I dont mind current advertising in games at all, like mentioned by others it adds a little realism to a game. Real ads on the boards in hockey games doesn't affect the gameplay, and the only times your really going to notice them are during cut scenes. Billboards on racing games also do little to detract from gameplay. I think the type of advertising that should be a non-issue is product placement in limited QUANTITY (no office I know of has 100 Coke/Pepsi machines, 1 in each hallway).
While more intrusive, as long as game prices are affected I wouldn't mind load screen advertising. As long as there aren't minimum length load times for people with faster computers.
What I don't think I could stand for are ads at the start of a game. For example to enter the game there are a couple 30second commercials that are not skipable. Unless the game was free or dirt cheap it would be enough to turn me off. The reason I rarely go to theatres now is because there is almost 15minutes of ads at the start for something I pay a pretty hefty price for already. I enjoy games that you can play for a few mins between classes, not games that take 10minutes to setup/load/watch cutscenes and play.
Hasn't In-Game Advertising been "Poised for Explosive Growth" for the last couple of years?
/. a couple of months ago about how in-game advertising was going to grow (sorry, i'm too lazy to look up the reference). I'm still waiting to hear the bang.
For sure there was an article here on
Been seing in-game avertising for years now (just about any F1 game of the last 5 years has it) and yet it in-game advertising revenue remains a very (very, very) small part of the total advertising revenue.
With the notable exception of games whose setting is in the present, real world, most other games do not have any visible advertising on them. The few that have tried (example, Planetside) saw a backslash from consumers as a result.
In fact, it's very hard to work real adverts into any games set in a fantasy/futuristic environment without them being "in your face" to the level of insult ("Sword of the Mighty *-Cola").
Maybe the predicted 5x growth is just going from miniscule to punny.
In other news, in a few minutes there is going to be an explosive growth (100x times) on the amount of cofee in my used cofee cup - all the way from the 2 drops left over from the last time to a full cup.
[ time to go make it so ]
I think "explosive growth" means logos and adverts during loading times and the like. If there's one thing we can count on, it's corporate greed.
I hope this "explosive growth" will be tasteful.
I don't mind seeing a Burger King sign in a racing game if it's in a place you'd usually see them like on a highway.
I don't want to come across a bard in the next Neverwinter Nights telling me how he got his iPod accessories at his local Best Buy.
who cares? as long as the ads dont interrupt the games.
Since the game will now generate ad revunue, that means they can sell them a little cheaper right?
*cue game company execs staring idly at the ceiling tiles
er, pay the hardworking programmers and developers a bit more?
*more tile counting
Oh, line executive coffers and retirment plans?
*CEO and CFO highfive
I will continue to insert dynamic ad-server domains into my HOSTS file as rapidly as they establish them. Seeing the blank billboards in games like PlanetSide is actually beginning to amuse me.
The advertising industry in a state of panicked paralysis. Lots of smart guys who've had a great ride for 30 years are terrified that it's going to end. Product placement, whether on TV, in films or in ads, is one solution they cling to, like Leo di Caprio clutching that bit of wood at the end of Titanic. Didn't do him much good, and it won't do them much good either...
Key issues include:
* does the user pay for the content? If not, as on TV, and users perceive that they are getting good content for nothing because it;s paid for by ads, then users will put up with it, as on TV; they may skip the ads, but they don't necessarily complain about it too much.
* is the user getting the content for less because of the ad? Again, if so, then users will put up with it - and a lot of the slashdot posts reflect this.
* does the ad make the content more real? e.g. ads on the side of football pitches; don't think many people would object.
* BUT - if the user IS paying for the contect, and its price is not coming down because of the the ad, and it's not adding to the realism of the content - then you have a situation where users will start increasingly to rebel at being forced to watch ads, and cease buying products because of them.
* another poster wisely commented that corproate greed will win - but not necessarily in the ad's favour. As I recall, someone from EA (I think in an IV in Edge magazine) pointed out that their revenue from ads is under 2% of their total revenue. They are not going to risk failing to sell Halo X for $XXX because they want to squeeze in a couple of ads which will generate a tiny amount of extra revenue.
* Stories about product placement's huge future are generally fuelled by people in the ad industry who need it, to save their industry. That does not mean it's going to happen.
I for one would support this, if it meant not having to pay a monthly fee to play that $50 game I just bought online. I've got enough bills, I don't need one for playing a game too.
nothing
I repeat, to advertisers: Stay the fuck out of my game.
I remember one or another of the old "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" games for NES, where every so often you'd walk past a Pizza Hut ad. That wasn't so annoying, pizza was part of their schtick, whatever. I think they even gave you a coupon for a free pizza or something with the game. Fast-forward a decade or so, and I'm playing one of my favorite PS1 games, "Parasite Eve II," which would be my all-time favorite except for the fact that the ultimate life-replenishing power-up in that game was a can of Coca-Cola. It really takes away from the whole sci-fi survival horror thing when you're forced to be on a constant lookout for a damn Coke machine, or when vanquished monsters drop cans of Coke for you to drink.
There are more than enough situations in games where ads can be non-intrusive, and even add to the realism. Racecars, ballparks, and city settings wouldn't look as authentic if not plastered with the same insane amount of ads as their real-life counterparts. If you're in a virtual Times Square, New York, as with the genuine article it would actually look lame without all the billboards and neon. Of course, I reserve the right to ignore those virtual ads just as much as I do the real ones.
One more thing, from TFA: "Although the in-game advertising market is still relatively untapped, its promising business model will lead to swift market development," commented Yankee Group senior analyst Michael Goodman. "Effectively competing in the interactive gaming market for the video game and advertising communities requires careful attention to the intricacies of the industry."
It's not video games that make me violent. It's people who talk like this that make me violent.
Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
Games industry poised for explosive collapse as advertising takes off...
"I think "explosive growth" means logos and adverts during loading times and the like. If there's one thing we can count on, it's corporate greed."
As opposed to? Seeing as to how "we" block/skip everything. It looks like they don't have much choice. You may see that as greed? I see it as simply "no choice". Now you may see advertising as evil, and the world would be a better place without it. However I'd recommend you think that stance through to it's logical conclusion before throwing the baby away. You'd have as much to lose as they would.
These companies want advertising in games to make extra money above and beyond what they make now. There's no way in hell they're going to lower prices because they've crammed a game full of ads. If they did that they might as well not have advertising in the game at all.
The last time I checked cable and satellite television is getting more expensive despite more advertising than ever before. The same goes for movies, which have absurd amounts of product placement despite ever increasing ticket cost.
These companies don't care about preserving immersion, they care about making a few extra bucks. GTA Vice City took place in the 80s, San Andreas took place in the 90s. If they put in real ads rest assured they wouldn't be advertising from each game's respective time period. We'd see big flaming ads for Dell XPS computers, Subway sandwiches, bad ringtones, some new SUV and lord knows what else. And then the best part is when they throw these ads in a player's face and force them to watch it. We'll have a game with completely destructable environments except for advertisements. And entire town will be obliterated but all the billboards will be pristine.
And for every one creative, well-designed ad there are 10,000 awful ones. This entire venture is about making money. These jerks aren't going to spend on anything if they don't need to which means we're going to see low quality garbage everywhere. Look for high quality advertising in the style of lowermybill.com.
I never liked advertising and I never will.
Don't forget that through out the 90s "Analysts" were predicting an explosive growth in online gaming and gaming revinues; their reasoning was based off of the fact that in a short time frame (2 or 3 years) the number of online games had doubled and this meant that (at this rate) every game would be online by 2005. The truth is that "Analysts" don't really know what they are talking about most of the time.
The simple fact is that in game advertizing is a symptom of what is wrong with the gaming industry today; game budgets (on average) are hitting points where they require the game to be highly successful in order for the company to break even and make another game; when you're paying $20 Million - $40 Million to develop a game you need to sell 2 Million - 4 Million copies to break even (before you consider the costs associated with marketing your game).
In game advertizing, episodal content, and micro payments provide the end user (the gamer) with almost nothing; well they provide you with a $2 quest that only lasts 10 minutes, a $2 horse and (potentially) annoying product placement or un-necessary cut scenes.
Don't get me wrong, I have said in the past that I'd be willing to watch a 30 second to 1 minute comercial every time I logged into a MMORPG to get the connection for free; or in an offline game if the game was free. I am just completely unwilling to be bombarded with advertizing (or Nickeled and dimed) in a product that I spent $60 for because someone thought that the HD-era was a good thing.
Of course what that means is we will start seeing less ads in the actual game world, and more ads in the interface, similar to the whole "ordering pizza through the command line" deal. Or possibly showing spots during zone loads. Of course then you have angry players who would rightly be suspicious that their uberfast connection and computer should load the zone quicker and that they are delaying the zone loading process just to show ads.
And lets face it...since the most popular (for the moment) game online is WoW...you KNOW someone will attempt it. Whether Blizzard will bite or not is another question. Would you object to seeing a food vendor selling chicken suspiciously labeled "K'ntuckee Fried Chicken"? I actually think that is one option advertisers have...parodying their brands. People can easily make the connection and see the joke, it would definitely be fitting in the setting...AND people would still make the same connection to the brand, and perhaps even appreciate that they didn't try to make a hugely flashing ad that completely broke the theme of the game world.
Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
the Mountain Dew Broadsword of Uleharm. Bonus +5 to stamina, 10% chance to cast Berzerker Rage on self during melee combat. Do the Dew!
There is little difference between in game ads and the endless ads they play before a movie at your local theater. You have already paid for the privilege of seeing the movie (or playing the game), but now you have to endure 20 minutes of ads. Have the prices of movie tickets gone down? No they have only gone up. The same thing will happen with game prices.
And can you think of anyone who likes the ads before a movie? Ever wonder at the decreasing revenue for the film studios? I would say the opinions of the people are clear... for games and movies.
In-Game Advertising Poised for Explosive Growth
And gamers are just as poised to 'explode' away from any game with ads in it.
The government has a defect: it's potentially democratic. Corporations have no defect: they're pure tyrannies. -Chomsky
As all ads this will be dealt.
Perhaps it will require a dedicated crack,it usually works this way.
In degree of complexity:
1.hosts IPs can be blocked separately.
2.textures/objects/generator scripts can be hacked to draw blank/disabled.
3.If all this is encrypted it will be decompiled.
4.server side authentication will be logged and reverse engineered.
5.If all else fails the client will be reverse enginered.(Unlikely and messy solution,but is very effective)
Its depends just matter if they game popular enough and ads are annoying enough.
Pikmin 2 is full of in-game advertising, and it actually kind of adds to the game's narrative. Modern-day Earth products are lying around everywhere, implying that the game takes place on a post-apocalyptic Earth, after the entire human race got so fed up with ubiquitous advertisements that it killed itself just to get away from it all.
If e-sports is to be taken seriously in the future (and the future is bigger then most other syndicated sports imo) this is a necessary evolution. More game developers should take this seriously.