MASSIVE Intrusion by Microsoft?

[Steven W]

In-game advertising love it or hate it, it's only getting bigger!

Check out the Feature for more info.

[Klo]

I dislike this alot. Surely the fact that we have to pay so much for a game should cover the costs, instead on piling on yet another form of intrusive adverts!

[yamangman]

This type of advertising could lead to tracking software being implemented that would allow your data to be sold to other companies.

Sounds a little far fetched considering the data protection laws in the UK and EU. In the U.S it's a distinct possibility.

[Steven W]

lol, that's my paranoia of the New World Order kicking in!

[MegaManExtreme2]

I dislike this alot. Surely the fact that we have to pay so much for a game should cover the costs, instead on piling on yet another form of intrusive adverts!

I agree, we already pay enough for our games and the last thing we need is stupid adverts that do nothing but annoy everyone

[Betty_Swallocks]

You say we already pay enough for our games but really the cost of a game hasn't gone up significantly for years. The developers and publishers are producing ever more complex games with a diminishing (in real terms) income. You can't really blame them for looking for alternative income streams.

TBH I'd be quite happy with subtle product placement like the Burger King blimp in NFS:MW.

Done properly it would add to the atmosphere of the game. Drinks machines in offices having the Coke logo on or the hero wearing a particular brand of sunglasses. Billboards advertising products as you drive around a city. Real life shops and restaurants in the scenery. That's all fine by me.

If the adverts start getting in the way of the gameplay though I can see it putting a lot of people off. I really wouldn't want the gameplay interrupted by "a message from our sponsors"

If they do go that way I'm sure that some enterprising souls will hack them out anyway.

[Paranoid2000]

Sounds a little far fetched considering the data protection laws in the UK and EU. In the U.S it's a distinct possibility.

Data protection does little to prevent companies from tracking your online activities and building a profile (this already happens with many websites, UK-based also) - it should only kick in when that profile is associated with you as a person. It would however be quite easy for this linking to be done by a separate off-shore company for advertisers wishing to "game the system".

One issue not raised in the article is future game development - if advertising becomes a large financial factor then, as with television product placement, this could lead it determining what types of games are produced. Fantasy and abstract games may then receive less attention from mainstream developers.

However for PC gamers, there will always be the independent developers whose first loyality should stay with their paying customers.

[yamangman]

Data protection does little to prevent companies from tracking your online activities and building a profile (this already happens with many websites, UK-based also) - it should only kick in when that profile is associated with you as a person. It would however be quite easy for this linking to be done by a separate off-shore company for advertisers wishing to "game the system".

Yes you are quite right that DP legislation would only cover if that data is tangibly associated with a living person. But the fact is that would be the case if we are talking about this data being sent by traditional means over the Internet (IP). Its entirely like the way DP legislation covers the use of CCTV cameras.

Also most large publishers have offices in the UK. Would they really want to go the risk of gaming the system? Historically if you look a previous similar investigated cases, the Information Commissioner has had a field day.

[yamangman]

You have to love the way MASSIVE software is implemented in some titles, taking RCT3 Wild! for example. If you have a live connection to the internet, there is no 'opt-out' choice for in game advertising and measuring your session length. You would have to block the games' net access using somthing else. But you have to enable a connection to access the downloadable rides and game updates, if you want to use those features, Massive will get their mitts on your 'details' at some point.

[ExceededGoku]

lol, that's my paranoia of the New World Order kicking in!

I know that you are joking but it is seriously turning into everything that we do is being logged... and ingame advertising is a step in teh wrong direction into this... (IMO). Not one for conspiracies

[RedPutty]

Wont being assailed by ads simply make the gaming experience feel more realistic...