EA Sports: the label politicians think is "hip"

today marks the day that politics officially invades games. the console versions of madden 13 will feature adverts paid for by the obama administration for you to go out and vote obama at the next presidential election. thats rights, political avertising in games...

http://www.destructoid.com/obama-campaign-ads-to-hit-madden-13-and-other-ea-titles-235039.phtml

it isnt alone in this. many games coming from EA this year (mostly from their EA sports label) are going to be chocked full of dynamic political advertising by the obama administration.

I for one give them points for originality but feel that this still isnt the right time for them to be doing this. the the average gamer being in the same bracket as the young voters. it would be alot easier to hit them wholesale than by a sub category and wave my finger at EA for being such a sellout

To be honest, I'm surprised there isn't more advertisement in mainstream games. Big publishers are already making us pay once for the game, then pay for content that was meant to be in the game. There's also a small amount of product placement going on. And then if you play on the 360, you have to pay to play online AND there are ads on your dashboard.

Clearly gamers have no self-respect, so why not milk them a little more by adding unskippable ads in games, say, in the middle of cutscenes. Kind of like TV shows. "Find out what happens next, after this batch of ads!"

To be honest, I'm surprised there isn't more advertisement in mainstream games. Big publishers are already making us pay once for the game, then pay for content that was meant to be in the game. There's also a small amount of product placement going on. And then if you play on the 360, you have to pay to play online AND there are ads on your dashboard.

Clearly gamers have no self-respect, so why not milk them a little more by adding unskippable ads in games, say, in the middle of cutscenes. Kind of like TV shows. "Find out what happens next, after this batch of ads!"

ReddestSkies

That is complete BS. Politicians have their grubby fingers in everything.

That is complete BS. Politicians have their grubby fingers in everything.

ristactionjakso

EA didn't have to say yes.

Nothing new. Back in 2008, some of the billboards in Burnout Paradise had advertisements for Obama. In-game ads are only really a problem when their intrusive. If they're just little banner ads carefully placed about the field, who cares?

I don't want my games to turn into advertising machines. I'm already annoyed with the Papa Johns ads in Madden, especially since their pizza isn't that good (well, I suppose it's one of the better fast food type pizza places, but still). The only acceptable advertisement in a Madden game for me is Gatorade since it has always been associated with sports so it kind of just fits, but pizza doesn't and now political stuff, come on. The might as well start advertising random things like nutella. It's not even like political advertising is good advertising, all it ends up being is both sides saying how the other side sucks but not why their side is good. Plus, didn't we pay full price for this game? As much as I'm tired of hearing about mobile gaming taking over the handheld market (as I'm getting a Vita soon) I have to give it to the mobile market that usually lets you get apps and some games for free if you are fine with advertisements being there, I guess EA sent that email memo to the spam folder.

I'm just glad fantasy games don't/can't do this, as a giant "vote for" ad in Skyrim would be a bit out of place.

Nothing new. Back in 2008, some of the billboards in Burnout Paradise had advertisements for Obama. In-game ads are only really a problem when their intrusive. If they're just little banner ads carefully placed about the field, who cares?

c_rake

[QUOTE="ristactionjakso"]

That is complete BS. Politicians have their grubby fingers in everything.

ReddestSkies

EA didn't have to say yes.

ITT: A lot of consumers who don't understand what "setting up a precedent" means.

"Not caring" about ads in games now because they're non intrusive, realistic, whatever, will necessarily lead to a majority of games having intrusive ads in the future.

Remember when you saw that horse armor DLC and thought it was no big deal? Now you're paying for "DLC" that was part of the game all along.

ITT: A lot of consumers who don't understand what "setting up a precedent" means.

"Not caring" about ads in games now because they're non intrusive, realistic, whatever, will necessarily lead to a majority of games having intrusive ads in the future.

Remember when you saw that horse armor DLC and thought it was no big deal? Now you're paying for "DLC" that was part of the game all along.

ReddestSkies

ITT: A lot of consumers who don't understand what "setting up a precedent" means.

"Not caring" about ads in games now because they're non intrusive, realistic, whatever, will necessarily lead to a majority of games having intrusive ads in the future.

Remember when you saw that horse armor DLC and thought it was no big deal? Now you're paying for "DLC" that was part of the game all along.

ReddestSkies

Some other consumers don't know **** about the industry, though they love to whine about it. I remember an ad for Predator sneakers on a Sega CD FIFA game almost two decades ago. Advertising pops up sports games and other games set in the real world now and again. Its nothing new and its nothing to cry about.

[QUOTE="c_rake"]

Nothing new. Back in 2008, some of the billboards in Burnout Paradise had advertisements for Obama. In-game ads are only really a problem when their intrusive. If they're just little banner ads carefully placed about the field, who cares?

AcidSoldner

That's how I feel about it too. Just because it shows advertisement based on politics doesn't mean that you need to heed their advice. As long as it doesn't intrude on the fun you're having with the game, why bother getting angry about it? It's just an ad, after all. I just ignore it and move on.

Look on the bright side: at least it's not RomneyBlack_Knight_00

Oh, if it were Romney, I could totally understand the outcry. I'd be mad too if I had to look at his ads.

I was amazed the UK didn't try to exploit London 2012 in the same way. I think anything to do with sport was already endorsed by politicians but now, if MPs only had more recognition of visual art forms, would push their most hated medium as a means of societal reform.

I think the games themselves have their value but I'm perfectly happy to let the developers encourage sport rather than politicians sticking their noses in. After all, who listens to politicans these days?

[QUOTE="Black_Knight_00"]Look on the bright side: at least it's not Romneyc_rake

Oh, if it were Romney, I could totally understand the outcry. I'd be mad too if I had to look at his ads.

an ad is an ad

i dont care about this anymore than i do about any other ad, i dont see how its even news worthy.

not including commercials that make me wanna punch people (like that levis commercial... its so hip :roll: or those smirnoff ones that only piss me off because thats consider okay, but advertising cigars in the same way isnt, in america atleast... oh and because its ******* stupid) they can advertise where ever they want and its fine by me.