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In-game advertising 'enhances realism,' says focus group

By Tim Conneally, BetaNews

June 3, 2008, 6:22 PM

Microsoft subsidiary Massive Inc. teamed up with media research firm Interpret LLC to study the efficacy of in-game advertising, and today released its findings.

The study was commissioned by Massive's customers, including Adidas footwear and three unnamed other companies, which represented a "quick service" restaurant, a candy company, and a movie studio. All four companies had a new product that they wished to test by serving ads to connected gamers.

Over 1,000 Xbox 360 and PC gamers participated in the research, which incorporated the advertisements in Major League Baseball 2K7, NASCAR 08, Rainbow Six: Vegas, and Need for Speed: Carbon, among others. To take results, a control group played with no ads, and a group played with ads served by Massive. Both groups were then asked an identical set of questions to gauge their opinion on certain subjects.

Apparently, 73% of those subjects who played Major League Baseball 2K7 with Adidas advertisements said that "the ads enhanced the realism of the game." Also, 70% agreed across all games surveyed that the ads "fit the games" and looked "cool."

Furthermore, over 80% of those who saw the movie studio's advertisements came away saying they "would probably or definitely purchase the DVD" that was being shown, and 72% of those who saw the candy bar ads ended up feeling that it would be "a great snack to eat while playing video games."

If what Massive has found is true, then perhaps the British intelligence agency the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) may see an increase in job applications, and Scotland may see a drop in drunk driving incidents.

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By gawd21

posted Jun 5, 2008 - 12:17 PM

I won't play any games with ads. I go out of my way to remove ads from my everyday life. I don't even watch television, to many ads.

Score: 0

By c4p0ne

posted Jun 5, 2008 - 5:30 AM

I just think we need to educate people and increase awareness that utilities do exist that TOTALLY remove ads and spam from a variety of different kinds of software. Also people need to help others to learn how to successfully USE those available tools to forcefully REMOVE ads from software applications (ESPECIALLY those that you PAY for).

That is the only way to get the message across that we don't want f*cking SH1T ADS in products that we want to enjoy. This "adding realism" stupidity is just that, BULLSH1T PR crap.

NO ADS YOU F*CKERS.

Score: 0

By pedigree

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 5:36 PM

the first one that made its way into my sights was battlefield 2142. Anything that has ingame adverts, that doesnt give me money for looking at them, doesnt get purchased. If a MMORPG started with ingame spam, i would stop playing it.

Score: 0

By fatray

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 5:09 PM

I think it's a great idea. Trackmania has billboards all throughout the game with Speed Racer advertisements. It works for me adding realism.

Score: 0

By Lawrence01

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 3:49 PM

While they're at it, maybe they should give the games away and have the ads pay for the game instead of the people playing them.

Score: 0

By bousozoku

posted Jun 5, 2008 - 12:21 AM

Something close to that, at least.

Why pay $50-$60 for games with advertising? Personally, it's not my call for them to spend too much on development because they don't know what they're doing.

If they sell advertising, they can drop the price of the game by 80% at the start.

Score: 0

By Banquo

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 1:12 PM

In a way they're right actually, there have been game mods for years that changed all the fake billboards, signs, product names, cars, etc into real products. The mod for Mafia for example that replaces all the generic soda signs to say Coca Cola, service stations into real ones like Texaco or Chevron, etc. However these were all done by individual gamers instead of paying companies, so they didn't push them over the top. Some of the latest games I've played have ads literally shoved in your face, giant blinking Burger King signs everwhere. It goes from being realistic to blatant marketing.

Score: 0

By Straspey

edited Jun 4, 2008 - 11:14 AM

It's really all about the industry getting the most out of your "entertainment dollar".

Next weekend, millions of people will spend $12.00 to go see "The Hulk" at the movies. What they will be paying for is essentially to watch a two-hour video game...complete with all the digital special effects and predictable plots.

Within a matter of days, many of those millions will also go out and spend another $40.00 to actually buy "The Hulk" video game to play on their consoles at home in the hopes of extending the movie experience.

By enticing you to see the movie, the entertainment industry has cleverly devised a way to have you actually pay them to view a two-hour advertisement for their video game.

While at the movies, you will drink Coca Cola and munch on a bag of M&M's while wearing your Nike sneakers. So it makes perfect sense for them to place ads for Coke, Nike and M&M's into the actual game...NOT because it makes it seem "real", but because they know that you will pause the game to go get a Coke and some M&M's; and the next time you go to the mall you'll buy a new pair of Nike's.

There is one very simple reason for the placing of advertisements: They work.

Score: 0

By gawd21

posted Jun 5, 2008 - 12:20 PM

IMHO, if you go to see another Hulk movie then you need to have your brain removed and fed to the swine!

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 7:07 PM

"The Incredible Hulk", that is.

"The Hulk" sucked out loud...

Score: 0

By pedigree

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 5:37 PM

.. or about 28$ if you happen to go to one of the inner London theatres...

Score: 0

By tankist

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 11:08 AM

... millions of suckers ...

Score: 0

By melkor

edited Jun 4, 2008 - 9:36 AM

If I wanted realism I wouldn't be playing computer games. I'd go out into the world.

Score: 0

By Jahmekan

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 7:35 AM

Here is my take...if you want to put ads in my game then drop the price from fricking $60 bucks. I am so happy that I don't play sports or driving games. They drive me crazy with all the advertising...oh yeah that goes for the movies too. Cut it out or lower the price on your products.

Score: 0

By Scary Guy

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 3:07 AM

I was watching "I Am Legend" today (yes, that new POS that was put out) and I saw a bilboard in it with the batman logo, with a superman logo placed on top of it, which I wouldn't mind seeing if they actually make that movie. My point is that product placement in the movies is nothing new, and that this is just the next logical step.

If it weren't for advertisers, we wouldn't have spammers. Next if it weren't for companies we wouldn't have advertisers, if it weren't for customers we wouldn't have companies (such as those that produce the games). Ponder all that for a moment because I am going somewhere with this.

If you don't want this to happen stop buying and playing games that have in game advertising and it screws up the system. Or I'm sure like most websites they'll have a version you can pay more for to get rid of the ads. Unfortunately the majority of the market is too stupid to actually boycott something when the majority of other advertising tells them they should buy it because they have been turned into sheep with disposable income and no attention spans, so they spend it on the first shiny bobble they see.

Or you can completely stop playing videogames and concentrate on doing some "real work" to better yourself and your community as I do.

Although I do admit that posting something like this on "Beta News" isn't going to hit my target audience. Perhaps an actual gaming forum would be more appropriate (as if anyone would care there either).

I don't escape reality, I face it head on.

Score: 0

By Owilliams

edited Jun 4, 2008 - 5:37 AM

Hunting is "escaping reality" by hiding in the woods to ruthlessly kill innocent animals.
Fishing is "escaping reality" by hiding in a boat on a lake and killing fish.
Knitting is "escaping reality"...
Reading is "escaping reality"...
And on, and on.

You were "escaping reality", Scary Guy, when you sat and watched I Am Legend.

They are hobbies... or, more accurately, pastimes.
If you don't care for them, then by all means, don't do them.
But don't try to belittle those that do, it only reflects poorly on you.

--Orv

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 7:05 PM

I don't have hobbies, I have have interests.

Hobbies cost money.

Interests are free. :)

Score: 0

By Scary Guy

edited Jun 4, 2008 - 1:47 PM

Hunting/fishing aren't escaping reality, it's survival in the wilderness in which many still live. It's about as real as you can get and is therefore a very poor example.

Granted I watch movies, but that's not all I do. Some people do nothing else but eat, sleep, work, and play videogames.

I wasn't trying to "escape reality" so much as take a short vacation, that's the difference.

EDIT: Kitting was a horrible example too, at least when you're done knitting you have a nice blanket or sweater to show for your effort. Which you can then wear hunting or fishing to keep warm and avoid hypothermia.

Score: 0

By Owilliams

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 5:09 PM

Survival in the wilderness?
You still insist on being judgmental about the value of what others decide to do as free-time enjoyment...
As you wish, have a good day.

--Orv

Score: 0

By morriscox

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 5:01 PM

Nice try. Many people go hunting/fishing as an escape from city life. They want to go "rough it" for a while. They do it for fun, not to make a living.

Score: 0

By Scary Guy

posted Jun 8, 2008 - 12:06 PM

Many do, many more do not. Many live in remote parts of the world and do it to eat, or sell the meat/hide to make money to eat. Granted most of those aren't gamers or have access to very poor computers at best but that's not my point.

Score: 0

By preinterpost

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 8:57 AM

I kind of lost you at the Knitting part....

Score: 0

By Straspey

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 11:38 AM

Maybe because in a video game, you can stab somebody with a knitting needle ?

Just guessing...

Score: 0

By Owilliams

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 12:05 PM

Yeah, knitting is admittedly from far left field.
It was kinda off the cuff, but still a valid example, albeit an odd one.

My bad.
--Orv

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Jun 3, 2008 - 11:31 PM

Realism (really good graphics) in games is one thing... mirroring real life can be taken too far.

It's one thing to be impressed by ultra-realistic trees and buildings in-game. It's something else to me entirely to look at a billboard in-game and think "Wow, that AT&T sign looks exactly like the one I see on my way to work".

I play games to escape reality.

Score: 0

By FubarJeb

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 12:23 AM

Well said.

Score: 0

By charlespaugh

posted Jun 3, 2008 - 11:25 PM

I have never understood why video games and MMORPG's have not accepted money for product placement. For example, why haven't UPS or FedEx offered money to be the sponsor of an in-game mail delivery system on an MMORPG. Game manufacturers are always looking for seed money to develop games, and product placement would be an excellent way to do it.

Score: 0

By Bobbitchin

edited Jun 4, 2008 - 10:27 AM

Actually a couple of them have "There" www.there.com had official Nike, Levi's, and even Coke products in game. Also spend a little time in Second Life www.secondlife.com, there is plenty of product placements.

Score: 0

By BrokenHALO

posted Jun 3, 2008 - 8:28 PM

I don't have a problem with in-game ads as long as its done tastefully.

Fight Night 3 really p!ssed me off. So I unlocked a trainer the other day and who was it??? It was the muther F'en Burger King guy. I had the King as a trainer? Are you kidding me!!!!

Score: 0

By uberfly

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 12:41 AM

Damn, I would have returned the game for that. I hate that grinning freak. He would remind me too much of Burger King's rancid food.

Score: 0

By slinkys_delsol

posted Jun 3, 2008 - 8:03 PM

If "In Game" Advertising is to be the "Norm" then games that contain it should cost less!

I am not denying the companies right to make a profit, but if it takes 10 Million to make a Game and ADIDAS gives you 2 Million for ADS and Placements, plus the game is guaranteed to sell 1,000,000 copies, that is a lot of GREEN from the consumer and even years after the game has past it 's prime, that Advertising will ALWAYS be in the game.

So when Rainbow Six Vegas is passed down in a couple years to someone that never played it before, it's not like they won't see those AD's because the game is 2 years old.

Overall, I do not mind paying $50 or so for a game, but if the game has under 10 Hours of Gameplay, then it's something that I tend to rent. But if you have an involved game that is 20 / 30 / 40 hours of game play (Final Fantasy X on the PS2 took me 60+ Hours with getting most of the Treasures), then it is worth these higher prices.

I love my game systems and the games I have played, but when I got my PS3, I got Heavenly Sword, payed $60 for it and if you have never played it, for that $60 you get about 6 - 7 Hours of Gameplay. Worth it??? Not really! Yet Ratchet and Clank - Tools of Destruction took me close to 20 Hours to finish... Worth it, YES and it has a good reply factor!

The Game Industry makes BILLIONS over the past couple of years and if you have a good title with a following (GTAIV) one game cane set you up for years to come!

Game makers need to concentrate more on Gameplay rather then who's Billboard they can stick up in the corner!

Score: 0

By ingram091

posted Jun 3, 2008 - 7:44 PM

Well any ad blocking software can do that already... indeed I put my own billboards in it instead in BF2. I'm still trying to find them all in CoV so I can add my own billboards and have a download pack for my gaming clan...

Score: 0

By psycros

posted Jun 3, 2008 - 7:13 PM

Ads in a sports game are fine, their meant to mirror reality. But in something like a shoooter or RPG its absurd. It blows all immersion, making it just another over-marketed medium that nobody wants to look at. My prediction? Ad removal hacks for games will be nearly as popular as the ones for browsers. I hope they start with the Tom Clancy franchises.

Score: 0

By dgootman

posted Jun 4, 2008 - 9:53 AM

Try to concentrate harder on who you're shooting, rather than checking out the ads, lack of concentration will get you killed.

Score: 0

By psycros

edited Jun 4, 2008 - 11:26 AM

Their usually hiding behind the billboards :(

And btw, replace "would probably or definitely purchase" with "would probably or definitely download" and you get a much better idea of what the focus group was really telling them.

Score: 0

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