Could This start a trend ??

kb4blu · February 2005

I saw on Anarchy Onlines' web site that they are going to have ingame advertising that only the non paying players will see.

Seems that the 18 - 34 age group is abandoning TV and headed for games, and that is the prime age group that advertisers want to reach.

Anyway like it or not it seems to me we will be seeing more of this in the future.

Dyrtt · February 2005

Haven't heard anything about that. I don't see a problem with it though. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

EonNachtgot · February 2005

Sure it will be a trend in the future !

Mmorpgs are more and more "mass market" products . I would say Video games in general are becoming that .

And since it is so , there will be publicity in the games . Just like there is on Tv or in the Radio.

Jorev · February 2005

I saw this coming.

FYI it's male 18-34 that are playing the online games mostly.

I knew it was just a matter of time before we saw in game adds for real life products. Just like they sell spots in movies, you will see products worked into the landscape of games, like someone drinking Coke, Pepsi etc.

ViolentY · February 2005

Originally posted by Jorev
FYI it's male 18-34 that are playing the online games mostly.

Watch your assumptions and generalization. Most online gamers are actually women over 40 years of age. If you're talking specifically MMORPGs, then I don't know the statistics.

pinkdaisy · February 2005

Originally posted by ViolentY

Originally posted by Jorev
FYI it's male 18-34 that are playing the online games mostly.

Watch your assumptions and generalization. Most online gamers are actually women over 40 years of age. If you're talking specifically MMORPGs, then I don't know the statistics.

i'm not sure where either of you are getting your data from, but here's the *real* data straight from the horse's mouth:

"39% of people who play computer and video games are women. The average age of a computer or video game player is 29 years old.

For Computer Gamers...

30% of most frequent game players are under eighteen years old
25% of most frequent game players are between 18 and 35 years old
41% of most frequent game players are over 35 years old"

http://www.theesa.com/pressroom.html

There is plenty of other stats there. it's bad enough when one person pulls figures out of the air. what's worse is when someone points it out and then does exactly the same thing themselves. I would suggest that you watch your assumptions and generalizations.

To answer the OP's question, yes i see this trend continuing. MMO makers really have four ways of generating revenue currently: retail box sales, subscription fees, selling ingame content, and ingame advertising. Ingame advertising can be much more focused than say radio or TV because you can know with great certainty your target demographic. The question is can advertisers make their ads "fit" within the context of a particular world. It wouldn't make much sense to see McDonald's adverts in a medevil fantasy setting...

Jorev · February 2005

Well if 39% of video game players are women, then obviously 61% are men, unless barnyard animals are logging on also.

No assumptions on my part, the article in question specifically mentions surveys of men.

Gabs · February 2005

personally i think ingame advertising is a great idea to attract customers by lowering the monthly price (or even allowing it to be removed completely) so long as it is in the context of the game. it works best in present to futuristic games though, where big billboards can be displayed, loudspeakers can advertise and products can have labels on them. it would ruin fantasy games though.

Vampir · February 2005

Anarchy Online i never have played, nor do i ever intend to. i dont think any of this will become a trend.

But i do agree that the younger age group is moving more towards games, if you look at it anyliticallly the main reason friend was sucessful was white women above 30, and most shows main audiences are getting older and older.

Vampir · February 2005

wait wait can anyone say

Pikmen 2, very bladtant product placement by duracell batteries, and by radioshack.

Mud_Monster · February 2005

Just the other day I was talking to a friend about how I thought there should be a free MMORPG paid for by in game advertising. I feel it is a very good idea and may even be more profitable for the company than subscription based. Don't think it would work so well in fantasy based games, but games like AO and Neocron could easily get away with in game ads without detracting from the feel of the game.

jayheld90 · February 2005

actually, i played anarchy online quite some time ago (and paid), they have had in game adverts for quite a while, the one i remember is alienware computers. it was still there even though i paid to play, so this is just dumb, they have been doing it a long time.

Johnark · February 2005

Sure why not? It's their game, and advertising makes money for them. As long as the advertisement does not disturb the gameplay, it's all good!

That's why TV sucks. You watch for 5 minutes, 3 minutes of commercials, you watch another 5 minutes, another 3 minutes of commercial... it sucks.

In games, you'll just see a banner with "Come visit Gamespot.com" and if you turn your camera away, you won't see it.

As long as they don't do something like:

- You're about to attack a creature

- A pop-up appears saying: "To kill this Gnoll, please click the (I love Coca Cola) button in order to initiate combat"

- If you don't click it, the Gnoll disapears. If you do, you get to attack the Gnoll. Once dead, you try to loot it but another pop-up appears saying: "To loot this Holy Sword +10 please click the (I love Britney Spears) button"... then if you refuse to click, the Holy Sword +10 disapears forever.

lol ... that would so kill the MMORPG.

jimruk · February 2005

I would think the advertising wouldn't be billboards, but sponsored content.

"This quest and dungeon was brought to you by Coca-Cola."

You of course would have a code key from a Coke bottle and then you can talk to an NPC and give him the code and he would give you a Coke sponsored quest where you would get a in-game item or a new spell.

Instead of some stupid billboard you actually get more content all bacause of Coke. The game company could pay for all their new content just by having it sponsored.

If I was a game company I would want the sponsors to better the game not just do product placement within the game.

webBear1000 · February 2005

Originally posted by jayheld90

actually, i played anarchy online quite some time ago (and paid), they have had in game adverts for quite a while, the one i remember is alienware computers. it was still there even though i paid to play, so this is just dumb, they have been doing it a long time.

I remember it well. I complained hugely and got slagged off for it.

The ad boards were disguised (quite well) as ads that could be in context.

Looking back though it wasn't as bad as I made out at the time.

I don't think it's so obtrusive in a sci-fi game. If I start seeing them in fantasy games though that'll be the day when go and live in the woods with the animals!!!

ghog69 · February 2005

Originally posted by jimruk

I would think the advertising wouldn't be billboards, but sponsored content.
"This quest and dungeon was brought to you by Coca-Cola."
You of course would have a code key from a Coke bottle and then you can talk to an NPC and give him the code and he would give you a Coke sponsored quest where you would get a in-game item or a new spell.
Instead of some stupid billboard you actually get more content all bacause of Coke. The game company could pay for all their new content just by having it sponsored.
If I was a game company I would want the sponsors to better the game not just do product placement within the game.

Then they are no longer MMORPGs. How the hell do you roleplay that?

"I am on a quest to slay the Cherry Coke Dragon in Taco Bell Land. When I slay the beast, I can sell his meat to the Tyson Chicken NPC for a few gold. In addition, the dragon carries a Magic <advertise here> Straw, which when sucking hard enough, teleports me via American Airlines to the bottom of EA's Empty-Cupville. Boy if I had only Super-Sized my order."

These games will from then on be called MASEGs (Massively Advertised Sorry Excuse for a Game).

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