Why are People supporting Ads in Paid-For Games?

[kilésengati]

SCS has recently announced they will put real-life advertisements on virtual billboards in their game American Truck Simulator:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/270880/eventcomments/3809529155525536635/

American Truck Simulator is what you think it is. You drive lorries across 'Murica. Simple as.
It's a very relaxing game.

As of now, the game's billboards were either filled with parodies or were self-advertisement.

Now they want to free-up that space for advertisements by real companies and their ad campaigns.
First only for testing in one of their games, only theme-fitting, not personalised and with an option to opt-out.

But how long until this doesn't become a choice and they start targeting individuals? How long until they turn their game into data-mining malware?
How long until we need ad-block mods in games?

The thing about games being turned into data-mining malware is especially sinister and despicable, since this is also taking advantage of some people's addictions!

Putting virtual billboards in games is nothing new. Electronic Arts is often cited as a pioneer in secondary monetisation through such methods. Just think of the ads in NfS and Burnout games.
Those, however, were static and can be modded-out fairly easily. With some always-only, server-side technology, this would become rather difficult.

Personally, I don't want more corporate propaganda in a paid-for game unless it's a senseful device to the story or gameplay. The real world is already littered with ads already, and I don't need more of it in my escapes from reality.
And I wouldn't let my kids play ad-littered games either.

But rather surprisingly (and shockingly, tbh), quite a lot of gamers voice their support for this. Especially since they have nothing to gain from it. If they want real ads in their game, they could just download mods for that. Do people actually enjoy advertisement hell?


What do you think of the possibilities of secondary monetisation in video games?
Particularly regarding integrated, dynamic and possibly targeted ads and data-mining.

[❤ Sly Succubus ❤]

I've seen a few games do this and tbf it would be a little more realistic if they used real billboards then some knock offs in the game, it would add to a few realistic themes of driving down a highway, like 99% of us don't look at billboards in the real world or even in game and when we do, its because were so bored that a giant ad held up by a metal stick may hold some entertainment value.

[UrbanMech]

EA tried this with BF2142 over a decade ago. They patched it out in less than a week. It also scanned your computer to give relative ads.

Anyway it had so much backlash that they couldn't do it. Now with people these days? I don't know. Wouldn't surprise me if people said "yay" or "who cares" like you mentioned. A lot of them already feed companies all their information including government IDs. Not kidding.

[kilésengati]

Nepgineer Gaming の投稿を引用：

I've seen a few games do this and tbf it would be a little more realistic if they used real billboards then some knock offs in the game, it would add to a few realistic themes of driving down a highway, like 99% of us don't look at billboards in the real world or even in game and when we do, its because were so bored that a giant ad held up by a metal stick may hold some entertainment value.

Idk man, irl, I pay attention to the road.
But that's what those billboards ain't about. it's about catching attention of your subconscious reptile brain from the peripheral of sight, which then is calmed when it sees something similar in a store and makes you more inclined to picking the advertised product over another when given the choice.

[GlaceonChireiden]

If the ads are on billboards and not forced on you, how is this a problem? If it doesn't affect your experience then why should you care?

Forced video ads are one thing. But still images with ads is nothing new. Sa1dx on the gamecube advertised sonic x, burnout paradise on ps3/360 actually had Obama ad campaigns on them.

Why do you care about it all it a sudden when it hasn't affected you before?

[❤ Sly Succubus ❤]

GhostBear の投稿を引用：

EA tried this with BF2142 over a decade ago. They patched it out in less than a week. It also scanned your computer to give relative ads.

Anyway it had so much backlash that they couldn't do it. Now with people these days? I don't know. Wouldn't surprise me if people said "yay" or "who cares" like you mentioned. A lot of them already feed companies all their information including government IDs. Not kidding.

Ya if you go into Windows 10 settings, go to privacy and the literal first system option for privacy is basically "Allow ads to be narrowed down by Microsoft giving the ads information"

[❤ Sly Succubus ❤]

kilésengati の投稿を引用：

Nepgineer Gaming の投稿を引用：

I've seen a few games do this and tbf it would be a little more realistic if they used real billboards then some knock offs in the game, it would add to a few realistic themes of driving down a highway, like 99% of us don't look at billboards in the real world or even in game and when we do, its because were so bored that a giant ad held up by a metal stick may hold some entertainment value.

Idk man, irl, I pay attention to the road.
But that's what those billboards ain't about. it's about catching attention of your subconscious reptile brain from the peripheral of sight, which then is calmed when it sees something similar in a store and makes you more inclined to picking the advertised product over another when given the choice.

As JustSomeLego said, as long as they don't force them on you then there's no real issue. EVE Online has ads when you dock in any station in game for other clans you will never meet and real life items in their stores and others but those ads are all background details that are designed to blend in with the station scenery, they don't force them on you nor do they invade your privacy for information to narrow them down.

[Candyy]

Does it affect gaming experience? If not ,then no problems...

[Z i o ⚡]

It could be weird in a fourth wall breaking way. The video game isn't supposed to be a real world even if it could be simulating one.

[kilésengati]

GhostBear の投稿を引用：

EA tried this with BF2142 over a decade ago. They patched it out in less than a week. It also scanned your computer to give relative ads.

Anyway it had so much backlash that they couldn't do it. Now with people these days? I don't know. Wouldn't surprise me if people said "yay" or "who cares" like you mentioned. A lot of them already feed companies all their information including government IDs. Not kidding.

Yeah, as mentioned, EA is regarded as a pioneer at that.

SCS is also collecting a decent amount of criticism and jesters on this one. But a surprising amount of responses are supportive of this. Which I find rather alarming. Are those comments paid or are people really this deep into consoomerism?

Reading through the comments of the announcement, there are people critical of it, people that are cheering this, people that are indifferent and of course, the people defending for-profit organisations in their free time.

Nepgineer Gaming の投稿を引用：

GhostBear の投稿を引用：

EA tried this with BF2142 over a decade ago. They patched it out in less than a week. It also scanned your computer to give relative ads.

Anyway it had so much backlash that they couldn't do it. Now with people these days? I don't know. Wouldn't surprise me if people said "yay" or "who cares" like you mentioned. A lot of them already feed companies all their information including government IDs. Not kidding.

Ya if you go into Windows 10 settings, go to privacy and the literal first system option for privacy is basically "Allow ads to be narrowed down by Microsoft giving the ads information"

That's about as much privacy as allowing only a single letter-agency to freely roam and use your property. "Privacy" and "Microsoft" (or any mega-corp) is an oxymoron.

JustSomeLego の投稿を引用：

If the ads are on billboards and not forced on you, how is this a problem? If it doesn't affect your experience then why should you care?

Forced video ads are one thing. But still images with ads is nothing new. Sa1dx on the gamecube advertised sonic x, burnout paradise on ps3/360 actually had Obama ad campaigns on them.

Why do you care about it all it a sudden when it hasn't affected you before?

Nepgineer Gaming の投稿を引用：

kilésengati の投稿を引用：

Idk man, irl, I pay attention to the road.
But that's what those billboards ain't about. it's about catching attention of your subconscious reptile brain from the peripheral of sight, which then is calmed when it sees something similar in a store and makes you more inclined to picking the advertised product over another when given the choice.

As JustSomeLego said, as long as they don't force them on you then there's no real issue. EVE Online has ads when you dock in any station in game for other clans you will never meet and real life items in their stores and others but those ads are all background details that are designed to blend in with the station scenery, they don't force them on you nor do they invade your privacy for information to narrow them down.

Oh, choice is great. No problem with that.

The issue is normalisation of such practices, which ultimately leads to having no choice.

Candyy ♡ の投稿を引用：

Does it affect gaming experience? If not ,then no problems...

In that it features real-life bloat that doesn't add to immersion.

Realism ≠ Immersion.

[Rio]

People play games to escape from life, not be assualted by it via ads.

How can I relax, if I have to be on guard about being manipulated to buy things like a coke or a new tv?

I wouldn't be surprised if some saying whats the issue?, also use adblock/sponsor block when web surfing

[Plaid]

Another thing I won't buy. More money for someone else, but they've already made a fortune selling those games, now only to drop ads on people.
If they want to make the game free to play then fine, but I see no point in spending money of a front end for advertisements. That demeans the value of the product.

[kilésengati]

Plaid の投稿を引用：

Another thing I won't buy. More money for someone else, but they've already made a fortune selling those games, now only to drop ads on people.
If they want to make the game free to play then fine, but I see no point in spending money of a front end for advertisements. That demeans the value of the product.

Fair point. Why pay to use an advertising platform as someone who is advertised to.

But I'm surprised you are not writing: "Release HoR when?" ;P

[Rio]

Also with in game ads, companies have money reasons to limit or prevent mods that could stop or block them.

Like say X game is always online to prevent people using ad block mods. Now is not being able to play your game when offline just a little square thats not hurting the gameplay?

[mimizukari]

that's fine, it's only bad if it pops up and you have to dismiss the window manually. football manager does that too and it's never bothered me.

[HypersleepyNaputunia]

ads = you make your game free to play
no ads = you can charge money to buy your game
sneak ads in with an "update" = offer refund to everyone who bought the game