Advertisement inside video games

[Frindis]

Sooooo, Jaggex, or Gagex as I like to call them now made a video talking about in-game ads and it has gotten a lot of players riled up. Here is Protoxx's (well-known Runescape player)take on the video

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8NJKx7Gymk&t=3s

Amids this fire I have a question for the community: Do you think we will see more and more of advertisements inside of video games? Do you think the younger generation grown up with Fortnite (that has had ads) will be more lenient towards these types of advertisements? Perhaps to the point of accepting to pay a fee for not having them in a video game, like we are starting to see more and more with movie streaming services? What is your take on this all?

I know we have had games in the past with ads in theme, but they have been mostly easter eggs, there for fun, or even a huge part of the world like in the Yakuza games, but for the most part they have not been intrusive. I'm slightly afraid that we might end up with more and more ads and an example of why I believe that is because we now have microtransactions inside of games and the majority of people are fine with it, depending on said products are pay-to-win, pay-for convenience or neither.

 

[Colif]

Amids this fire I have a question for the community: Do you think we will see more and more of advertisements inside of video games? Do you think the younger generation grown up with Fortnite (that has had ads) will be more lenient towards these types of advertisements? Perhaps to the point of accepting to pay a fee for not having them in a video game, like we are starting to see more and more with movie streaming services? What is your take on this all?

Yes

Simple answer, covers almost all questions except last one.

Gamers are biggest audience now, TV and other forms are dying... so advertisers want to show people their products and games companies are always after free money... so its just a matter of time.

I don't want it, and think we need to have a Solid NO to any games that try this.
It was mentioned in another thread, EA have thought of it already,

I hadn't thought about making us pay to avoid ads... I don't think we should allow them into games to begin with.

Shame for games companies now that ssd are so fast there is no spot for loading screens... apart from in Star Field Todd missed the perfect opportunity

 

[Johnway]

I hadn't thought about making us pay to avoid ads... I don't think we should allow them into games to begin with.

this is what annoys me the most. buying the game alone isn't good enough for publishers. it seems like publishers contempt at buying the base game is unacceptable to them or just a way to fleece people to getting the vector for all this additional MTX (lets not forget the MTXs are more valuable to publishers then base game)

hell, its not even added content, its straight up holding people to ransom with delaying to play the product we paid. I could probably tolerate the odd banner ad or ingame advert/poster but actual youtube style break/interruptions for videos? Piss off.

If they let this slide, they'll keep pushing for more advertisings and interruptions. This needs to be nipped in the bud asap.

 

[Pifanjr]

Maybe in the games that have a captive audience. The rest of the gaming industry is far too competitive to risk losing players when adding advertisements.

 

[DXCHASE]

I can deal with in-game ads if it fits the environment. Billboards, tv commercials, stuff like that which adds to the realism imo but to straight up put ads in the cheapest option for a subscription? No thanks.

Short answer from me is yes, this type of stuff will increase but i dont think itll be a sweeping tactic. Youll have 1 or 2 studios probably release a statement saying theyll never do it, but absolutely will other studios do somethin similar, especially if those studios see player numbers bein unaffected truly by adding these options.

Also, if were talking putting ads in games like when you first load in, or during a load screen, that would be diabolical and i think this younger generation would stand up to that, maybe not so much to a different tiered sub. but just directly in the game itself, yes.

 

[COLGeek]

I am okay with the ads, as long as I don't have to interact with them in any way. A lot like product placement in movies, from a certain perspective.

Now, if I have to watch a commercial to proceed, then that game is gone.

 

[Alm]

Like others have said, if I have to pay extra to not watch ads, I’m not even going to install it.

 

[ZedClampet]

When they start putting ads that you have to watch in single-player games, it will signal the beginning of the gamer-developer apocalypse and the eventual end of AAA games (I really don't consider competitive games AAA no matter who makes them).

View: https://youtu.be/V5nGP5q2PbI?si=ASRyc_xHzoFddIz8&t=128


Note: The world is stupidly literal and sensitive these days, so I would like to point out that I'm not literally threatening AAA companies. I don't even play AAA and don't actually care what they do. The above video represents the holy anger single-player gamers will have when AAA games start putting video ads in them.

 

[Colif]

Like others have said, if I have to pay extra to not watch ads, I’m not even going to install it.

what do you mean? By time they are finished, you will be playing the Advert

Though TBF that happened years ago
Cool Spot

 

[Frindis]

I am okay with the ads, as long as I don't have to interact with them in any way.

I'm with you on that as long as it does not break with the immersion. Like in Yakuza 0, it makes sense to have a lot of ads around because the story is based in cities and it does not feel intrusive. If you start seeing McDonald's ads in a Skyrim type of game, my brain will implode.

A lot like product placement in movies, from a certain perspective.

Made me think of the wrong perspective, in which you have someone smoking a cigarette while trying to look cool with the whole process, but the person has no clue how to smoke, making it look unnatural and thus putting a damper on the scene. Or those movies with tons of Coca-Cola bottles around the table to the point of it looking like those are in focus and not the actors. Found this one that also has a missed opportunity of selling a gun brand. Come to think of it, gun brands are rare to see in movies, but I guess that makes sense.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjaNFaahKnI

 

[Colif]

racing car games have had adverts on billboards for years but that counts as product placement, not an unskippable commercial that stops you playing the game while its on.

Glad advertising in music never took off. I had this long ago

Flaunt It (album) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

had commercials between the songs

 

[January's Ghost]

Remember when video games were the advertisement?

America's Army was probably the best example because it was a quality game for a time, but it was primarily a recruitment tool.

We can't forget games like Sneak King (Burger King), Darkened Sky (Skittles), Chex Quest (Chex, duh), Spot and Cool Spot (7 Up), and...Pepsiman? That's a thing? Japan has/had an actual mascot for Pepsi?

Fun Fact: Spot, originally called Infection by its original inventor, was developed for 7 Up by Graeme Devine, founder of Trilobyte, the studio for The 7th Guest and 11th Hour and later appeared as a puzzle in the 7th Guest.

 

[Colif]

I mentioned Cool Spot already. I remeber it... it wasn't amazing.

Isn't Pepsiman silver?
sort of

Pepsiman (video game) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Its gameplay reminds me of phone games

 

[Zloth]

I'm with you on that as long as it does not break with the immersion. Like in Yakuza 0, it makes sense to have a lot of ads around because the story is based in cities and it does not feel intrusive. If you start seeing McDonald's ads in a Skyrim type of game, my brain will implode.

That really scares me more than flat-out advertisements. Why make a game about the past if the developers can't make some extra money with product placement? The future can be dicey, too. Monster Energy in Death Stranding was ridiculous. Cyberpunk would work better, but companies want their products seen in a good light. Companies big enough to advertise are not seen as good things in that game. (And no, the graphical lighting will not make the marketing department happier.)

So, we end up with a lot of game set in present day.

 

[Johnway]

Remember when video games were the advertisement?

America's Army was probably the best example because it was a quality game for a time, but it was primarily a recruitment tool.

We can't forget games like Sneak King (Burger King), Darkened Sky (Skittles), Chex Quest (Chex, duh), Spot and Cool Spot (7 Up), and...Pepsiman? That's a thing? Japan has/had an actual mascot for Pepsi?

Fun Fact: Spot, originally called Infection by its original inventor, was developed for 7 Up by Graeme Devine, founder of Trilobyte, the studio for The 7th Guest and 11th Hour and later appeared as a puzzle in the 7th Guest.

yeah there have been loads. Global gladiators and a variety of other games started ronald mcdonald.

Zool had sponsor with chupachups lollies in the first world and after that nothing. it wasn't a bad game but probably medicore by todays standards. james pond Robocod 2 with penguin chocolate bars. The game was a bit naff, but i only played it with cheats and there is a lot of dull levels to play.

At the very least, those were actual games. Whereas new plans to try and push adverts and stalling gameplay is just testing someones patience.