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Publishers Detail Specific In-Game Ad Plans For Future Games
MTV's Multiplayer Blog recaps a recent event held by Massive Inc., a subsidiary of Microsoft, during which game publishers put forth specific ideas on what types of in-game advertising players will and won't be seeing in the near future. The examples varied in how interactive and intrusive they were, from name-brand bottled water power-ups to destructible virtual billboards to taking advantage of sports game locker rooms for product placement. They did claim they would restrain themselves from blatant advertisements that would ruin immersion in fantasy games. Blizzard partnered with Massive to bring ads to Battle.net, but don't expect to see ads in the associated games.
Actually I stopped buying newspapers because they were so many ads. I'd happily pay a few bucks for one, especially with good investigative reporting. But I won't pay a damn cent for one with them. There's also several magazines of various genres that I used to subscribe to, but no longer do due to ads. As for the online versions- there's ads on the internet? Haven't seen one in years, thank you AdBlock.
The most insidious thing about ads- they really don't lower your price. The companies that take out the ads have to pay for them. You may get the newspaper cheaper, but you'll pay for it on every trip to the store you ever make. Ads are a net loss to society- they produce no goods, they provide no service, yet they cost a boatload of money. They're a drag on the efficiency of the system.
I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
"I mean does anyone get mad over seeing a billboard or some ads on a bus?"
I, for one, do.