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Sony will start offering virtual advertising space in PlayStation 3 games as part of efforts to stem losses from the console. The company said players may see the ads in spaces such as billboards and wall surfaces within the games.
"Various game titles are played by fans who like certain things, which can offer opportunities for targeted ads," said a Sony spokesman. "Online games allow greater flexibility for advertisers as to when, where and how long to advertise."
Sony has teamed up with in-game advertisement firms Double Fusion and IGA Worldwide for the new service, which will be available mainly in Japan, North America and Europe, the spokesman said.
Sony has sold about 13 million PS3 units since it was launched two years ago but has struggled to break even on the console amid tough competition from rival Nintendo's Wii.
© Japan Today
17 Comments
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urufuls
Hmm. That will make for a more realistic experience with real world companies. But can we draw the commercialization line somewhere please?
thepro
How lame
Zen_Builder
And how much reduction in game purchase prices will those ads result in?
Crimsonsil
as long as they don't start interrupting the game for commercials...
USAkuma
Oh yeah, I can just see it now. You're playing Metal Gear Solid and the character, while sneaking along, must now pause (along with baddies) to admire some banner about coca-cola for 10 seconds before play can resume. Talk about annoying.
Or worse! You want to get to the final boss? well the ad on the wall in the game says that you have to purchase and send in the stickers from 10 boxes of whatnot along with a receipt (showing that you purchased them) in order to get the pass-code.
It'll be just like the really old days when people had to send in the cereal box-tops to get the secret decoder ring. Gee Whiz! Don't you just wanna run out to your local Ps3 dealer right away?
wilbur
well i was gonna buy one but not now
wilbur
weasel, i know what i'll do if i see these guys on the traffic medians: aim for them
borscht
If these ads bring down the price to the user, great. If these ads are just another revenue stream for Sony, blah. If these ads don't stop the game - and it says so in the article - great. If these ads are at the beginning and end of a game, blah. If they Stop the Game for the commercial - Sony'll lose a lot of game players. That great sucking sound they will hear will people jumping to DS or Xbox.
How will anyone chart this? Will they be able to tell that Consumer X saw Ad Y in Game Z thereby increasing sales of Y? Secondly, do gamers really pay attention to the wall surfaces et cetera or do they concentrate on the characters and enemies?
Hughgarse
two words.. bugger off
Altria
Well, I for one look forward to shooting the head off a giant tampax, rather than some generic brand.
JeromeInJapan
I don't mind... aslong as I get the game for free!!!
Son Kokujin
NOOOOO!!! What next...informercial gaming? STOP THIS INSANITY!!!
thedeath
anyone remember when they tried to offers $50 "Fresh Start" option building your laptop crapware-free before shiping?
i think they really hate their customers, that why they are constantly creating this type of crape offering to us!!
thepro
"...struggled to break even..." Haven't they lost billions of dollars on it?
delitachan
Why has the Sony PS3 failed in comparison to the Wii-wii?
SiouxGirl
Yeah, I can see it now - some troll is trying to club my character and there's a mountain dew sticker on his club, he's wearing vans sneakers and a nicotine patch. We're fighting in front of a billboard for ninja gaiden. I can ignore pretty much anything, so I'm not too worried about it.