EA: Ads In Games Will Be A Success

[jacksunny 741]

http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/adverts-in-games-will-become-a-success-says-ea-1074349?src=rss&attr=all

It seems EA is trying harder to implement ads into games. The genre that has been mentioned is sports, but could ads also be implemented into Simcity? There are many places where ads can be found in real cities including billboards, buses, stadiums, etc. Because the game is online only, the ads could be constantly updated too. Companies could pay for advertising. I believe a similar idea was discussed regarding Boomtown. Perhaps by implementing advertising, multiplayer could be free.

Feel free to discuss.

[Hiramas 4]

As long as the ads are not invasive and disturb my enjoyment of the game, ok.

Though I have a bad feeling whenever a company gets more money than they deserve (even with ads, the game would not be cheaper).

On the other side, funny fake bilboards would be great, too. Like in GTA.

But even GTA has mods for real world ads, so...

[meowza 230]

Ads or no ads, online play should be free.

Real-life advertising within the game is a good idea if done correctly. Blending the ad well so that it becomes an asset rather than a nuisance.

[MINIggy03 227]

I don't have a problem with them as long as they're not in your face.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

IMHO this is a pretty good idea. So long as they don't leap out of your screen at you, nor slither into the periphery, I have no real objection. I have some serious reservations as to the frequency and content. I'd be quite content with some animated billboards that simply appeared when you build commercial or industrial buildings. I also don't object to having billboards you can place.

Do they still have Burma Shave ads along the roadsides in the U.S? Some of those were precious.

I also think that these ads should be kept current, which means they would exist in some repository on the servers and could be updated. Ads get pretty tired rather quickly. So the idea of updatable "props" should definitely be there. I really don't want to see ads for personal products, but if that's what it takes to get free access to the servers, then so be it.

If you focus on an ad, by the way, you should be treated to its sound byte as well.

In a recent article quoted in another thread, there was a reference to cities cooperating to build neighbor connections. If the cities are not adjacent to each other, there will have to be a means to build them in "no man's land". What better place for advertising?

Why do I have a feeling the the SimCity environment will be a global village?

[GrimJr987 15]

Discreet Advertising? While i see that this may be controversial, it may add a little atmosphere to your CJ's

As long as the billboards aren't larger than skyscrapers, I'm fine.

[jacksunny 741]

It's nice to see such positivity towards this. Personally, I think it is a good idea as well, providing the ads do not negatively affect gameplay and are updated.

[MandelSoft 2,769]

If you place ads at places in your city where you also find ads in real life (for example, billboards, on top of some office buildings, at the sides for bus shelters), then yes, I wouldn't mind that. It's a win-win situation: the player has a feature detail, the advertisor recieves his desired credit.

[Baro 44]

Billboards and such are fine. I justhope they don't do what they did in societies and let the game become a political mouthpiece for certain high-paying corporations (ie BP getting their branding on all 'green' items in society to help sell the lie that BP is a green company)

  Edited March 30, 2012 by Baro  

[jim 546 43]

As controversial as it is, I could see it working as long as it stays at a realistic level (billboards, themed petrol stations and the like). I think EA have actually done this before, I'm sure the billboards in "Skate 2" changed frequently to advertise different things, I seem to remember them showing a vivid ad for the local job centre. One question I have is what would this give fans in return apart from a sense of realism?

[Cob92 360]

I don't mind advertising. SimCity is one of the types of games where ads can be integrated into the game so that they don't detract from it at all. Real life cities are filled with advertising; billboards along highways and major streets, on the sides of buildings, ads on public transport, etc. And having a real life business present in the game would act as a form of advertising as well, albeit one that isn't as cheap or quick to update as a billboard.

[Cockatoo 2,256]

As long as it adds rather than detracts from realism, I'm okay with it. Real world companies would be much better than sim-gibberish anyway. Nobody likes that stuff.

We've actually got a whole help of custom BATs with real world advertising on them already... and people choose to use them. Come to think of it, maybe I should hit up AIG or Coca-Cola for some royalties...

[Ocram's Razr 963]

Having billboards every block on divided avenues is rather excessive in Cities XL but advertisements could make things more realistic if done properly.

[Schulmanator 5,787]

Not uber excited about this prospect... would be nicer if it was optional.

[Mark Waybill 242]

They have them in CXL in a non obstrusive way. I have nothing against ads in and of themselves. I'd rather a mass of billboards and buses featuring real life products to a monthly subscription for playing. And of course as has been said, IRL ads do exist in cities. However having ads for products and companies that don't exist in the game is inconsistent.

[el_roy1985 0]

Ads or not, I sure hope they don't plan on charging a monthly rate to play. I agree with the general consensus though. As long as they are implemented in a realistic fashion, then I'm all for it. Then when you click on one with the regular pointer(or maybe the query tool), it could open your browser for you to check out the product/service it is advertising.

  Edited March 31, 2012 by el_roy1985  

[The_City_Builder 299]

As long as the ads are billboards or signs, then i'm fine.

However if there are actual ads on my screen in the corners then I will NOT buy this game.

[Duke87 1,070]

Assuming that the game does in fact contain actual ads (remember, only the general concept was mentioned, not specific games)... well, there are certainly opportunities to slip them in naturally in a way such that they actually make the game more realistic - billboards, brand named stores, etc. Plenty of opportunities for product placement. To think, Apogee stopped putting Coke cans in Duke Nukem after the second game because they were afraid of getting sued! Oh, how times change!

And of course, if the ads are obnoxious, they become irrelevant the instant someone makes a mod to block them... though I don't imagine they will be obnoxious since game makers have experimented with ads before and should know that players won't tolerate that.

[Mark Waybill 242]

If they do it smartly like in CityVille so that real companies can set up in your city, it could be a pretty useful system. Plenty of opportunities. But in game companies would also have to have 'advertisements' too, like the Coal Company etc

[JcCali1214 34]

^^^ Yes Definitely! A mix of real world and in-game businesses' advertising please!!! ^^^

I as well am surprised at the generally larger positive response to in-game ads that this community has and tend to agree with it. Though, of course, it does make rational sense since this is a city-builder rather than a shooter with poor product placement. I am hopeful that these ads will be tasteful and intelligent, and we may be pleasantly surprised at where they may appear.

Personally, I am hoping that we will be able to have some control over these ads (because, let's be real - the less control we have over in-game advertising, the larger the chance that we'll hate it) so I can create a hyper capitalist, neon glowing downtown area of a city - or whole city if I want. Think Times Square, or Tycoon City: New York (Not nearly perfect game but, quite underrated), and especially a cyberpunk society a la Simcity Societies (oh yes, much to the chagrin of the community, I actually enjoyed that game - though I clearly realized it was not a Simcity 5, I enjoyed the game for what it offered).

I also think that these ads should be kept current, which means they would exist in some repository on the servers and could be updated. Ads get pretty tired rather quickly. So the idea of updatable "props" should definitely be there. I really don't want to see ads for personal products, but if that's what it takes to get free access to the servers, then so be it.

Oh A Noony Moose, I continue to resonate with what you say. I can't believe no one has picked up what you said - yes, hopefully the ads will be able to updated automatically (once again, us choosing which ones for better control and satisfaction) but, the next sentence is so brilliant - upgradeable props. I don't think we realize how the implications presented here - this right here gives our little game so much propensity for a longer life. I hope someone on the dev team picks up on this ...

And yeah, mb in game adv (can we just use IGA to shorten things?) is a good thing - giving us our online/multiplayer exp for free!!

[§haÅ--Ñ€ §hÅŽo 370]

I think that your city should be paid extra money to host some ads in your city (to try to promote EA ads, but not to force them onto you).

[Mark Waybill 242]

There is certainly a possible solution lying in in-game ads for the problem of what happens when the game servers are shut down because of lack of demand after the initial period of activity. Instead of shutting down the servers and saying 'kthanxbye' to us, the game could support itself perpetually with in game ads from real companies, and if the many websites and tv channels that use this method of funding are anhything to go by it should be a success. Especially if the initial release is popular.

This is an innovative method which I speculated about as early as playing 4 for the first time back in 2004, and CXL of course has such ads, showing a simple placement method. Both that game and CityVille show the effectiveness of real companies setting up business in your city, and as long as this isn't attached to some crazy quest or mission, but rather the buildings act normally just like any other business, and periodically new buildings become available, this could be a worthwhile addition to the games future.

One note, in CityVile certain businesses like my Best Buy store reverted to a standard 'Electronics Shop' after the campaiogn ended. I am unsure about copyright law in this area (I would have assumed advertising of such a harmless and polite manner for a respectable business would be seen as a good thing?) I would hope that if for some reason your MacDonald's has to become something new it could become a Hungry Jacks or a standard SC burger joint, rather than completely rebuild the structure, just change the signage and trademarked features. However I would hope businesses would allow for their buildings to enter the timeless field of SimCity possibility potentially ad infinitum.

[JoeOh 20]

If there are ads in the game such as on billboards....then online play should be free, PERIOD.

[croxis 150]

If there are ads in the game such as on billboards....then online play should be free, PERIOD.

There has been no suggestion otherwise so far.

[jacksunny 741]

It has just been assumed that such a thing would require servers be maintained all the time, so an extra cost would make sense.

[Jazzmaster 716]

EA have done this before in subtle ways. In Need for Speed Underground 2, the free-roam world of Bayview had highway billboards and storefronts labeled by Cingular, Best Buy, Burger King, Old Spice, etc.

Think to all the Simgoober BATs and such; these were essentially a form of advertising on their own. If you could actually grow real-life commercial and industrial lots in your cities I would absolutely embrace it.

  Edited April 5, 2012 by Yoshiisland  

[commanderkai 38]

I agree with everybody else here. Real world ads are okay, as long as they blend in with the game. It would be interesting if new content, like, let's say, a McDonalds restaurant develops within your city naturally, but in realistic amounts. I don't want my entire commercial district being Gold Arches. More importantly, if let's say...Chevy wants to become a sponsor later on after the game is released, Maxis can develop a realistic looking dealership, and a few models for actual Chevy vehicles to be seen around your city. Maybe even get offers for a Chevy assembly plant or something. As long as it's realistic, I'm more than fine with it.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I think the most acceptable aspect of all this is the ability to update these in the server and have them show up automatically. Ad spots should simply be a writeable resource accessible to the server and the ads can be changed ad libitum. If an advertising sign is a prop, it needs a writable area that can be changed when the sponsor develops a new clip.

Example: Think of the drive-in movie showing real trailers.

  Edited April 5, 2012 by A Nonny Moose  

[jgehrts 18]

IIRC, the original plan for SimCity 2000 was to include real-world businesses, but there were legal concerns for various reasons. Having ads in SimCity 5 could certainly add a sense of realism, but there can be some issues. For example, let's say McDonalds wants to buy space within the game (maybe their restaurants would grow in-game), but they only want them to appear in affluent areas. In such a case, that wouldn't be a realistic situation, as they appear just about anywhere.

[Odainsaker 2,134]

Then when you click on one with the regular pointer(or maybe the query tool), it could open your browser for you to check out the product/service it is advertising.

Eeep, no! I'm generally ambivalent about ads in the form of city-styled billboards, however, in a game franchise inevitably infamous for resource hogging, we really cannot afford any interactive ads launching their own programs on us. Moreover, consumers have collectively spent decades beating down the spectre of maliciously or ineptly designed interactive ads firing off multiple pop-ups, flashing strobes, javascript errors, page reloaders, drive-by downloaders, bandwidth-sucking HD infomercials, browser hijacks, and outright malware and viruses. Think of these as no different than banner ads...how many of us really love those or actually willingly visit them? We must remain vigilant, especially when bound to a persistent connection, and not foolishly surrender our security by assuming EA will devote the expansive labor hours to persistently screen what would likely be an outsourced ad supplier pool.