re: advertising within games

From: Simon Lusted <simonl_at_beam.com.au>
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 10:17:50 -0500 (CDT)

BEN CATHERS WROTE:
>I haven't seen it on PC Games, but I bet it would be met
>with a lot of hostility since a lot already pay for a
>service, and many belive it should also be free (otherwise
>they will just choose another game)

I agree. I worked for a reasonably well known games
developer until recently, and currently for hotgames.com. I
see the potential for in game advertising but it does have
to be unobtrusive branding if it's to be placed in purchased
versions of software.

For example a game developed here in my country, called AFL
(Australian Rules Football), had the television station that
owns the rights pay them money to implement all the same
branding on the 'on screen displays'. And also place various
station banners on the signs of the stadium (much the same
as Fifa98 does). This was ok because it increased the
realism.

The real benefit however might be in placing advertising in
the demo versions of software which can reach many, often
more than the actual sales figures do.

So people buy the software to get the full version
(obviously) but also to lose the ads. I'm not sure if this
would decrease the value of the advertising but it may be a
happy medium.

On another point, how do you price the advertising? How do
you get a standard given that ads can be integrated subtly
or overtly? Do you need a standard ;)

Simon

BTW- Im talking about PC games here.


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Received on Wed Jul 28 1999 - 10:50:44 CDT