Google buys in-game ad firm - bit-tech.net Forums

Da Dego · 19th Feb 2007, 15:29

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/02...-game_ad_firm/

DougEdey · 19th Feb 2007, 15:38

Google is an advertising company first. Everything else is secondary.

I hope they do get this right.

DriftCarl · 19th Feb 2007, 16:59

I can see it now. a childrens game where they have to build blocks ontop of eachother. One character ingame says "this block is too heavy, I cant get it up" then suddenly google decides that this is a good opportunity to place a viagra related advertisement on the side of the building blocks. quality

HandMadeAndroid · 19th Feb 2007, 19:01

Oooooh an 'uber' fast advertising bill board machine, whatever next, perhaps some kind of 'uber' display in the living room that pumps in advertising 24/7 ?

randosome · 19th Feb 2007, 19:26

as long as games get a nice discount with ad's built in, I'm all for in game advertising

But i don't think (like with BF2142) you should pay full price and have ads in your face too - or CS1.6 where their just going to add in game ad's even though no-one receives any benefit whatsoever (considering they don't update 1.6)

Although, its pretty easy to block stuff like that, most of the "keep you safe while you bittorrent" programs can easily block those ad IP's, or you can do it at the firewall level if you prefer

specofdust · 19th Feb 2007, 19:34

Indeed. An entire niche of programs is going to grow around blocking IGA's. Personally I see no problem with people pirating ad filled games, but for those who actually buy their games I think the idea that they should block ads is completely reasonable.

DeX · 19th Feb 2007, 19:46

It's interesting to compare in-game ads to product placement in movies. Often in a movie, the director has a lot of control over what products are on view and how they are used in the scene. This is because the director has a lot of artistic resposibility over the film. Too much advertising would ruin the feel of the film. Even so, producers make a hell of a lot from product placement probably because the advertising medium is so effective and widespread.

I don't think gamers will be as responsive to in-game ads and so I imagine ads will have to be a lot more prominent in order to be effective. Will game producers prevent adverts that affect the artistic quality of their games? Somehow I doubt it. It seems there are very few game producers that are really passionate about the games they create any more. I'm certain that we'll see the most adverts in sequels rather than original titles.

specofdust · 19th Feb 2007, 20:08

No doubt. I was just playing through a splinter cell game. Not only are the phones all clearly lablled as Sony Ericsons but..get this, while you're in the middle of rescueing a CIA deskworker from the clutches of evil terrorists who've been torturing and murdering her colleagues, what does she comment on? Why she says "nice PDA" when you hand it to her. Because that's really the first thing that comes to your mind when you're faced with an armed and possibly non-friendly ninja while being held captive by men who're going to kill you.

Adverts are already making games less good. It's only going to get worse.

BurningFeetMan · 19th Feb 2007, 21:27

As much as I love all of googles services that I use daily, such as Gmail, Googlemaps, google desktop, hell just plain old google search, my game time is my game time.

I will not support any game that contains commercials of any kind, unless that game is given to the consumer, me and you, for free.

Yemerich · 20th Feb 2007, 03:23

someday they will stamp ads in our underwear...

I mean... Isn't enough the bombardment of ads you see in every corner? The ones that block our vision in the streets and roads? At least the mayor here in Sao Paulo have prohibited 90% of the outdoor ads.. It's a start...

JazX101 · 20th Feb 2007, 14:26

As long as the advertising doesnt detract from the game its self, or is so invasive as to make the game unplesent to play I dont see what the problem would be. I'm sure that add-free versions will be available at a little extra cost, and that the underground community will post patches and hacks to remove them in short time.
Besides, advertising IRL is only a moderate pain in the arse, and without advert breaks, when would people use the toilet and refil their drinks.
Only downside is that advertising IRL can actually be dangerous in some circumstances. How many people have been distracted from driving by the latest WonderBra poster of some scantily clad model?? Yeah it looks good, but when you end up in the back of the car in front you wont be finding it so good. Worst that happens in the game world is you wait to re-spawn.
Jaz_knos

19th Feb 2007, 15:29	#1
Da Dego Brett Thomas Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Cleveland, OH USA Posts: 3,906	Google buys in-game ad firm http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/02...-game_ad_firm/ __________________ "Frankly that seems overkill. iluvtrees2 arguing with spec is the intellectual equivalent of a bunny rabbit taking on a pissed-off lion." - Nexxo

19th Feb 2007, 15:38	#2
DougEdey I pwn all your storage Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southampton Posts: 13,933	Google is an advertising company first. Everything else is secondary. I hope they do get this right. __________________ Burnout: Paradise Stats!XBL: DougEdey Bindi PSN ID: DougEdey Twitter

19th Feb 2007, 19:01	#4
HandMadeAndroid Multimodder Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Newcastle Posts: 125	Oooooh an 'uber' fast advertising bill board machine, whatever next, perhaps some kind of 'uber' display in the living room that pumps in advertising 24/7 ? __________________ Give them cake

19th Feb 2007, 19:34	#6
specofdust Banned Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Aberdeen, UK, EU Posts: 7,614	Indeed. An entire niche of programs is going to grow around blocking IGA's. Personally I see no problem with people pirating ad filled games, but for those who actually buy their games I think the idea that they should block ads is completely reasonable. __________________ Like marmite, only no-one hates it Mmm bop!

19th Feb 2007, 19:46	#7
DeX Mube Codder Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 4,103	It's interesting to compare in-game ads to product placement in movies. Often in a movie, the director has a lot of control over what products are on view and how they are used in the scene. This is because the director has a lot of artistic resposibility over the film. Too much advertising would ruin the feel of the film. Even so, producers make a hell of a lot from product placement probably because the advertising medium is so effective and widespread. I don't think gamers will be as responsive to in-game ads and so I imagine ads will have to be a lot more prominent in order to be effective. Will game producers prevent adverts that affect the artistic quality of their games? Somehow I doubt it. It seems there are very few game producers that are really passionate about the games they create any more. I'm certain that we'll see the most adverts in sequels rather than original titles. __________________ Play my game: Shyguy's Cave of Death! If you dont have the time to check your spelling and grammar, you dont have the time to post! -Liquid K9

19th Feb 2007, 16:59	#3
DriftCarl Multimodder Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 199	I can see it now. a childrens game where they have to build blocks ontop of eachother. One character ingame says "this block is too heavy, I cant get it up" then suddenly google decides that this is a good opportunity to place a viagra related advertisement on the side of the building blocks. quality

19th Feb 2007, 19:26	#5
randosome Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 226	as long as games get a nice discount with ad's built in, I'm all for in game advertising But i don't think (like with BF2142) you should pay full price and have ads in your face too - or CS1.6 where their just going to add in game ad's even though no-one receives any benefit whatsoever (considering they don't update 1.6) Although, its pretty easy to block stuff like that, most of the "keep you safe while you bittorrent" programs can easily block those ad IP's, or you can do it at the firewall level if you prefer

19th Feb 2007, 20:08	#8
specofdust Banned Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Aberdeen, UK, EU Posts: 7,614	No doubt. I was just playing through a splinter cell game. Not only are the phones all clearly lablled as Sony Ericsons but..get this, while you're in the middle of rescueing a CIA deskworker from the clutches of evil terrorists who've been torturing and murdering her colleagues, what does she comment on? Why she says "nice PDA" when you hand it to her. Because that's really the first thing that comes to your mind when you're faced with an armed and possibly non-friendly ninja while being held captive by men who're going to kill you. Adverts are already making games less good. It's only going to get worse. __________________ Like marmite, only no-one hates it Mmm bop!

19th Feb 2007, 21:27	#9
BurningFeetMan Multimodder Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 91	As much as I love all of googles services that I use daily, such as Gmail, Googlemaps, google desktop, hell just plain old google search, my game time is my game time. I will not support any game that contains commercials of any kind, unless that game is given to the consumer, me and you, for free.

20th Feb 2007, 03:23	#10
Yemerich What's a rebimboca da parafuseta? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sao Paulo - Brazil Posts: 714	someday they will stamp ads in our underwear... I mean... Isn't enough the bombardment of ads you see in every corner? The ones that block our vision in the streets and roads? At least the mayor here in Sao Paulo have prohibited 90% of the outdoor ads.. It's a start... __________________ Bit Tech is more than games and hardware - check out the mods too. Don't let modding die in Bit-Tech.net.

20th Feb 2007, 14:26	#11
JazX101 Multimodder Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 99	As long as the advertising doesnt detract from the game its self, or is so invasive as to make the game unplesent to play I dont see what the problem would be. I'm sure that add-free versions will be available at a little extra cost, and that the underground community will post patches and hacks to remove them in short time. Besides, advertising IRL is only a moderate pain in the arse, and without advert breaks, when would people use the toilet and refil their drinks. Only downside is that advertising IRL can actually be dangerous in some circumstances. How many people have been distracted from driving by the latest WonderBra poster of some scantily clad model?? Yeah it looks good, but when you end up in the back of the car in front you wont be finding it so good. Worst that happens in the game world is you wait to re-spawn. Jaz_knos __________________ AMD XP 3200+ w/ ThermalRight SI-07A w/ Custom Acrylic 4-Point Mount \|\| DFI LAN-Party NFII Ultra B \|\| 1Gb OZC Gold C2 \|\| 580W Black Hiper Modular PSU \|\| 620GB SATA Hdds (2 x 160 Gb Maxtor DMax 9 + 300Gb Maxtor DMax 10) \|\| Realtek A7600 GT 256Mb DDR3 Graphics running Dual Iiyama ProLite E431s Sorted the kit, materials list and the project, now where's the money?? Posessed of an avatar, I must be going up in the world!