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In-Game Advertising Makes Games Better?
Pretty much every time we hear about a game launching in-game advertising it sounds like a horrible idea that will only serve to detract from the experience. However JJ Richards of Massive wants you to give it a chance, claiming that if done correctly it can not only work, but actually enhance the overall experience. "In fact, according to Massive's research, gamers like ads. Here's the caveat: they have to add to the gaming experience. He describes a game that takes place in Times Square. With no ads, it's not real at all. With generic ads, it's a little better. 'Now imagine Times Square with ads you just saw on television or read in a newspaper—the latest movie release or television show or a new car model,' he said. 'Imagine further that it is up-to-the-minute, whether you played your game today or six months from now. That is much more realistic.' His argument is that gamers consume the experience of ads, not just the ads themselves. 'The ads add to and enhance that experience, and our research shows that it is highly effective for both game play as well as advertisers.'"
Right, "consuming the experience of ads".
Please, do humanity a favor and kill yourself.
No, seriously.
Every expression is true, for a given value of 'true'
So long as the advert spots are equivalent to the ones in real life, I agree. I've never minded the occasional racing game that includes billboards with real adverts. But who wants to bet EA types will go overboard with it? Better not to even start down that slippery slope -- if you want to make games more realistic with ads, make them fake ads like GTA does.
No one's forcing your to buy it, asshole.
And I could say this exact thing about "drugs". Nobody is forcing you to go out and pop 500 pills against your will. Oh wait.. addiction is addiction whether its drugs, food, alcohol, tv, or video games. Good thing I have no mod points or your post would be modded troll.
-Kinsey
I think your overstating the effect advertising has over people. Sure seeing an ad may end with me buying something I would't normally have bought, but it in no way forced me to do so.
If a commercial comes on for some new resturant and it looks good to me I may go there. If it turns out I enjoyed eating there then the commercial has actually benifited me by introducing me to a something I may not have otherwise come across.
All ads can do is put information infront of people and they make their own decisions from that, in no way is it "controlling people's actions and making them do harmful things against their will". If you have some proof that advertising is capable of some how controlling a persons mind I would be very interested to see it, but short of untruthful ads there is no real harm to them. At least not beyond whatever loss of enjoyment seeing them may cause.