Tell Us Something We Didn't Know: XBO/Kinect designed with ad spam in mind

[Krakn3Dfx]

“With the new Xbox One, the technology and Kinect has improved a lot, so that actually the voice recognition, the way you speak to your Xbox and the transition between gaming and watching TV is a lot smoother, and hopefully we can transpire [sic] that into advertising that we do.”

http://www.vg247.com/2013/07/04/xbo...-in-mind-kinect-integral-to-next-gen-adverts/

Why can't they just keep doing the Alan Wake thing, where they brand stuff in-game around actual products? I'm fine with that, and it would keep me from having to pay $100 more for their damned camera add-on?

 

[mmntech]

The problem with in-game advertising is it has zero benefit to the end user. Certainly hasn't made the games any cheaper, on consoles anyway.

 

[purbeast0]

i personally would prefer to see real items in games than fake ones. it's just like movies and shows - i'd much rather see a coke can than a "cola" can. and i'd much rather see osx or windows than some bs os. the fakeness takes away from pulling you into the world.

the worst is phone numbers how in movies they now start with 555. i understand why they have to do it though.

 

[BladeVenom]

So it should be able to recognize when someone is masturbating and then advertise a lubricant?

 

[Skel]

So it should be able to recognize when someone is masturbating and then advertise a lubricant?

That's the next version.. and it'll also tell you if you missed a spot cleaning up.

 

[Sheep]

Why can't they just keep doing the Alan Wake thing, where they brand stuff in-game around actual products? I'm fine with that, and it would keep me from having to pay $100 more for their damned camera add-on?

Some game developers have done that (e.g., EA Sports games)...again with zero benefit to the consumer.

 

[lilrayray69]

Does the PS3 do advertising? I haven't used mine enough to really see. Or any news on PS4 advertising?

However I always see the plethora of ads when I turn on the 360. I don't even subscribe to Live anymore so I can't join games with my friends or watch Netflix, but I can still get streamed ads straight to my 360 home screen!

I don't mind in-game advertising if it's done well. You know if just real products are scattered throughout the world...but when it's really blatant like in World War Z when Brad Pitt takes a break from running from zombies to drink him a nice, crisp, refreshing Pepsi it's pretty stupid and immersion breaking. It would be nice if it actually lowered the price though! Buying Killing Floor just to see commercials in-between every round is annoyin

 

[Staples]

MS is in love with ads. They are plastered all over the XBL dashboard with no way to remove them. I am 100% sure they will be rolling them on the TV guide on the Xbone. They might even let you use the guide without paying for Live because the ads will make them money.

 

[Dannar26]

That's the next version.. and it'll also tell you if you missed a spot cleaning up.

Brought to you by beloved patriot and span.

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

Does the PS3 do advertising? I haven't used mine enough to really see. Or any news on PS4 advertising?

No ads on the XMB on the PS3, and only Sony oriented ads when you go in the store. Dunno if they'll have them for the PS4 or not, wouldn't doubt it, seems to be a cash cow for MS.

 

[JackBurton]

MS is in love with ads. They are plastered all over the XBL dashboard with no way to remove them. I am 100% sure they will be rolling them on the TV guide on the Xbone. They might even let you use the guide without paying for Live because the ads will make them money.

Yeah, I love XBL, but I really have a problem with that. I'm paying for the service, can you get the fvcking ads out of my face.

 

[tential]

Some game developers have done that (e.g., EA Sports games)...again with zero benefit to the consumer.

I'm disliking this "no benefit to the consumer". People stated they prefer the games to have real products, so that is a benefit. Also, the revenue that these ads generated may have helped to pay to ensure some programmers were there to add features that were needed for the game? Just because the game isn't cheaper, doesn't mean there wasn't benefits. It'd be stupid for them to make the game 10 dollars cheaper and sell it for 50 rather than 60 at launch. Generally, when something has an established price, you don't start undercutting it and starting a pricewar with other companies. Why would they work to drive down the price?

I forget though that this is a tech forum/gaming forum sometimes and that people here didn't necessarily study game theory for companies or major/master in econ/business.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I'm disliking this "no benefit to the consumer". People stated they prefer the games to have real products, so that is a benefit. Also, the revenue that these ads generated may have helped to pay to ensure some programmers were there to add features that were needed for the game? Just because the game isn't cheaper, doesn't mean there wasn't benefits. It'd be stupid for them to make the game 10 dollars cheaper and sell it for 50 rather than 60 at launch. Generally, when something has an established price, you don't start undercutting it and starting a pricewar with other companies. Why would they work to drive down the price?

I forget though that this is a tech forum/gaming forum sometimes and that people here didn't necessarily study game theory for companies or major/master in econ/business.

Games have forever been made with no advertising in your face. EA has introduced advertising in their sports games. This gives you nothing. If I wanted ads I'd watch regular TV.

There is a very huge difference between a character opening up a beer in a game and it just happens to be a Budweiser and tossing banners in your face for CocaCola, Gilette, and every other product they can get to sign on.

 

[nextJin]

Yea there is a difference between using real products and actually plastering ads. Take a shot of wild turkey at a bar before a fight or something versus a blatant banner draped over the counter in neon pink saying wild turkey.

 

[Tweak155]

Games have forever been made with no advertising in your face. EA has introduced advertising in their sports games. This gives you nothing. If I wanted ads I'd watch regular TV.

There is a very huge difference between a character opening up a beer in a game and it just happens to be a Budweiser and tossing banners in your face for CocaCola, Gilette, and every other product they can get to sign on.

The first game I can recall that I played was Burnout Paradise. Even now the ads are changing. I'm not into much for sports games since the Dreamcast... they keep trying to complicate them.

 

[Anubis]

“On Xbox, the ad is part of the actual experience, it’s not something that is outside. The only difference is that the advertisement we have is quite small and not disruptive so people are not aware of clicking on the banners because they know this is a part of the whole experience on the dash.”

http://attackofthefanboy.com/news/advertising-part-xbox-experience

 

[ImpulsE69]

Sooo...let me get this straight..

Business models are SO bad these days that "paying" for something isn't enough? They actually have to subsidize with ads as well?

I mean, I honestly don't care about in game ads (when done in context) because let's face it, advertising is everywhere and part of life, but on the actual dashboard? On the Windows desktop? No thank you. That is not what it is for. If you want me to BUY a product that is simply an advertising tool for you, then you have it completely backwards. I accept it on things I get for free, but when I'm paying for something, keep it to yourself. Maybe I'm the minority, but companies that bombard me after I've bought something from them typically will no longer get my business (I'm looking at you Omaha Steaks).

 

[cmdrdredd]

Sooo...let me get this straight..

Business models are SO bad these days that "paying" for something isn't enough? They actually have to subsidize with ads as well?

I mean, I honestly don't care about in game ads (when done in context) because let's face it, advertising is everywhere and part of life, but on the actual dashboard? On the Windows desktop? No thank you. That is not what it is for. If you want me to BUY a product that is simply an advertising tool for you, then you have it completely backwards. I accept it on things I get for free, but when I'm paying for something, keep it to yourself. Maybe I'm the minority, but companies that bombard me after I've bought something from them typically will no longer get my business (I'm looking at you Omaha Steaks).

I think gaming is too big for its own good now. You have too many companies who just want quick cash and have no interest in the actual game beyond selling a ton. Minimal effort is put forth by many studios to give us an experience. Everything is done on the cheap and rushed out quickly. This is not to say that every development team does this, no that would be unfair to say. Teams like Kojima Studios, Bungie, Rockstar, naughty dog, Santa Monica studios, some ubisoft studios, even Bethesda do take their time to create a world, characters that fit into the world, a story that brings it all together and fits it into an experience for the player.

So with many studios only there to cash in since gaming has gotten so big, they sell ad space to anyone who can pay for it. It is another quick way to bring more money in and it takes no effort. How much money do you think Frito lay and Pepsi cola make when they do the halo and call of duty xp code promos? How much do they pay Microsoft and Activision for the privilege?

 

[purbeast0]

im one of the few on this board (but apparently part of the millions and millions of people who also don't care) who is not bothered at all by any ads in any games or on any dashboards. i don't find any of the ads on the 360 dashboard "in your face" at all and infact wouldn't have even been able to tell you there are ads on the dashboard had i not read about it on these forums.

i always just assumed the "ads" were just like showing you what the newly released movies on the amazon marketplace or newest demos and stuff were out. it's very easy to avoid them.

 

[smackababy]

im one of the few on this board (but apparently part of the millions and millions of people who also don't care) who is not bothered at all by any ads in any games or on any dashboards. i don't find any of the ads on the 360 dashboard "in your face" at all and infact wouldn't have even been able to tell you there are ads on the dashboard had i not read about it on these forums.

i always just assumed the "ads" were just like showing you what the newly released movies on the amazon marketplace or newest demos and stuff were out. it's very easy to avoid them.

Yeah, this is generally how I feel. The ads on Xbox Live are really not intrusive and are not bothersome to me. In game, the only ads I have been annoyed with where in Dragon Age: Origins. Seriously... advertising the DLC in the most annoying possible way.

 

[American Gunner]

im one of the few on this board (but apparently part of the millions and millions of people who also don't care) who is not bothered at all by any ads in any games or on any dashboards. i don't find any of the ads on the 360 dashboard "in your face" at all and infact wouldn't have even been able to tell you there are ads on the dashboard had i not read about it on these forums.

i always just assumed the "ads" were just like showing you what the newly released movies on the amazon marketplace or newest demos and stuff were out. it's very easy to avoid them.

You are not alone here. I really don't care and hardly pay attention to ads on the dashboard. Sometime something will catch my eye and it is usually when it invloves a game I like, so I don't get upset at all. I do think it's funny that people are offended when they are bombarded by ads on a console, but don't care at all that their tv services that they pay for have ads all over the place. Hell, even the latest UFC fight had ads all over the ring, but that is just another way for them to make money. Are people really upset about MS making extra money? They are a business, that's what they do.

Edit: And since Sony seems to love the "me too" way of business this generation, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised when they start doing it. But just like with tv and charging for online, it will be ok because they only care about gamers and MS is the evil corporation.

 

[ImpulsE69]

You are not alone here. I really don't care and hardly pay attention to ads on the dashboard. Sometime something will catch my eye and it is usually when it invloves a game I like, so I don't get upset at all. I do think it's funny that people are offended when they are bombarded by ads on a console, but don't care at all that their tv services that they pay for have ads all over the place. Hell, even the latest UFC fight had ads all over the ring, but that is just another way for them to make money. Are people really upset about MS making extra money? They are a business, that's what they do.

Edit: And since Sony seems to love the "me too" way of business this generation, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised when they start doing it. But just like with tv and charging for online, it will be ok because they only care about gamers and MS is the evil corporation.

My understanding is they already do, it's just to a smaller extent than MS. The key to think about here though is within reason. The problem is that companies have a bad tendency to overdo things when people are complacent and accepting.

What's ok now, may not be a year down the road when they've doubled the space and bandwidth used to do it. It's a completely different scenario when it's overbearing.

 

[purbeast0]

You are not alone here. I really don't care and hardly pay attention to ads on the dashboard. Sometime something will catch my eye and it is usually when it invloves a game I like, so I don't get upset at all. I do think it's funny that people are offended when they are bombarded by ads on a console, but don't care at all that their tv services that they pay for have ads all over the place. Hell, even the latest UFC fight had ads all over the ring, but that is just another way for them to make money. Are people really upset about MS making extra money? They are a business, that's what they do.

Edit: And since Sony seems to love the "me too" way of business this generation, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised when they start doing it. But just like with tv and charging for online, it will be ok because they only care about gamers and MS is the evil corporation.

yeah, i wonder if these people bitch about being forced to watch previews before the movie they paid to see in the theater starts. i mean THAT is in your face, because there is no way around it other than sitting through it.

 

[cmdrdredd]

My understanding is they already do, it's just to a smaller extent than MS. The key to think about here though is within reason. The problem is that companies have a bad tendency to overdo things when people are complacent and accepting.

What's ok now, may not be a year down the road when they've doubled the space and bandwidth used to do it. It's a completely different scenario when it's overbearing.

Also all of the ads Sony runs is for services they offer. Whether it be new movies, games, info etc. When you look at ads on Xbox live you see stuff for UFC ppv and content that is not handled by ms. It is a small difference that is immediately apparent to me.

yeah, i wonder if these people bitch about being forced to watch previews before the movie they paid to see in the theater starts. i mean THAT is in your face, because there is no way around it other than sitting through it.

Those are what you call targeted advertisements. It isn't like you see a preview for the next slasher flick before watching the latest Pixar film. The ads are targeted to the audience who will be there to view them. Same thing should happen on xbl. If I never play sports games and never watch any TV stuff on my 360 why do they have to tell me about the next UFC fight or some mlb channel?


Don't be so sensitive to criticism of xbl either. It isn't perfect by any means and it is natural for people to express their displeasure of one aspect or another.

 

[ImpulsE69]

yeah, i wonder if these people bitch about being forced to watch previews before the movie they paid to see in the theater starts. i mean THAT is in your face, because there is no way around it other than sitting through it.

Yes..YES I do, and rightfully so. Why do I have to sit through a car ad for a movie I paid to go see? I stopped going to those too. (mind you, I am referring to ads, not previews). Again, in context is one thing. Completely unrelated? No.

I also do not enjoy non skippable previews/ads on DVD's that I've purchased. I didn't rent them, I BOUGHT THEM. Maybe first time I will watch those previews, but why would I want to sit through them EVERY TIME I go to watch the movie? I do not expect you two to understand as you are very obviously (from the many threads) glutton for punishment and eat up everything a company throws at you and are very much the lowest common denominator that is so absorbed in getting your product that you put up with anything just to get your fix which, if you keep accepting will be smaller and smaller and have many more hoops to jump through just to get to that 5 minute slice of what you actually wanted.

The consumer has the right to demand quality. If a company cannot give that at a price the consumer is willing to pay without jumping through hoops, they deserve their demise. What is scary though is how many people just keep letting them widdle away at that concept. Much like our government, all because you want what you want right now because dammit you just do!

(ok getting to close to P&N now).

The game and movie industries had plenty of time to learn from the music industry, but it's very clear they ignored it. It's too late to try to make the consumer conform to you. You have to change. They aren't simply going to stop using your product, they will just get it for free and without the hassles you are putting in their path. It's not a matter of right or wrong, it's reality and if they continue to ignore and fight the wrong battle (as in trying to stop piracy), it's only going to get worse for the paying customers.