Game publishers are beginning to introduce product placement ads into their games. There's an interesting interview with Jay Cohen of Ubisoft discussing this new phenomenon here.

We've already seen ads for Visa in CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder and for Virgin Megastores in the Cold Case Files game, so it's affecting adventure games.

What do you think?

Hi Becky

I "think" that adventure games could benefit from more exposure - but how many adventure games might actually get included in such a drive ??

More likely, I think, it would be the shooters and action games that would take prority ??

Cheers.

Mad

So long as the 'advertising' and push for us to buy the products and specific brands is not so "hitting the gamer over the head" in its presentation, like just seeing brand names of foods, and stuff is acceptable, but actually sticking in a "sales pitch" into the game is NOT acceptable. I think it is cool to see brand names I recognize and when I am in a game that has 'clues' or items from OTHER adventure games that I have played I think it is done to add humor and if you think about it, that could be considered an ad to sell more of the other games (but only if the items or pictures, whatever, are recognizable by the player as from another adventure game. Does any of this make sense? I feel like I am now rambling on ....... Anyway I don't think such a practice will bother me much. How about you other GBers?
Love, Betty Lou

depends on what it looks like. i wouldn't mind, like, opening a fridge and seeing a case of Pepsi (TM) or something like that. in fact, I think it would be kind of amusing, and if it would garner funding for adventure games, well, more power to it. though i think developers should reserve the right to be able to comment--like clicking on the case of pepsi and hearing your character say, "Ah, the requisite product placement!" or something droll.

WW

As I mentioned in the CSI review, Visa did this with CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder. It was integrated smoothly into the game world. If doing this makes it more lucrative to make adventure games, I think it is great.

WW don't think they'd like it if my character asked wheres the coca cola though Seriously, not a problem as long as it is done tastefully, such as billboards outside towns, stuff you would expect to find

Billboards and such would be fine but I would hate to see a mini commercial before the game starts or cut in somewhere in the middle.

Yes, you're right TLC, that would be atrocious!

I get kind of annoyed at ad placement. I start thinking, "I wonder if the manufacturer paid them for that" and get pulled out of the gameworld. If it happens too much it really interferes with my enjoyment of the game.

I think it's tacky, period.

So what's it gonna be like?
"We'll be right back with this game after these important announcements!"
I hope it never comes to that!

I learned early on to not be seduced by drug... uh, pharmaceutical advertisements on TV that try to make you feel that YOU have the ailment du jour. That's more aggressive than I think we'll see in games.

Actually, it's kind of funny to see a real life brand name product placed in a game. Jerks me out of the fantasy of the game for a second & gives me a chuckle. Then I plunge right back in.

So long as the characters don't actually push products, I'm okay with it.. I had my immune 'vaccination' years ago (it's called "Mom").

I think it's fine if all it is is blended logos or ads where you'd expect to see them anyway and they are not in your face. Having game making more profitable means more and better games. What I fear though, is those producers who let the advertisers make the decisions. That could be catastrophic.

I would not like to see a bunch of ads that I have to view before the game starts. It really annoys me when they do that. Or if they put ads in between chapters, etc. That would really get me angry. I don't watch mainstream tv because I hate the ads. I certainly wouldn't want the interruptions in a game.

It's all a matter of how they do it.

Melanie

Geez, Melanie, I never thought of that. Having ads run before gameplay? Not good.

I thought what was meant was literally the placement of name brand products around the environment in an innocuous manner. A can of soda here... a billboard there. They'd be viewable, but not intrusive. Hopefully, that would be the extent of it. If not, I hope we get the option to hit the ESC key to bypass actual pre-game ads.

Hi Carrie,

Yes, that's what they're talking about now, just innocuous plugs but I worry over the direction it could go in.

Melanie

I don't mind if it's not excessive. If some sponsorship allows us to have more adventure games put out, then I think a little bit of advertising is ok as long as it fits in with the game and isn't an out of the blue commercial.

I actually like it as long as it is in a natural place--Opening the fridge and seeing a cola brand in a game with a modern setting actually makes the game more real to me--but I would hate it in a game with a fantasy setting--and I would also hate to have fewer fantasy or outdoor settings because developers could not place products!

I have mixed feelings about it.For one I wouldn't like to see beer ads or cigarrets ads in games, especially in Rated teen games..On the other hand ads in games, could help the developer of the games make more games for us to play..But what I would like to see instead of commerical ads, I would like to see upcoming games, or games already out that maybe we haven't yet bought, or maybe ads from other developers or the developer of the games themselves put a short clip of a new game or a game that is already out.. This could help the developer or other developer help each other out..Like for example, when you buy dvd movies, there is always an ad about other movies that is coming out or is already out..

For example: The developer from Myst puts an ad of an upcoming game in the Nacy Drew game, and the Nancy Drew developer puts there ad of an up coming game in the game of Myst..(like a preview)
both of the developer can benefit from it, call it preview ads of games)Is a thought.

housewife, Adding to your example~

HerInteractive has both ads and previews of upcoming games: Nancy Drew ads & previews placed in Nancy Drew games... an acceptable use of advertisements, and definitely NOT unwelcomed).

I can see it now! Gamer moves to a room where the TV is on and that announcement comes on the screen. Aargh!
Ads for adventure games with screenshots would be okay with me. In TLJ April had a toy monkey drummer named Guybrush. That was fun and brought back great memories. <grin>

Hey, Mindy, that actually might be rather cool going into a room and watching the ad on the TV!