Slashdot Mirror
Personalized In-Game Advertising In Upcoming Titles
Scythal writes "In-game advertising provider Massive Inc., acquired by Microsoft in 2006, has signed up or renewed contracts with several publishers, notably EA, Blizzard Entertainment, THQ, and Activision. Eagerly anticipated games like Need for Speed: Shift will feature the technology that continuously collects 'anonymous' information about users, sends them to the Massive database for analysis, and downloads advertisements to be shown in the game. All that happens insidiously, without the users' explicit consent and out of their control, which raises further concerns about privacy, security and quite frankly, customer abuse. Would you feel concerned about software that collects personal information and sends it so that you get more personalized ads in a game you paid for?"
(More, below.)
"The technology has already been implemented, and was present in older titles. For example, Far Cry 2, released in October 2008 by Ubisoft Montreal, had it. You could discover that if you cared to read the manual up to the last pages: 'This game incorporates technology of Massive Incorporated ("Massive") that, when activated, enable the presentation of in-game advertisements and other in-game objects which are uploaded temporarily to your personal computer or game console and changed during online game play. As part of this process, when Massive technology is activated, Massive may have access to your Internet Protocol address. Your Internet Protocol address, and other basic anonymous information, available to Massive are temporarily used by Massive for the general purposes of transmitting and measuring in-game advertising.' However, it seems the technology was not used at the time, for some reason. This time, be assured it will be. How are we supposed to react to something like this? Shouldn't it be called adware? And, gratified by the success of this technology, what would be the next logical step of companies like Massive? Wouldn't they seek new publishers and use it in other software?"
Personally, I think most of the people up in arms about Battle.net being required for SCII are just mad that Blizzard has solved the piracy problem.
Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
God forbid people actually buy products that are targeted and marketed at them.
How much profit does a game publisher make after the bils are paid? $6-8 maybe. So why would they not put ads into games to make more money and keep their biz profitable. If I can make a couple of bucks from each player a day that wants to play online instead of just the static sale of the game, why would I not want to do that? Kind of makes makes sense doesn't it? For all you idiots who are screaming bloody murder, it's very obvious that you;ve never played any games that had the Massive code in them. If you had you wouldn't be crying like a bunch of little bitches. If you don't believe me, then go to the site and watch the demos. Now STFU.
Everybody, didn't you hear the man? Get OFF his lawn!