In-game advertising will ruin the video game industry
As the cost of developing video games rises, developers are forced to find new ways to increase revenue. And although sales are still a major piece of that pie, advertising is quickly becoming the key to the future. But unfortunately, I just don't see how any of us would benefit.
According to Sony, it will introduce dynamic in-game advertising to its titles in an attempt "to bolster the already rapidly growing worldwide in-game advertising industry, which is expected to grow 1,150 percent to $971.3 million between 2006 and 2011 according to the Yankee Group."
No word was given regarding what titles would be included in that deal, but anyone with half a brain knows that just about every single title you want to play in the foreseeable future will feature some form of dynamic in-game advertising. And to make matters worse, some people in the industry thinks it's a good move.
"The PS3 platform is primed to leverage the high growth potential of the in-game advertising market," said Phil Rosenberg, Senior Vice President, SCEA. "Ads that are organic to the environment not only benefit developers and advertisers, but also create a richer experience for gamers."
As much as I disagree with Rosenberg and his company, I'm wondering why it's changing its tune so soon after its own CEO said that in-game advertising isn't good for the industry.
At the World Economic Forum, Sony Group CEO Howard Stringer said he doesn't think in-game advertising will really solve monetary gaming issues and although some want us to believe that it might work, there's currently no indication that anything coming down the pike in the next few years will actually prove that notion.
"The [supposed] solution to everything at the moment in the digital space is ad-supported," Stringer said in an interview with the Financial Times. "While advertisers are happy to talk that up, there is a limit to the amount of money available."
And although he believed that business models were changing in favor of in-game advertising, Stringer (correctly) told the reporter that "young people don't like advertising very much."
So why the change of heart? If just five months ago, in-game advertising was wrong for all parties involved and the company's chief believed it wasn't all it's cracked up to be, why has Sony suddenly decided to do the exact opposite of what it claimed?
Surely the answer is cash, but Stringer's opposition went far beyond the notion of money. Stringer seemed convinced that in-game advertising wouldn't behoove his company and made it quite clear that he thought it was a bad move for any company to make.
Of course, I agree with Stringer. In-game advertising not only ruins the experience of playing games, but it makes for a title that "sells out."
Think about it -- how many times have you played through Guitar Hero III and the entire Tony Hawk franchise wondering where the developers went wrong? Was it really necessary to drop the name of another product? Did we really need that extra banner behind the artist's head?
Of course the answer is no, but we're still being annoyed with in-game advertising for no real reason. Sony wants us to believe that we will benefit from it because it'll not only provide us with knowledge on a slew of new products, it'll increase developer revenue, helping create better games.
Although its justification may sound rational at first, what if it's wrong? What if people say they don't want to play games with too much advertising and show that by not buying those titles at the store? What if the vast majority of people see through the advertising rhetoric and view it as it really is: a ploy to line the pockets of execs? What if it all backfires and the video game industry is shaken by the ridiculous use of advertising?
Sure, these may be "what if's", but I've yet to find people who actually like in-game advertising and know too many folks who are wary of what it could mean to beauty and value of in-game environments. Suffice it to say that in-game advertising may work for the developers, but there's currently no indication that it'll work for us.
And yet, advertising in video games is quickly becoming the next frontier in the industry and not even the gamers can stop the onslaught. But if it continues down this path and we do become inundated with advertising that detracts from the experience of playing a game, the effect could have major ramifications for all of us. And I, for one, don't want to see that happen.
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Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.






They should only be included in free version games, where the advertisements are paying for your gaming session (I don't mind those on GameTap's game player).
Imagine U are playing Gear of War XXX. And the solution to destory the Locust new weapon, is to search for a 'old' bootle of coke or head-and-shoulder from a ancient warehouse.......... that ads become part of the game, right from the start.
Or if U are going thru games, if U locate some 'special' item, U get to print it out a coupon to exchange for some game related souvenir (imagine getting a Marcus Fenix action figure) when U go to Best Buy to purcahse another game etc.....while stock last of course.....words will spread thru forum, chat room etc on how to locate those item etc.
However by using that model, it will likely means the company, interested to advertise, have to partner the developer right from the start. They will have to take the risk that the game might be a flop.... Well maybe real-time advertising is possible in the future due to the console being connected to the Internet....but they really really need to be very careful.....not to spoil the gaming experience or kill the goose that lay the gold eggs.
BTW, most of the time advertisement are the infor provided to user that they do not need......But imagine infor provided is what we are searching for..... it will become useful and welcomed infor (It is like searching thru google/amazon for a product). Hence it is true that most of us dislike advertisement (ads). It really depend on how they apply it. Juz think back on the Nike shoe wore by Marty McFly in "Back to Future". I felt it is quite funny and not that out of place. Cheers
Or even in a futuristic game like Hellgate: London. When walking in the subways, there's posters hanging on the walls with advertisements! See? They blended ads into the decor!
But whatever happens, I better not see fantasy games with advertisements like that!!! LOL... imagine walking out of a forest and into a castle, and there's a huge "COCA COLA" flag on the castle... now that would be extremely lame!
Or even in a futuristic game like Hellgate: London. When walking in the subways, there's posters hanging on the walls with advertisements! See? They blended ads into the decor!
But whatever happens, I better not see fantasy games with advertisements like that!!! LOL... imagine walking out of a forest and into a castle, and there's a huge "COCA COLA" flag on the castle... now that would be extremely lame!
i say advertising is wrong..because u pay $50 for a game and u get to see advertisements??? so thats like $10 for the game and $40 for the advertisements..because then i guess there wont be just 1 or 2 ads but many many more....probably like those we get when we play demos. everytime u quit ur forced to see the advertisement.
Another great article by Don Reisinger.
Video games used to be one of the few forms of entertainment where ads weren't shoved down your throat every two seconds. Thanks to Sony, it looks like that is going to change. I want to feel like I'm getting into the world of a video games, and advertisements will totally ruin that experience.
Sony is lying when they say it creates a richer environment for gamers. There is no logical reasoning as to why ads in video games would make it better. The truth is, it is going to make the game feel "cheap"
However, with in game ads that would mean Sony could charge less for their games right? Surely they wouldn't charge a full $60 for a game littered with ads, right?
- by ElmoKajaky June 7, 2008 7:28 PM PDT
- I spend thousands of dollars a year on video games, and I can tell you I'll avoid all games with in-game advertising. I play games to avoid the spam of the modern world, not to experience yet another flavor of spam. Next idea!
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