Dean Takahashi reports in VentureBeat that Google will begin offering a service that will place ads into online games.
The search giant's beta launch of AdSense for Games will initially target Flash games. Takahashi cites figures showing that 200 million games of this type are played online each month. Sony Pictures, Sprint and eSurance are among advertisers participating in the rollout.
Game publisher Konami is on board and will reportedly publish Flash versions of Frogger, Track and Field and Dance Dance Revolution with Google ads included.
Where does Google go from here? Not surprisingly, Takahashi sees further expansion:
Google’s entry into Flash web games is likely just the first step. After this, you can expect to see the company move into PC downloadable games, console games, and then mobile games. Rivals in those markets include NeoEdge Networks, Microsoft’s Massive, Double Fusion, IGA Worldwide.
This is one more ad market where Google and Microsoft can duel... The Yankee Group predicts the market will be worth $971.3 million by 2011. Proponents of in-game ads believe that gamers will embrace them because the ads can be integrated into storylines or environments. You can, for instance, put an ad into a billboard inside a game. That ad can change every time the user passes by the billboard. Of course, it’s hard to do that in genres such as fantasy games.
Comments
So essentially now that Google is doing it its earth shattering news?
True enough, it's always smirk-inducing to see a real-life ad in a videogame. But I'll be damned if I get a pop-up while saving the earth one day! :P
this is nothing new, Anarchy Online has in-game ads already. i remember seeing video commercials, billboards and such when i played it about two years ago.
Fuck advertisments in video games.
Fuck advertisments of any kind.
Then how would know about great products with low low prices? /sarcasm
nah, if it would make the games cheaper, then maybe I'd tolerate it. But alas, they'll still charge full price (or overprice here in the uk) for the game.
But I don't want to picking up a packet of skittles in a high fantasy game. Or a "Sword of Cola +3 delicious-ness"
Proponents of in-game ads believe that gamers will embrace them because the ads can be integrated into storylines or environments.
I had a dream once. In this dream ingame advertising went too far. I was playing one of the latest Zelda games and I picked up the "Wikipedian Shield of Wisdom". That is the one that stood out, but basically every item in the game had a real world sponsor.
I would really hate to see the video game equivolent to product placement. But that is all in the past now, unfortunately.
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What bothers me is when an advertisment isn't affected by anything happening in the world around it, and it breaks the experience.
When ads get into my games and slow down the gameplay, I get pissed off. So how about we keep the ads to the side and all around the flash games, and let me waste my time in peace, looking over at the ads during load times, and not being part of the load screen unless it is a game that all on its own is an ad for Coke/Pepsi, a tractor company, or something that puts a theme to the game. Other than that, just leave it alone.
yeah, I'm with you on that - the three most annoying things in Video games are: Slowness, DRM, and Dependancy on the Internet. Mix the three and you have major suckage.
Google Ads + Game = Would you like some gaming with the advertisement you are watching?
Slowness + DRM + Required Internet = Would you like some gaming with your peice of shit?
I don't mind ads in video games, as long as it's not annoying and it fits the game.
--- Official Protector of Videoland!
If i'm paying to play a game i don't expect to see advertisements. Maybe with some free game downloads or something like that but not a game i pay to play.
Online gaming is very harmful for college and university students who have no time to write their academic papers.
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