Auto Assault: In-Game Advertising

Stradden

The new MMORPG, Auto Assault looks as though it is going to be dipping into the controversial realm of in-game advertising. Today, NCSoft and Massive Incorporated announced that they are pairing up to offer that service in-game.

NCSoft PR Manager, Janna Bureson has been quick to point out that the in-game advertising from this deal would be appearing in Auto Assault only, and would not branch into the company's other games. It is also important to note that in-game advertising hasw not yet been implemented into the game.

NCSOFT CHOOSES MASSIVE NETWORK FOR IN-GAME ADVERTISING

Massive to Provide Dynamic In-Game Advertising for the Highly Anticipated MMO, Auto Assault

NEW YORK—March 14, 2006— NCsoft® North America, a leading developer and publisher of online computer games, and Massive Incorporated today announced a strategic partnership to integrate dynamic in-game advertising into the North American and European versions of Auto Assault®, a highly anticipated action-oriented online role-playing game to be released this April.

Auto Assault, created by Colorado-based developer NetDevil® LTD, is the first massively multiplayer online (MMO) vehicular combat game combining the best elements of action games with the most favored qualities and depth of role-playing games. NCsoft develops and publishes some of the most popular MMO titles, with millions of active subscribers worldwide, including City of Heroes®, City of Villains™, Guild Wars®, Lineage® and Lineage II.

“As the world’s leading creator of online computer games, NCsoft is a great addition to the Massive Network and is further proof that we’re bringing to market the single largest, most comprehensive, and popular network of global games for dynamic advertising,” said Nicholas Longano, CMO of Massive Incorporated. “We’re excited to team with NCsoft to incorporate real-life advertising into this cutting-edge, highly anticipated game.”

“We’ve been interested in the concept of in-game advertising for a long time, but only wanted to do it when it made sense for the product and enhanced the game world for our players,” said Dorothy Ferguson, vice president of sales and marketing for NCsoft North America. “This is a great fit for Auto Assault. Massive understands games and has the most seamless and sophisticated process for integrating ads that fit within the game environment. We share a deep commitment to the highest quality game experience for our customers.”

The addition of NCsoft to the Massive Network bolsters Massive’s roster of partners to more than 34 publishers and developers with a total pipeline of over 100 games, representing the single largest video game advertising network.

Massive pioneered dynamic in-game advertising with the launch of the Massive Network in October 2004, and has since partnered with more than 60 blue-chip advertisers to seamlessly deliver ads into more than 45 million game sessions. Massive enables publishers and developers to capture significant new revenues through the aggregation of the video game audience which can be more effectively marketed to advertisers. Developers are able to integrate real-world ad campaigns that are timely and enhance the game environment with more realism.

For more on Auto Assault, click here.

darkman

Add another one to the growing amount of MMOs offering ads, sheesh.

Sift

Ehhh This wouldn't bother me so much if they wanted to pay for the game then. Im not paying to see advertisments thats lame. Sure if they wanna do away with the 14 bucks a month any rely on advertisments thats cool, go for it, it doesnt bother me at at but you can't have both worlds I just find it a major turn off for a game. Now if my favorite game simply needs the money to keep going because the limited amount of subsribers isnt enough to keep it afloot then fine Ill deal with it. But come one this is a new game give it awhile before you start to do this.

I donno I just have to be able to see some tangable benfits to this kind of thing for the subscriber not just the wallets of the game company. Is this gunna mean better more stable servers? Are you going to higher more people so you can keep more content coming? Hire a live events team? what does this mean for ME...

dodsfall

I see nothing wrong with advertising as long as it doesn't get in the way of game play. (Like forcing players to sit through a commercial before they can play) I say the market should decide if the ads go too far. If people don't like it, they won't play and the game will fail. The upside of having sponsers is that there will be more money for updates and improvements to the game.

Gonodil

I wont be playing this game after beta testing it (CoH with cars../yawn)

But they better make those adds distructable, like almost everything in the game is...if not, that would be insanely lame

Scaris

I am just curious as to how the adds are going to be pertinent to the game and be real world revenue generating adds?

pinebaron

Exactly, Fadeus.

I wouldn't mind these ads in City of Heroes, and they fit just fine in the Matrix. Actually, in games set in modern cities, it keeps the game world a little fresher.

But after the apocalypse? Considering how many things are in short supply in Auto Assault's world, it's going to be a little odd to see present-day ads popping up on a regular basis.

JtHM

Quote from the Design Director on the Official Forums:

 I just wanted everyone to know that we are taking great pains to use these ads primarily to enhance the realism of the world. I am adamantly getting everyone here at NetDevil to understand that these should feel like they are part of the old world, and not out-of-place or in-your-face.

One thing I always felt was missing from AA was the remnants of modern real world culture, which if you take a look around any urban center, is oversaturated with ads, billboards, posters, etc. It's a fact of the landscape. For example, why wouldn't you find an old rusted out Coke can in this world?

Until now, we haven't been able to use any real company logos or advertisements (and have had to in some cases, specifically alter or remove things that were close), which means there's always a bit of a subtle disconnect with the real world locations Auto Assault is supposed to take place in.

The use of Massive's technology allows us the legal right to use those materials in a way that enhances the setting. Judging from what I've seen so far, I think everyone will appreciate the treatment we're going with and it will be a positive gain for immersion.

If you see it in game (future build) and still disagree with me, I'm sure you'll let us know here on the forums, and we'll be listening for constructive feedback as usual...

Personally I think it fits... as long as they do it right. I mean drive around ANY city these days and try to look in ANY given direction without seeing a billboard or some form of advertising. It makes perfect sense that all that still be around after the apocalypse, just a little rusty/dirty/frayed around the edges, etc. Same as all the streetsigns and buildings etc that are in the gameworld now.

I'm deadset against ingame advertising if it doesn't fit the world (ie Pepsi ads in WoW, etc) but I fully believe this could be done in such a way that it fits the world and actually ads to the immersion factor rather than detracting from it.

Scaris

IF they keep it as they are making it sound that is honestly more acceptable to me then having to close an advertisement window when launching any SOE product before I can play my game. And in the case of EQ 1 making it alittle to easy to accidently order an expansion instead of hitting cancel while trying to get into the game.

It sounds like they plan to do what SOE did with MXO, which I would probably find acceptable.

evilkitty

Well, that's it for me. I've enjoyed the times I've been able to play Auto Assault and was planning on getting it when it was released but you can count me out now.

I try to avoid tv because of the ads, I'm sick to death of telemarketers, to read a magazine these days you have to wade through pages of advertising; I am not going to accept it in my computer games. We play these things to escape the real world, not to be reminded of it and tempted to part with more of our cash. What's even worse about this for me is that I enjoy roleplaying. It's hard enough trying to immerse yourself in a game and forget the real world when there are characters with names like "Ipwnu" running around chatting about the movie they saw the other day. Imagine trying to really get into the game and immerse yourself in a culture where there has been an apocalypse, everything's in ruins, life is completely different from now, and them boom! you look up and see an ad for Pepsi. It doesn't work.

I'm also disgusted with how greedy NCSoft seems to be. Last I heard there was going to be a monthly fee for the game. Now we hear there'll be ads as well? As has been said before, you can't have it both ways. I'm disappointed to hear that yet another game is likely to not live up to its potential due to the greed of the companies running it.

**Edit: And I don't buy the "it'll fit in the game world - honest!" comment. We're not stupid. That's like the ads on tv that try to pretend that they're an independent "mini-show" or something that's just reviewing products to "help you buy better" (in Australia we actually have an ad that claims that they're trying to do just that). I've never had a problem with never seeing an old Coke can on the ground in game. It's supposed to have been quite some time from now, I hardly expect to see that sort of stuff lying around nor do I care if it's not there. Just because there are no Microsoft billboards doesn't mean that I can't see that I'm in a futuristic version of Earth after an apocolypse.

Gods, sick to death of companies pretending they just want to help you. Why can't they be honest and just admit they want your money? It'd be refreshing! hehe

JtHM

Bubye!

Another post, from Scorch this time:

There are a few things people should understand about this announcement:

1-This is something we have only just started looking at right now. It is not even functional in the game at this point and will likely not be functional at launch and may never possibly even make it into the game. This is something we are looking at to make the game world more believable. We would never add anything to Auto Assault that we would think would cheapen the game experience.

2-We get total artistic control over which ads go into the game so nothing would ever go into the game that does anything but add to the fact that this is a post apocalyptic earth. Each ad is custom made by Massive to add to our worlds existing look and feel. All the ads would be from old earth companies no longer around, not modern ads as if the companies existed on earth during the time period of Auto Assault.

Meh, like I said, from the sounds of it they seem to be doing it the right way and honestly it makes perfect sense to me for those items/ads to still be there.

Blurr

I don't (as far as I know) think I've ever been party to in-game advertising. (Other than EVE's Quafe billboards, heh).

I don't think I really like the idea, I mean, I'm paying to play this game, not be inundated with ads during the time that I want to relax.

I've been a big fan/supporter of auto assault up to this point, but honestly I'm not so sure anymore. In-game ads may be the feature that just turns me off the game. Splash screens of products and obvious marketing ploys are just going to ruin it. The idea that it's supposed to "make the setting more real" is a cop-out. We're talking about a game setting where there are mutants and cyborgs, and giant lizard-ostriches that are fun to run over. It doesn't need to be more real, it's a game. If I wanted real I'd do something in real life.

Now, if McDonalds wants to pay to have a rusted out mcdonald's building in the wasteland where we can blow it up or run it down (like the other buildings in the game) then maybe I can live with that. What I don't need is someone trying to sell me something while I'm trying to enjoy a game.

JtHM

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Originally posted by Blurr

Now, if McDonalds wants to pay to have a rusted out mcdonald's building in the wasteland where we can blow it up or run it down (like the other buildings in the game) then maybe I can live with that. What I don't need is someone trying to sell me something while I'm trying to enjoy a game.

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But if you read what they're saying, thats exactly the type of thing they're planning... Or at least what they're aiming for...

Gonodil

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Originally posted by JtHM
But if you read what they're saying, thats exactly the type of thing they're planning... Or at least what they're aiming for...

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Think about what you just said....now think realisticly.....who would pay for add space that can be distroyed or be designed to be vandalized?

Yeah, they will make it blend in(still doubt that) but it wont be destroyable, that is almost guarnteed.

Garrik

I really dont see the big deal here, i could understand the complaints if it was a fantasy game but it isnt. I seriously belive that some people could complain about a cup of coffee if they wanted to, damn the whiners.

If adds are going to make you cry, dont play the game simple as.

Garrik

Gonodil

coffee stains your teeth and makes your breath smell!

JtHM

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Originally posted by Gonodil



Originally posted by JtHM
But if you read what they're saying, thats exactly the type of thing they're planning... Or at least what they're aiming for...

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Think about what you just said....now think realisticly.....who would pay for add space that can be distroyed or be designed to be vandalized?

Yeah, they will make it blend in(still doubt that) but it wont be destroyable, that is almost guarnteed.

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Thats definitely a possibility but you also have to keep in mind how quickly stuff respawns after it is destroyed. Having it destructable is almost better than not imo; if its known to be indestructable then people will avoid/ignore it, but if it can be destroyed then not so much...

JtHM

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Originally posted by Gonodil



Originally posted by JtHM
But if you read what they're saying, thats exactly the type of thing they're planning... Or at least what they're aiming for...

---

Think about what you just said....now think realisticly.....who would pay for add space that can be distroyed or be designed to be vandalized?

Yeah, they will make it blend in(still doubt that) but it wont be destroyable, that is almost guarnteed.

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Thats definitely a possibility but you also have to keep in mind how quickly stuff respawns after it is destroyed. Having it destructable is almost better than not imo; if its known to be indestructable then people will avoid/ignore it, but if it can be destroyed then not so much...