What could help triple-A games get even bigger right now? According to EA CEO Andrew Wilson, the answer lies in ads.
During a recent earnings call Q&A, Wilson was asked by an analyst about “dynamic ad insertion” in triple-A titles as a means of revenue. While he thinks it’s “still early” for that, he noted its potential as a “meaningful driver of growth” for the publisher.
In fact, internal teams at EA are already exploring “very thoughtful [ad] implentations,” Wilson revealed. For him, the important thing is to build up communities in games, then figure out how ads are potential growth drivers.
They had dynamic billboards in burnout paradise 16 years ago so this is not a new idea for EA.
If course with modern internet they could steam video ads to TVs that decorate the world, or insert ad breaks for in car radio. So far most games have used parody ads as world building but I suppose they could just use them as a paid ad spot instead.
Product placement usually feels forced, but any urban setting is littered with vending machines and shop fronts so I can see how they are tempted to sell these.
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars did the same thing. It added to the realism because it was “now”. That being said, I don’t want real world advertising in my fantasy world game playing time. World building fake ads? Like frilly toothpicks, I’m for ‘em!
Your comment on forced product placement reminded me of Tonic Trouble, the weird, mostly forgotten Rayman 2 sister-project in late 90s. It was basically Rayman 2 trying to be quirkier and mostly ending up in the “trying too hard” area.
Power-ups in the PC version came as N*stl* chocolate bars for no reason (except a big check I assume). Hard to ignore which bars exactly, because they came from big vending machines sporting a logo that’s probably the most detailed texture of the game.
It looks like this was a Demolition Man situation where Newman’s Own paid for the north american market and Nestle Crunch took the rest.
https://tcrf.net/Proto:Tonic_Trouble_(Nintendo_64)#Gameplay_Differences
Does anyone else think it’s odd that Newman’s Own did this? I’ve never seen much advertising from them in general. And they’re one of the few companies that seems actually okay, kinda the anti-Nestle.
It’s also a very weird fit. So in NA, the hero goes to… a salad dressing vending machine? And just eats a full bottle of sauce?
It’s popcorn not salad dressing.
Uh. Didn’t know they did that, I only knew the sauce.
I guess their advertising campaign wasn’t very effective!
No, I mean, I am in Europe, I had Tonic Trouble Crunch Edition.
We do get Newman’s sauce here, but I don’t remember seeing the other products.
Reminds me of cyberpunk and the lovely mod which silenced all ads…