I suppose ultimately, I don't mind placed advertising. We already get it in movies(omg, if you accidentally saw The Island, it is rife with prod placements... and blatantly at that), TV, Radio, billboards on the roads... there is really no escaping it.

As far as it being in games, as long as its appropriate, I'm fine with it, also stipulating that the revenue from these placements goes in large back into that games developement.
Example for SOE, Planetside is a fairly "modern" world type. Ads of almost any type would be somewhat okay, but really approriate would be tech ads; microsoft, intel, amd, asus.. things like that. Maybe even NRA ads considering the content, HA! Anyway, I would be exceptionally displeased if those ads showed up in say Everquest 2. I can't think of an appropriate ad for a setting like EQ2.

The only other thing I would love to see out of this blatant disregard for the players sensitivity by placing advertising where we can't escape them, in a product we are already paying for, is to eliminate thier pay for every content update policy. It seems like every other developer in the land(games released in the last 1-1 1/2 years) has managed to include "Free" content updates. Sony still makes you pay, even if it is only 5 bucks... Why can't they keep up? Maybe the extra revenue from this prod placing can help eliminate unnesecary costs to the players.

Just my thoughts on prod placing, and SOE.

Cheers!

Well there are only so many places they can stick them (and there are already 'billboards' there) but I think they should use the added revenue to reduce the cost of the game for the players who don't use SOE All Access. Personally if I weren't already playing SWG I wouldn't play PlanetSide at all because it's just not worth the monthly fee. It's worth having the pass for because I'd probably pay $9.95 a month for the game but no way is it worth $15 a month.

Here's my opinion FWIW.. If I pay to play a game I don't want to see any ads if it's free I mostly understand. But isn't Planetside pay to play?

Honestly we get bombarded with advertisements everywhere and even thu TIVO. I'm getting tired of it.

I game to get away from reality not see it everywhere I turn.

If they make it completely free like AO...then sure

But if they're just doing it to get more money with the player base seeing nothing they wouldn't have seen without them...then it's crap. 

Ah well...I'm starting not to like the direction MMO companies are starting to take with their "financial models".  Guess I'm just closed minded.

Although I cannot say I am too keen on the idea of paying and seeing ads, the argument is there. Look at TV? You pay a monthly fee to watch cable TV. By this same logic, should we not be given ad free TV on everything that does not come free over the airwaves?

Well...for EQ2, "miracles" products to cure you could be acceptable, depending on how they put it in game.

Not that I want it, I like to walk freely. But would I mind that bad seeing a guy on the corner street claiming he got the white pill that remove pain called "Asp Ire In", not that much..."Aspirin" in 1 word would be annoying me more however.

An alchemist guild could have a similar name to a drugstore and have similar logo.

Others companies like Pepsi or Coke would need a more sublte form, for example the best buff for a chanter could be Call of Keen Energy, and players would say: C.O.K.E. please...and eventually juste COKE or coke.

this is unconscionable.

So, the expect people to buy a game and pay a fee so that they can advertise to us.

And yes.. in some ways it is like movies except for the advertisments that come before the movie.

Recently I saw a news blurb regarding movies doing poorly. One of the things they pointed out (and what is a worry for some directors) is that the Advertisements are detracting from the experience. People pay money to have a good experience.. a different experience. Except companies are essentially looking for any reason to turn a profit.

Well, if they want to put little ad for Nvidea or Ati on the box then fine.. but I refuse to play a game where I am paying to be sold to by Coke or some other such nonsense.

It was just a matter of time. I pretty much figured SOE would be next inline for it after Funcom got it going in AO. I do like Funcom's version, free to play and you have to see the ads. Paying customers can opt in or out. SOE should do the same, or at the very least, reduce the subscription price for people viewing ads. I know I will join the ranks of the displeased if I see Orcs in EQ2 runnin around with Nike sneakers and Coca Cola emblazoned shirts.....

I think the first time i was comurcial in a game was in Judge Dred (or someting) there where lot of boxes with Redbull on then and i loved the idea. Well if the money will be used to make the game cheaper or/and beter. Offcourse they should keep a sum of that money (It is still a company with need to make profit). Offcourse it pretty annoying if you constantly crases into the billboards ;)

Hmmm, It seems all to obvious that now the developers will have two opposing customers to appeal to. Which begs the question who has more clout players or advertisers.

Eureka! This is actually a brilliant business decision. After all gamers are a tricky bunch of people always whining about fun and trying to ruin the genius design and vision the developers have. If only players would play the game the "right way" everything would be wonderful.

On the other hand, advertisers are much easier to please. Flash an image infront of players and they are happy. Do that more and they are happier. There is none of this vague "fun" to deal with.

So all the developers have to do is switch from a bunch of paying players to a bunch of paying advertisers. Wait a moment that won't work. Advertisers wont stay if players leave.

So ... if players are still the bottom line definition of the solvency if not profitability of a mmorpg then was this new game feature something planetside customers where asking for? And if not then isn't this new game feature a great place to save developer time and resources to put towards thoose key issues they have identified but are just too starved for time and resources to make.

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Originally posted by Lepidus
Although I cannot say I am too keen on the idea of paying and seeing ads, the argument is there. Look at TV? You pay a monthly fee to watch cable TV. By this same logic, should we not be given ad free TV on everything that does not come free over the airwaves?

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Yes and no. I personaly consider online games not as a regular TV, but rather Premium TV. And I would realy hate seeing adds in a pay per view movie. Plus, while we do pay for TV, we get a lot of packages. Paying for PS we only get PS. I personaly do not mind ingame adds as long as they lower the cost of the game, doesnt have to be much, maybe 5$ monthly, then I can keep both WoW and PS and I would care less about ingame adds.

Seems that Sony is experimenting a lot lately. Im curious to see how community reacts to this.

soe ftw!

It's SOE so it figures they would find more ways to milk their playerbase. I really doubt PS will see much new content at all. As it stands, the players pay $13 a month for basicly just access to an FPS with a really good server. Anyone still playing PS after all this time is not likely to quit over ads though, sentimental value plays a big role in keeping subscriptions, I foresee SWG being next and eventaully EQ2 when the buzz dies down.

lol@soe