Metal Gear Solid 4's Protagonist to Sport iPod

[Highbrow]

I wonder if Mountain Dew Game Fuel will feature in Halo 4 as a +health pickup.

 

[Mstrswrd]

Okay, here's the Regain Commercial.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/33852.html

Also, on the GT page for MGS4, are all of the trailers, one of which has the Cell Processor comment (Can't remember which).

 

[Wilkopops]

I'm a huge MGS fan, but to be honest this wouldn't seem in place with the world of MGS.
Calorie Mate was ok, as it was reminiscent of the 60s.

But MGS isn't about product placement. And it shouldn't be either.
As long as there isn't an overabundance of brand names being thrown everywhere, and the references are subtle, then there shouldn't be a problem.

But the idea of Snake using an iPod for whatever reason in the middle of a war situation sounds like an extremely desperate way to get product placement in

 

[JakubK666]

More like "Hooray, who needs 90 dollar games due to millions spent in production costs, when we can offset that with some in game advertising of real world items that would be seen in the game world anyhow."

More like "Hooray, I'm a Sony Fanboy and I'll defend Teh Killa-app Game no matter how absurd it feels".

This idea is just plain stupid or should I simply say: Fucked Up.Period.

Bullshit, idiot. Anyone who feels that the realism of a game is destroyed by integration of actual items and products is just idiotic. Stocking the world with products is gonna make it seem that much more realistic, and thus that much more chilling - it makes you think "This is not some fake parody world, this sounds like it would happen in my own".

I like the idea of control over the soundtrack, it sounds like it could be an interesting concept. This way I can set all battles to Snake Eater. Glee.

Oooh, Ima sowy I was a leetle bit too hash;

Let me reiterate my reply to PxDn Ninja:

Considering that it's a must-buy title for 8/10 of US & EU PS3 owners and even homeless tramps in Japan will have a copy of MGS4,not to mention very heavy "exclusivity support" from Sony, could it somehow be possible that the game would cover it's production costs solely through it's sales, without forcing Snake call Otacon with his Sony Ericsson and using McDonald's as a checkpoint?

I'm sorry but I can't imagine Solid Snake, who judging by the moustache fought back in WW1, running around listening to bloody Ipod while shooting terrorists in the middle of a fucking 3rd world country.

And sorry for my behaviour in my first post but considering the amount of criticism Halo 3 drew due to the Mountain Dew Game Fuel(Yes I know it's not exactly like in MGS4's case but it's still Halo 3 Product Placement, just outside of the game.), it really pisses me off when people* are trying to make it look like a "good" aspect of the game.



*I decided to limit my use of "fanboy" since that usually makes the author look like a fanboy too.

 

[blank0000]

I actaully like the product placment, mgs has been doing it for a long time in its games, as an easter egg and inside joke. Its not "selling out" if your having fun with it and thats what generally happens, have you seen the "energy drink commercial" thats over the top on purpose, it fits mgs's comedy style.

 

[PxDn Ninja]

More like "Hooray, who needs 90 dollar games due to millions spent in production costs, when we can offset that with some in game advertising of real world items that would be seen in the game world anyhow."

More like "Hooray, I'm a Sony Fanboy and I'll defend Teh Killa-app Game no matter how absurd it feels".

This idea is just plain stupid or should I simply say: Fucked Up.Period.

Bullshit, idiot. Anyone who feels that the realism of a game is destroyed by integration of actual items and products is just idiotic. Stocking the world with products is gonna make it seem that much more realistic, and thus that much more chilling - it makes you think "This is not some fake parody world, this sounds like it would happen in my own".

I like the idea of control over the soundtrack, it sounds like it could be an interesting concept. This way I can set all battles to Snake Eater. Glee.

Oooh, Ima sowy I was a leetle bit too hash;

Let me reiterate my reply to PxDn Ninja:

Considering that it's a must-buy title for 8/10 of US & EU PS3 owners and even homeless tramps in Japan will have a copy of MGS4,not to mention very heavy "exclusivity support" from Sony, could it somehow be possible that the game would cover it's production costs solely through it's sales, without forcing Snake call Otacon with his Sony Ericsson and using McDonald's as a checkpoint?

I'm sorry but I can't imagine Solid Snake, who judging by the moustache fought back in WW1, running around listening to bloody Ipod while shooting terrorists in the middle of a fucking 3rd world country.

And sorry for my behaviour in my first post but considering the amount of criticism Halo 3 drew due to the Mountain Dew Game Fuel(Yes I know it's not exactly like in MGS4's case but it's still Halo 3 Product Placement, just outside of the game.), it really pisses me off when people* are trying to make it look like a "good" aspect of the game.



*I decided to limit my use of "fanboy" since that usually makes the author look like a fanboy too.

Damn, I had a reply all set in my head to you from your first post, but you got to this one faster. Nonetheless, I'll go ahead and give my rebuttal.

The first thing is, I agree. Most of their money will probably be recovered in sales revenue from the release of the title. However I can assure you that the business heads at Konami want more reliable income sources than the estimate of how much they will make from sales. Any time they can reduce to cost, they have to consider taking it, and in this case it was deemed fitting. At the studio I work at we have to do the same thing, with the same arguements from different engineering and design team personnel.

I don't have a problem with product placement or minor ads (billboards and such) in games taking place in a real world environment, but some people do. The company has to weigh out how these two different consumers will view it, and choose their target market to follow.

As for the Fanboy comment, I didn't have a PS3 myself until about 7 months ago, but got my 360 and my Wii at launch, so I doubt I am a PS3 fanboy. I prefer my 360 for the controller and online aspect. Plus I use a 360 more than the PS3, which is a pain in the ass to work with, at work.

Well, to cut this wall of text short, basically they had to chose a target consumer to market to, as well as decide from the business standpoint what would be the most secure path, and took it.

 

[Arbre]

More like "Hooray, who needs 90 dollar games due to millions spent in production costs, when we can offset that with some in game advertising of real world items that would be seen in the game world anyhow."

More like "Hooray, I'm a Sony Fanboy and I'll defend Teh Killa-app Game no matter how absurd it feels".

This idea is just plain stupid or should I simply say: Fucked Up.Period.

Bullshit, idiot. Anyone who feels that the realism of a game is destroyed by integration of actual items and products is just idiotic. Stocking the world with products is gonna make it seem that much more realistic, and thus that much more chilling - it makes you think "This is not some fake parody world, this sounds like it would happen in my own".

You don't have to have real world products to make a game world seem realistic. Look at GTA. It has its own in-game companies and corporate brands, but they don't make the game any less immersive. Indeed, the game uses them to parody their real life counterparts. Now, I'm not saying MGS should start taking the piss out of McDonalds or Pepsi. But the idea that Snake using a Sony Ericcson rather than a generic phone helps the game's immersion is silly.

Mixed feelings. If the virtual world in question was actually exactly like ours, absolutely filled with recognizable brands, then one more or one less wouldn't make a difference, and the whole would seem to give some reality++ credit.

Now, just one ad/placement that sticks out while the rest of the world of the game is devoid of advertising means that anytime some of the stuff will pop up, it will be like a beam of pure blinding shame striating a perfectly dark sky.

 

[Andy Chalk]

I'm not really familiar with the series, but doesn't Solid Snake have better things to do than fuck around with an iPod while he's out saving the world?

 

[Arbre]

I'm not really familiar with the series, but doesn't Solid Snake have better things to do than fuck around with an iPod while he's out saving the world?

He just recently discovered that there were cool tracks during boss battles.
He's addicted now.

 

[propertyofcobra]

It's a way to...
A: Give the company a bit of money. Gaming is a business, live with it.
and MORE IMPORTANTLY TO US..B: Give us a way to select and listen to what music we want while playing, and an incentive to look in out of place places for more in-game music.

A might be a bad thing. I am as of yet completely unable to comprehend how B is a bad thing at all.
I rolled my eyes at Halo's "Gaming Fuel", but it didn't influence my view on the game at all.
The iPod doesn't change how I view MGS4. It features real world weapons, real world electronics, real world organizations... And now a real world music player for us to select our own game music...
And people are BITCHING about it? What the hell?!

My wife finds this hard to comprehend as well, and asks this to all who *****...
"If it was just called a Music Player, would you still whine about it?"

 

[GloatingSwine]

They need this game to make mucho lucre. Advertising is a given.

I'm more interested in how you get the Altair costume anyway.

 

[broadband]

well i know this game is a high budget proyect, and the ps3 isnt the most succesful console right now, i know this game will boost sales but even like that i dont think is a bad idea try to win a bit of money in case the sales itself dont be enough.

maybe with clever stuff like ruined burger king restaurants with letters of that region, or stupid and funny stuff made on purpose like the comercial that was posted here before.

another example would be the transmision posted by Drfuzz, the end of it can something like this.

Snake: You needed to say all that?

Otacon: Sorry Snake but, we dont have much budget for all this operation.

 

[chaostheory]

I think this is an acceptable form of product placement for two reasons, it is logical for it to be in the game (game take place on earth in the near future on earth), and it has a useful function, rather than it just being there.

 

[Royzy]

what about calorie mate!? there better be CALORIE MATEs in this game!

I ate Calorie Mate when I went to Japan, it was like cardboard with all the taste removed.

Addictive though.

 

[Royzy]

I think as long as it doesn't stand out like 'LOOK AT MY IPOD EVERYBODY' when you are playing it, that is ok.

The pinkish phone that Naomi has looks more out of place.

 

[Engar]

I think this is an acceptable form of product placement for two reasons, it is logical for it to be in the game (game take place on earth in the near future on earth), and it has a useful function, rather than it just being there.

When is it logical for a super-soldier sneaking through the Middle-East to whip out his iPod and start browsing through his 'Best of Bon Jovi' collection?

Snake's going senile in his old age..