British Intelligence Inserts Job Ads Into Games

eldavojohn writes "Britain's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is taking a new approach to attracting new recruits. 'The monthlong ad campaign, which starts at the end of October, is being run by GCHQ, the recruitment firm TMP Worldwide and Microsoft-owned in-game ad agency Massive Inc. Ads headed 'Careers in British Intelligence' will appear as billboards in scenes in Splinter Cell and other games including Need for Speed Carbon and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars when they are played on computers and Microsoft Xbox consoles in Britain.'"

Comments

Where Burger King and Toyota got it right

[ObiWanStevobi]

When we are getting peppered with ads during games, I fell pretty cheated that there wasn't a discount on the price. It's bullshit. If you are going to flood the game with ads, make it cheaper or free! For example, Yaris for Xbox live or the Burger King games. Although I must say that Burger Kings presence in Fight Night was sickening. Especially when I had to pay $60 to get "the King" as a trainer fighting in a BK themed ring!

I don't mind the concept of ads in games if it discounts the game. But I can't stand being charged full price for a game when the studio was paid to force gamers to sit through a commercial.

Re:Where Burger King and Toyota got it right

[Tim C]

You're right. Given that (as a UK citizen) my taxes will be paying for the adverts, they should be paying me to play the game.

Re:Where Burger King and Toyota got it right

[oliverthered]

isn't that part of the problem, 'most' people see games as a bit of escapism.

Re:Where Burger King and Toyota got it right

[Pantero Blanco]

As peoples' lives get easier, they'll start to complain and fight over things that aren't as important. This is what allows their lives to keep getting easier. Go read Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom if you want something of an extreme example.

At any rate, the GP post isn't complaining that the price of (and the presence of advertisements in) the game is a violation of his civil liberties or a crime against humanity. He isn't threatening the companies involved, or even picketing their offices. He's basically just saying it annoys him. I'm certain you've payed to see a crappy movie before and complained about it.

Companies take note of actions and products that make customers unhappy, and (if they're smart) they adjust their actions and products.

On another note, the particular case this article is about bothers me largely because it's recruiting for the surveillance arm of British Intelligence that's going to appear, and that's just creepy.

Re:Where Burger King and Toyota got it right

[paeanblack]

When we are getting peppered with ads during games, I fell pretty cheated that there wasn't a discount on the price

Adjusted for inflation, games are cheaper now than they have ever been.
Adjusted for inflation, games are more expensive to produce than they have ever been.
Even accounting for industry growth and inflation, the per-unit production cost of games is higher than it has ever been.

How, exactly, are you being cheated?

Re:Where Burger King and Toyota got it right

[Dutch Gun]

I completely agree. And with most issues like this, I think the market will decide what levels of advertising are appropriate for the content you're playing for. Reviewers will make a note of obtrusive or inappropriate ads in their reviews, and gamers (if they feel the same way as us) will decide to simply NOT buy that particular game. Unless we're talking about contemporary sports games (which look weird *without* advertising) or substantially reduced game costs (e.g. Burger King), I'll pass on any game that clobbers me over the head with ads. My $60 is more than enough to pay for the game's development costs, thank you. And if not, then the developer needs to figure out how to sell more games or lower production costs.

Nothing new, really

[stjobe]

British intelligence agencies seem to have a fondness of peculiar recruitment techniques.

In one, now well known instance, the ability to solve The Daily Telegraph crossword in under 12 minutes was used as a recruitment test.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bletchley_Park

Re:Nothing new, really

[maxume]

I wonder what an intelligence service would want with obsessive people skilled at holding and rapidly correlating large amounts of information in their heads.

Life imitates science fiction

[mbrubeck]

Sounds like they've been reading Halting State, the new sci-fi novel by Charles Stross involving gaming and British intelligence services.