Wipeout HD Loading Ads Scrapped After Uproar

RobotsDinner writes "After Monday's story about intrusive, loading-screen ads being retroactively added to the PSN racing title Wipeout HD, the popular uproar has indeed succeeded in getting Sony to pull them. You can put your pitchforks down; your voice has been heard! A Sony spokesman said, 'The ad has been removed from Wipeout HD and we are investigating the situation to ensure that any in-game advertising does not affect gameplay.'"

Comments

The pricks won't stop.

[grub]

The ad has been removed from Wipeout HD and we are investigating the situation to ensure that any in-game advertising does not affect gameplay

Read: "We are still committed to forcing ads on you and will find a less annoying way to do so."

.

Re:The pricks won't stop.

[nine-times]

Correction: Read: "We are still committed to forcing ads on you and will wait for you to forget about this incident before trying again. If we keep cramming this stuff down your throats, eventually you'll swallow."

Re:The pricks won't stop.

[Sockatume]

According to Edge "a less annoying way" was part of their terms with the agency from the outset. The ads were supposed to match the game aesthetic for a start. Guess the agency decided to cut corners, put up some random ad from their stock, and Sony weren't actually screening the ads for compliance.

But in-game ads will always affect gameplay

[Benanov]

I think ads will ruin my immersion. Every product placement I've seen has always led to something I didn't like about the game:

Monkey Ball Series - DOLE IS EVERYWHERE in the games, and it gets kind of annoying.
Most racing simulator games - Can't show damage on branded vehicles

Those are the two I can think of off the top of my head.

Re:But in-game ads will always affect gameplay

[thisnamestoolong]

Most racing simulator games - Can't show damage on branded vehicles

This one is the WORST. They put countless thousands of man hours into perfecting the driving mechanics, but then can't show any damage on the vehicle. I am not sure how it is in the latest iteration, but this pulled me right out of the game in Gran Turismo, they are trying to get me to buy the fact that I am driving a real car on a real track, yet I can smash into a wall at 200+ mph with no consequences. That goes above and beyond being irritating, it is downright shameful. They would be better off using fictional cars at that point -- if the automakers don't want the free publicity they can go screw.

Static vs Video

[odin84gk]

If they included static ads, such as an image, it may not have been a problem. However, they did video advertisements that increased the load time by 10 seconds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX4f9zts6JM

This is how it always goes down

[RedCard]

The first time a company attempts shenanigans like this, there's an uproar. Then they wait a while, for some of the people to get used to the idea, or apathetic, or both, and then attempt it again.

Too much hue and cry the second time results in a third repetition, with a slightly longer cycle. Process repeats until implementation.

Re:Jet Moto

[The Moof]

Except this particular ad was during a loading screen. And after the loading was finished, you were still stuck watching another 10 seconds of an advertisement video before it would let you play. In game advertising that adds some realism is nice, but this type of advertising is abusive. Especially since you paid for the game, and it's interfering with your ability to play it.

Re:Overreaction

[Anonymous Coward]

Ads are just an added revenue stream at the cost of the consumer. Saying they keep the price low is nonsense. They are extra, bonus, on top of the retail price revenue some sneaky biz guy thought looked cool on a powerpoint slide. Especially when they get added in an update AFTER release.

When you want me to pay for a game, you better keep ads out of it.