Report: Obama Ads in Burnout Paradise
Report: Obama Ads in Burnout Paradise
October 9, 2008
We've only gotten one report of this, which seems a bit odd, but an Xbox Live gamer who goes by Dragunov765 has posted photos of what appear to be in-game ads for Barack Obama.
Dragunov (we know his real name, too) says he came across the ads while playing Burnout Paradise earlier this week and posted them on his Rooster Teeth journal page. We were tipped to the pix by a GP reader who vouches for the guy. In turn we contacted Dragonuv, who commented on the ads:
Here's the photos I took while playing Burnout: Paradise on the XBox 360. I don't know how often they rotate the in-game advertising, but I imagine they are still up.
I gotta give [Obama] credit for covering all the bases. I also think this is an interesting endorsement for adults as gamers (or maybe he's planting the seeds for a re-election bid in 4 years...)
The ads mention that early voting has begun and reference voteforchange.com. That site says that it is "Paid for by Obama for America" and helps voters find early voting locations in states that permit the practice (which has indeed begun).
EA reps did not respond to several attempts by GamePolitics to verify the ads.
GP: Bottom line? If the ad pix are Photoshopped, ya got me, Dragonuv. But I don't think they are. Dragonuv is no kid and my gut tells me he's on the level.
And in any case, why couldn't - why shouldn't - a candidate make use of in-game ads? After all, it's the new, new thing, and Obama has been courting the youth vote all along.
The concept of in-game political ads does raise some issues, however. Does the campaign get to choose the games in which their ads appear? We have to think they do. Having one's campaign ad appear in GTA IV, for example, might hand an opposing candidate an opportunity to sling mud.
A PUBLICATION OF THE ECA
SUBSCRIBE
LOGINGamePolitics ShoutBox
Posted 12/07/09 at 11:17am
PHX Corp: @AL ok, wait a sec, Here it is http://tinyurl.com/yfayjlv
PHX Corp: @AL ok, wait a sec, Here it is http://tinyurl.com/yfayjlv
Posted 12/07/09 at 11:10am
Austin_Lewis: Val: I agree. After having it explained, she should've dropped that shit. The rest of the discussion just went to from dumb to levels of retardation you can only find from F_ked up or inbred hillbillies. And I mean REALLY inbred.
Austin_Lewis: Val: I agree. After having it explained, she should've dropped that shit. The rest of the discussion just went to from dumb to levels of retardation you can only find from F_ked up or inbred hillbillies. And I mean REALLY inbred.
Posted 12/07/09 at 11:09am
Austin_Lewis: PHX, I'd like to introduce you to Tinyurl. Go use it.
Austin_Lewis: PHX, I'd like to introduce you to Tinyurl. Go use it.
Posted 12/07/09 at 11:02am
DarkSaber: I think I preferred you when you weren't trying to be funny. It was less painful to watch.
DarkSaber: I think I preferred you when you weren't trying to be funny. It was less painful to watch.
Posted 12/07/09 at 11:01am
ZippyDSMlee: Forum report:AS down as zippy is after the caffeinated LSD like effects ends.
ZippyDSMlee: Forum report:AS down as zippy is after the caffeinated LSD like effects ends.
Posted 12/07/09 at 10:49am
DarkSaber: Yep, she's trying to push the bullshit that her interpretation of the story could possibly be right.
DarkSaber: Yep, she's trying to push the bullshit that her interpretation of the story could possibly be right.
Posted 12/07/09 at 10:46am
Valdearg: @A_L: Not to mention, the fact that it was explained to her by both myself and DS that it was satire, and she STILL saw fit to comment about how the original author was a "tree-hugger." That goes beyond stupidity, into a whole new realm of dumb.
Valdearg: @A_L: Not to mention, the fact that it was explained to her by both myself and DS that it was satire, and she STILL saw fit to comment about how the original author was a "tree-hugger." That goes beyond stupidity, into a whole new realm of dumb.
Posted 12/07/09 at 10:44am
PHX Corp: WBC is still alive and well protesting All time low Too bad I can't post it in the forums because of the forum maintenance http://cbs3.com/topstories/Westboro.Baptist.Church.2.1353714.html
PHX Corp: WBC is still alive and well protesting All time low Too bad I can't post it in the forums because of the forum maintenance http://cbs3.com/topstories/Westboro.Baptist.Church.2.1353714.html
Posted 12/07/09 at 10:32am
Austin_Lewis: Like I said, I often just look at the quotes first. But yeah, it's a poor defense. Although we have seen more retarded things from the likes of PETA on this site.
Austin_Lewis: Like I said, I often just look at the quotes first. But yeah, it's a poor defense. Although we have seen more retarded things from the likes of PETA on this site.
Posted 12/07/09 at 10:31am
DarkSaber: Considering the first four words of the article are "Tongue firmly in cheek" , that isn't much of a defense. Not to mention the fact she saw fit to comment on that article.
DarkSaber: Considering the first four words of the article are "Tongue firmly in cheek" , that isn't much of a defense. Not to mention the fact she saw fit to comment on that article.
Posted 12/07/09 at 10:29am
Austin_Lewis: To be fair, she may not have read the whole article. I often skim the quotes and titles looking for interesting articles, and, upon finding one, read the article and the attached link(s). Of course, that's not much of an excuse.
Austin_Lewis: To be fair, she may not have read the whole article. I often skim the quotes and titles looking for interesting articles, and, upon finding one, read the article and the attached link(s). Of course, that's not much of an excuse.
Posted 12/07/09 at 10:17am
Valdearg: Ahhh... I love this site.. I wake up, go to work, check out GP, and the first thing I see is that SSB is STILL clueless about the Turtle Article, AFTER having it explained to her.. She is SO frigging stupid, it's hilarious.
Valdearg: Ahhh... I love this site.. I wake up, go to work, check out GP, and the first thing I see is that SSB is STILL clueless about the Turtle Article, AFTER having it explained to her.. She is SO frigging stupid, it's hilarious.
Posted 12/07/09 at 08:39am
ZippyDSMlee: DS:I got head...just...dunno wut to do wif it. 0-o
ZippyDSMlee: DS:I got head...just...dunno wut to do wif it. 0-o
Posted 12/07/09 at 08:36am
DarkSaber: I think zippy read that as "quit and you wont get head"
DarkSaber: I think zippy read that as "quit and you wont get head"
Posted 12/07/09 at 08:22am
JDKJ: Oh, well. So much for Zippy quitting while he's still ahead.
JDKJ: Oh, well. So much for Zippy quitting while he's still ahead.
Posted 12/07/09 at 08:20am
ZippyDSMlee: JD:But but but but...I am not ahead yet...its jsut...always...just...out...og reach!!!!
ZippyDSMlee: JD:But but but but...I am not ahead yet...its jsut...always...just...out...og reach!!!!
Posted 12/07/09 at 08:16am
JDKJ: Zip, ever heard the expression "just quit while you're still ahead?"
JDKJ: Zip, ever heard the expression "just quit while you're still ahead?"
Posted 12/07/09 at 08:14am
ZippyDSMlee: JD it helps to haz sense too....this coming from experience!
ZippyDSMlee: JD it helps to haz sense too....this coming from experience!
Posted 12/07/09 at 07:34am
JDKJ: The first word in "sense of humor" is "sense."
JDKJ: The first word in "sense of humor" is "sense."
Posted 12/07/09 at 07:31am
DarkSaber: You know things are bad when even Andrew Eisen has had to carefully explain to SSB that the koopa article is a joke.
DarkSaber: You know things are bad when even Andrew Eisen has had to carefully explain to SSB that the koopa article is a joke.
Copyright © 2007 ECA. All rights reserved.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
Well, that's one way to reach out to the youth vote.
"Can We Burnout? YES WE CAN!"
It was a nice idea and added an effect touch to the kit, but EA's Essay Writing | Buy Essay | Custom Essay probably in a lot of hot water over this. The brass knuckles probably should have been fake, like rubber or plastic. Perfect Writing | Writing Help | Essays | Essay Help
I'm a little creeped out by advertisements in games, especially as the cost of games themselves have not been offset in the slightest bit. That said, if there are going to be ads in games, may as well be political ones, too.
I was going to say that I don't want to be FORCED to watch ads (like in a pre-loader), but that's a statement that is as true of regular ads as it is of political ones.
Well the only problem with political ads is that they become dated very quickly. In one month the obama ad in burnout would be completely pointless as the ad will no longer have anything to advertise. The ads are only useful for as long as the election is going on; and by the time the next election comes around the game with the original ad will probably be dead.
Ads for stuff like coca cola, pepsi, beer and all that other stuff however will be around for years... as such the ads will always have something they can push and sell us.
The in-game advertising "feature" in Burnout Paradise isn't permanent. They rotate sponsors in and out according to however much ad space is purchased. When I went back to play it today all of the billboards had shifted to Burger King ads...
The only reason it stands out and breaks us from the game is that we're not quite used to seeing them yet.
laser hair removal surreyFucking ads...I am so fucking tired of this encroachment.
First we have ads in between shows. Not so bad, it gives a person the chance to take a piss or get something to eat.
Then we have comercial interuptions. Still not too bad, and it does allow for the mid show cliff-hanger...
NOW we have pop up comercials DURING the fucking show, combined with all the other shit, and NOW we are getting ads in our videogames...soon there'll be advertisements during every loading screen! Imagine playing HALO, and all of a sudden there's a fucking ad for Enzyte or some shit!
This madness must stop!
-Remember kids, personal responsibility is for losers!
I think it's creepy to have political ads in a game- politics is a more sensitive subject than the discounts on Wendy's and Subway's sandwiches. Aside from that, I don't mind the in-game advertisements in Burnout Paradise because Criterion has been raising the bar for free downloadable content in console gaming. The latest update was basically an expansion pack for the game.
Political ads in video games, do not want! Actually any ads in video games, do not want!
Thanks for taking an interest in it. I can understand your skepticism (especially since they changed out all the billboards again in the game) and I appreciate your candor on its validity being suspect. The best answer I can give you is that I'm not that good with Photoshop and I'm too lazy to commit any time to a political campaign.
The photos were taken Oct. 6th, 2008 in my living room with an Olympus 550UZ. The .jpg images should still be tagged with all the camera data (shutter speed, ISO-whatever, etc). I downsized them because Photobucket won't handle any images over 1Mb and I generally shoot in super HQ (ends up around 2.1-2.4Mb per photo). Beyond reducing the file size for posting to the internet, no other adjustments were made to the images. I would have taken more, but I didn't even have the memory stick in there because I'd just completed downloading some other photos and hadn't put it back in.
The funny thing is that I had already played through 97% of the game months ago and it was collecting dust on the shelf. I had only tossed it in because we just bought the new TV and one of my daughter's friends wanted to see the motorcycles in action. We'd been buzzing around the city in various vehicles at high speed for about half an hour before I happened to crash right in front of one of the billboards (Burnout's in-game camera induces vertigo if you try to manipulate it so you normally have to get a car airborne before you can actually read any of the signs close up). It was a genuine "WTF?" moment.
Personally, I figure that EA put the billboards in there specifically for this purpose - anyone who has the money is welcome to buy the ad space...just like in the real world (which the game is supposed to emulate). Considering the cost of game development, why wouldn't a company work to bring in some extra cash?
On Obama's side, it's getting a lot of bang for his buck because there is no way he could have put up that many billboards across the country in such a short amount of time.
Granted, I'm still not voting for him (or McCain, for that matter), but I'm forced to respect the attempt.
Hey, Mr. D - bottom line is, you're a believable guy! I never would have posted the story if I thought otherwise.
Well done!
Oh man, they finally put the motocycles in? Time to get this back off the shelf....
I find this ad... creepy. I don't think it's just me though.
Actually, I'd be more than happy to have ads in video games if they don't interrupt the flow of the actual game or disrupt gameplay and they lower the cost of the games since they should be making a small fortune off of putting ads in their games. It'd be nice if they took some of the burden off of the fans, but I doubt that'll happen.
We're going to get lots of in-game ads. That is not likely to change, because it's practically free money. With that in mind, the Burnout ads are well done as they mimic real billboards in an urban environment. The only reason it stands out and breaks us from the game is that we're not quite used to seeing them yet.
So, under the so called "Fairness" Doctrine, don't they have to make sure McCain gets equal rotation?
~~All Knowledge is Worth Having~~
When asked if he would be willing to do the same, McCain simply replied, "What is an Xbox?"
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/10/18/
Seems appropriate =)
Im gonna comment on this in retrospect past politics. Now ya know the radio they have advertising for the canidates a lot, same with the TV. Now we have ads for our canidates in video games. Give us 8 or 12 years and well see them all over the place in gaming(i can imagine Halo with elites holding up signs lol) . On the other hand, video game bring a whole lot more of interactivity so i understand why it may be creepy. Either way im still voting for mccain. from shobidoo
Companies buy ad space or place products in games all the time. This is especially true in racing or sports games, where there are billboards or areas which, in a real life situation, an ad would be located. bad credit payday loans
This post makes no sense to me
sohbet - sohbet siteleri - özlü sözler - sevgi sözleri - madencilik - sikiş