Counterstrike Gets In-game Ads

[bapenguin]

According to Gamecloud (http://www.gamecloud.com/article.php?article_id=2986), Counterstrike will be the next game to fall victim to in game advertising.

This press release (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060110/20060110005446.html?.v=1) announces the launch of a new in-game ad provide called Engage that has already worked a deal with Subway restaurants to put in in-game ads for specific cities like San Francisco, Las Vegas and Sacramento. While the press release only states that the ads appeared in "the most popular online action game played among men 18 to 34", Gamecloud confirmed with an Engage spokesperson over the phone that the ads appeared in Counter-Strike game sessions.
I wonder which version this will affect?

[Ailer]

I really stopped playing counter-strike, and this only makes me glad. How the hell do you put ads, Subway ads for that matter, into a situation that is supposed to be gritty counter-terrorist/terrorist action?

[Chimpbot]

Hmm...
I'm not entirely sure what to think. Something tells me that Subway ads strewn about a CS map will, somehow, kill the mood...especially in levels like Dust.

I'd rather see this sort of thing set up in a pay-to-play game, not something like CS:S(which is what it's probably being enabled in). I wouldn't mind seeing ads in a MMORPG with a modern/futuristic setting, especially if it reduced the monthly fee. I'm not too pleased about being advertised to in a game I've already paid for and will never have to pay for again.
If it reduces the overall cost, I'm all for it. If it's going to kill the mood and simply end up being a pointless advertisement...then I wish it would just go away.

[LilEvilFish]

I agree with the part about futuristic MMORPG's utilising Bladerunner-esque billboards, that would look great, set the scene AND help with the costs of the game for the developers.

[Evil Avatar]

Dude, the day ads started popping up in an online game that I already owned - I would totally freaking hound the company who made it until they refunded my money. I would also never purchase another product from that company again and I would do my utmost to let other consumers know that the company was full of batshit salesmen.

You PAY for the game, that should be enough for anyone. You don't need to see ads on top of that.

[Subbacultcha]

Coming soon to Counter-Strike!

- Free Jared (the Subway fatass) from the clutches of Al Qaeda.
- Defuse the Subway menu: which Subs have less than 3 grams of fat?
- Collect six Subway stamps to earn a free sniper rifle with the purchase of a large drink (Conditions apply).

[Morratut]

If I see a subway advertisement in Dust I would freak out.

It's maybe ok if it's done in a good way. IE GTA where your running around and you see them. However seeing a tampon advert in Halo 3 Blood Gulch would make me very mad.

[bapenguin]

Coming soon to Counter-Strike!

- Free Jared (the Subway fatass) from the clutches of Al Qaeda.
- Defuse the Subway menu: which Subs have less than 3 grams of fat?
- Collect six Subway stamps to earn a free sniper rifle with the purchase of a large drink (Conditions apply).

lol. How bout:

- New CS player models - Italian, Hearty Italian, Wheat and Parmesan Oregano!

[mister_slim]

lol. How bout:

- New CS player models - Italian, Hearty Italian, Wheat and Parmesan Oregano!
I've had enough of your Nintendo hate!

And Mario isn't fat. He's big-boned.

[MrWonderstuff]

Will these ads be placed within the maps themselves or between loading levels? The latter I can handle but the former doesnt bear thinking about.

[Bubby]

Dude, the day ads started popping up in an online game that I already owned - I would totally freaking hound the company who made it until they refunded my money. I would also never purchase another product from that company again and I would do my utmost to let other consumers know that the company was full of batshit salesmen.

You PAY for the game, that should be enough for anyone. You don't need to see ads on top of that.

Hound? Hell, blow'em up.

[KarmaGhost]

If they started appearing in-game (like, on a wall in de_dust or something), I imagine that people would put their sprays over them with vulgarities and such. I bet Subway wouldn't like that one bit.

[doyama]

To be honest I find this hard to believe. I think we can all agree that both CS and CS:S are both the most popular multiplayer FPS games today. Also it is pretty much a fact that CS players are fanatics.

That said if ANY ADS appeared in CS the forums on Steam would be going bezerk! They already love bashing Steam, any new ammo about how Valve has 'sold out' would be talked about till the end of eternity if ads started popping up in CS!

Did Gamecloud even call them? Why didn't they call Valve?

[Borys]

Dude, the day ads started popping up in an online game that I already owned - I would totally freaking hound the company who made it until they refunded my money. I would also never purchase another product from that company again and I would do my utmost to let other consumers know that the company was full of batshit salesmen.

You PAY for the game, that should be enough for anyone. You don't need to see ads on top of that.

Dunno Evil - you pay for the cinema (movies) - you get commercials, you pay for a magazine - you get a full page ads etc.

There's really no escape.

[AniAko]

CT [fx0r]-mammajamma: Where's he at?
CT [fx0r]-alu(@r|): He's behind the Chicken Teryaki!
CT [fx0r]-mammajamma: SHIT! Which one is the Chicken Teryaki!?!?
CT [fx0r]-alu(@r|): The one on the left!
CT [fx0r]-mammajamma (DEAD): Damn it! I guess the was the Tuna...
CT [fx0r]-alu(@r|): Why the hell did they put Parmesean oregano camo in the game?
SERVER CONSOLE: Dead? Why not munch on Subway Sub with only 3 grams of fat while you wait!!
CT [fx0r]-mammajamma (DEAD): I hate this game...

[Subbacultcha]

lol. How bout:

- New CS player models - Italian, Hearty Italian, Wheat and Parmesan Oregano!

Mmm... just the thought of Subway's fresh-baked bread makes my salivary glands quiver with a longing that demands satisfaction.

[Syrinx]

Coming soon to Counter-Strike!

- Free Jared (the Subway fatass) from the clutches of Al Qaeda.


The day that happens, I'm shooting the hostages every freaking time.

[jeffool]

I never really got into CS (I know, I know,) but in-game ads could theoritically work in most games. (Are there any levels in CS that have urban settings?) And this says that it has been happening for three weeks already, and I've not heard any bitching. Has anyone else?

Though, there are better ways to go about it. A company could have some new levels commissioned so that the ads won't look out of place? And there's the best example of video game advertising I've ever seen, the Monster.com Quake server. Monster.com just had a server named 'The monster.com server'. Talk about nifty thinking.

[IagoTheHunted]

This is total crap. If I played that game I'd return it for them trying to pull this shit.

[IagoTheHunted]

Dunno Evil - you pay for the cinema (movies) - you get commercials, you pay for a magazine - you get a full page ads etc.

There's really no escape.


Yeah but it's crap in both those other cases too. Just because it's standard doesn't mean we can't boycott it and punish the companies that think we're too complacent to care.

[bapenguin]

Dunno Evil - you pay for the cinema (movies) - you get commercials, you pay for a magazine - you get a full page ads etc.

There's really no escape.

I think the difference here is you bought the game without ads and to have them put it in later kinda sucks. Granted CS is a free add-on to HL2/HL...tricksy...very tricksy.

[AniAko]

I never really got into CS (I know, I know,) but in-game ads could theoritically work in most games. (Are there any levels in CS that have urban settings?) And this says that it has been happening for three weeks already, and I've not heard any bitching. Has anyone else?

Though, there are better ways to go about it. A company could have some new levels commissioned so that the ads won't look out of place? And there's the best example of video game advertising I've ever seen, the Monster.com Quake server. Monster.com just had a server named 'The monster.com server'. Talk about nifty thinking.

I was thinking they COULD be creative. Like in CS_Office. They could leave a half eaten subway sub on the desk next to the computers. They could even make a subway level. That way they're advertising, but not blatently shoving the product in your face. Anyone remember the walmart map from the old CS?

[Heretic Machine]

Considering that 99% of all Counterstrike players are ten year olds with no money, I'm doubting that this advertising is going to do a whole lot of good.

[Demize99]

Just because it's standard doesn't mean we can't boycott it and punish the companies that think we're too complacent to care.

Yeah, I mean thats what we did with games that required 3 patches before they worked like the box said they would. Oh shit, wait...

[Bone]

Read the press release more closely, it never mentions Valve by name. My guess is this is going in internet cafes- notice they mentioned "targeted cities", there's no way to target geography unless the versions are different for the physical copy of CS that you're playing.

[AniAko]

Considering that 99% of all Counterstrike players are ten year olds with no money, I'm doubting that this advertising is going to do a whole lot of good.

Advertising in general is a money pit. Good for product exposure, but no advertising I've ever seen has made me think "Wow! I suddenly feel like going out and buying a Hummer!" The same rules apply here. They're going to dump money into advertising no matter what. They're just trying new avenues of reaching demographics they may not reach through typical conventions (radio, tv, bilboards)

[ZeroOmegaZX]

While i admit this is a little hard to belive, i wouldnt put it past them. Valve is the same company that has our money for those of us who bought HalfLife2, with all the extras. Hell DoD and CS arent even finished yet. When it takes a TEAM OF EXPERIENCED programmers 5 months to make 2 maps, or a single player model, you know they are just slacking. Why bother doing any work if they already have our money. While people wait for their games to actually get finished they will now put ads in taht they know players will see, and since so any are hooked on CS they will play and bitch even with the ads, Valve wins either way...

[UnderHero5]

ha, look what I found on the Steam forums http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/2017/casestudies8tq.jpg

[SynapseLapse]

Dunno Evil - you pay for the cinema (movies) - you get commercials, you pay for a magazine - you get a full page ads etc.

There's really no escape.


This reminds me of a short story by Phillip K. Dick where this guy is being hounded day and night by ads. Which was referenced in the movie "Minority Report," where the eye scanner at the Gap calls him the wrong name.

Anyway, one day when he gets home this robot walks into his house and starts breaking everything and pouring mud on the floor saying "Why, if I was your robot I could clean this mess in only five minutes! Only 500 credits and I can be yours! Buy now!"

The guy ends up going insane from the viral marketing.

[SynapseLapse]

ha, look what I found on the Steam forums http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/2017/casestudies8tq.jpg


According to the forum post
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=391379 it seems to be something servers are doing, not Valve itself.


Here is a quote from Erik Johnson of VALVe on the topic:


quote:
We'd like to take a look at this, but we're having trouble finding a server that is running in this fashion.

If someone can find one, can you shoot me the IP or name of the server please?

erik@valvesoftware.com works.

Thanks

Erik

[Varsity]

This is NOT new. It's been going on for as long as there have been sprays. I can remeber seeing ads in CS 1.5!

[jeffool]

If Valve isn't doing this, and it is servers... Then there's nothing that could, or should, be done by Vavle.

[Smithersnz]

If Valve isn't doing this, and it is servers... Then there's nothing that could, or should, be done by Valve.

I agree with you there, as long as it is advertised that the server is supported by Subway, or whoever is sponsoring it. I guess the problem with allowing ads in-game is that you could get objectionable groups doing the same;
This server supported by White Power!

The whole problem I have with in-game advertising is that it never adds value to the game. NFSU2 had all those ads, but I still paid full price for it. If I'm going to get an ad supported game, I expect it to be cheaper than normal, even free! Imagine if UT2K7 was fully funded by McDonalds, but after that you could download it for free, as long as between levels you had to look at their ads. Millions of people would download and play it (as long as it was good), and McDonalds would get the exposure they want.

[51|RandoM]

Putting revenue-generating ads in CS is a great idea.

I have only ONE requirement, if they choose to do this. The ad revenue needs to go to the people who host the servers. Seems pretty fair to me. :-)

[Busted_Astromech]

As it now seems to be something servers are implementing into their games, this makes me wonder: is this even legal? Using Valve's game as a marketing tool? I haven't exactly pored over the EULA but I'd imagine Valve can't be too happy.

And with a press report like that, it makes it seem like Valve is implicitly in support. That generates ill will towards Valve merely by association--yeah, I'd be angry if I were Valve.

[mister_slim]

The whole problem I have with in-game advertising is that it never adds value to the game. NFSU2 had all those ads, but I still paid full price for it. If I'm going to get an ad supported game, I expect it to be cheaper than normal, even free! Imagine if UT2K7 was fully funded by McDonalds, but after that you could download it for free, as long as between levels you had to look at their ads. Millions of people would download and play it (as long as it was good), and McDonalds would get the exposure they want.
Supposedly there's a free poker game coming to the Live Marketplace, but I haven't been able to find out who's sponsoring it yet. That's an interesting precedent.

[ElectricMonk]

if this is server-based and subway wants to host a bunch of servers with advertising in them then it's a complicated problem. i could see valve having a problem with it since subway is hijacking their platform to advertise to people. and if valve is getting paid for it then games better become cheaper, or the value subtraction of the advertising isn't going to be worth the price of the game.

but if games become free and ad-supported (like TV) then that's not so bad.

[IagoTheHunted]

if this is server-based and subway wants to host a bunch of servers with advertising in them then it's a complicated problem. i could see valve having a problem with it since subway is hijacking their platform to advertise to people. and if valve is getting paid for it then games better become cheaper, or the value subtraction of the advertising isn't going to be worth the price of the game.

but if games become free and ad-supported (like TV) then that's not so bad.

Since when is TV free? Last time I checked we still pay huge premiums for cable and ads are both on the shows and in increasingly long breaks. It's bullshit. I don't plan to support any games that adopt that sort of format.