Product Advertising in Gaming
- Thread starter DarkRevent
- Start date
I recall a GTA clone a couple of years back, taking place in a ridiculously realistic (as far as I know) London, with ads for the new musical Mamma Mia every block, possibly more often than that. Now, I may be the only 20-something straight male on the face of the earth who actually enjoys ABBA music (Ma is a full Swede, I grew up listening to it), but gah! Enough already! I find it hard to believe any city would have that many advertisements for anything, let alone a musical. Product placement is distracting in that regard, and it detracts from whatever reality they're attempting to establish. Realistic product placement would likely be impossible too pull off, as I doubt Coca Cola and Pepsi, for example, would both pay to be featured in one game, but if some company manages to pull it off, I shall be happy. I don't doubt it helps defray the costs of bring us entertainment, but... okay, I can't think of a point here, but I still object.
Alright, I am limiting the above to the open world advertising. Advertising in sports games, as several have mentioned, is completely realistic, if a bit annoying. Then again, the real thing is annoying too, so I guess that adds to it.
However, as for advertising in GTA, forget it. That is clearly it's own little world, and the advertising it does have is for it's own creations, like Ammu-Nation. Most of GTA's ads are brilliantly executed, fit the game perfectly, and are not nearly as repetitive as... I can't find the name of the London-based GTA clone, Google has failed me. If anyone knows what it is, if only to save my own fragile sanity, help, and anyway, GTA games don't need it. Everything Rockstar touches (up to now anyway, maybe tomorrow when IV comes out will be different, but here's to hoping not) is solid gold, and so long as they keep selling 10's of millions of everything they make, real world ads shouldn't be a factor in what they do.
Alright, I am limiting the above to the open world advertising. Advertising in sports games, as several have mentioned, is completely realistic, if a bit annoying. Then again, the real thing is annoying too, so I guess that adds to it.
However, as for advertising in GTA, forget it. That is clearly it's own little world, and the advertising it does have is for it's own creations, like Ammu-Nation. Most of GTA's ads are brilliantly executed, fit the game perfectly, and are not nearly as repetitive as... I can't find the name of the London-based GTA clone, Google has failed me. If anyone knows what it is, if only to save my own fragile sanity, help, and anyway, GTA games don't need it. Everything Rockstar touches (up to now anyway, maybe tomorrow when IV comes out will be different, but here's to hoping not) is solid gold, and so long as they keep selling 10's of millions of everything they make, real world ads shouldn't be a factor in what they do.
I thought it was kind of cool when I saw movie posters in R6 Vegas online, but, I also thought it was kinda stupid because I thought "Hmm, that's an odd place for a movie poster but whatever, I've never been to vegas, how the hell would I know?"
(P.S. don't take that example seriously)
If it was like "Hey take this M16 that I got at Wal-Mart for only 100 dollars plus tax" or something of that nature then yes, yes it is.sammyfreak said:
(P.S. don't take that example seriously)
Don't forget the "comcast faster" code as well.CosmicStorms said:
/*see next paragraph as to why this bothers me */
In Burnout Paradise you had billboards for CompUSA on nearly every streetcorner. As well as Diesel vans. But the worst offender were the unlockable cars. Circuit City, Best Buy, Wal-Mart? Fuck you, get out of my video game. It's bad enough I have to live in this god awful den of capitalism without it having to seep into every pore of my existence. I wouldn't really care usually, but since they were some of the best cars in the game it was pretty unfair. Like I said, I don't mind ads so long as there transparent, and only noticeable when you're actually looking for them.
On the subject of in game Ads, I always thought dynamic advertisements were pretty funny. There's a PA strip on this that I enjoyed, but since the archives are down at the time of posting, I can't go look for it.
You wouldn't happen to be talking about 'The Getaway' on the PS2 by any chance?iamnotincompliance said:
It seems I was, but for some reason I couldn't find that name anywhere. Thanks for saving my sanity (by which I mean I completely forgot I asked this until I came back here)Programmed_For_Damage said:
I tolerate it as long as it's not intrusive and it's realistic. This is why skate and BF2142 pissed me off.