UPDATE
An EA spokesperson has reached out to alert us that the reports surfacing online regarding the advertisements appearing in future video game releases are false. Here is the official statement provided.
“Following incorrect reports suggesting that we are looking to introduce ‘TV-style’ commercials into our games, we wanted to clarify that in-game advertising for console games is not something we’re currently looking at, or have signed any agreements to implement. Creating the best possible player experience remains our priority focus.”
Original Story…
Advertisements in video games are usually something we are used to seeing in different mobile games or even free-to-play titles. It’s a bit more of the norm there but that might soon start bleeding over to the likes of home console video game releases. This comes from a new deal that EA struck with an advertisement company called PlayerWON with the parent company being Simulmedia. From there, this deal could mean more ads will start flooding video games if they prove to be a moneymaker for EA. Of course, this is not the first time advertisements and commercials were present in EA games as fans have been quite vocal over them.
Regardless, this advertisement deal is a bit more unique than the standard ad roll you might be used to. Instead of just cutting out into an ad where you’ll need to watch it entirely or through a portion, it looks like PlayerWON has a unique advertisement deal that’s a bit like what you would see in mobile games as mentioned already. In these advertisements, players would sit back, watch an ad and get rewarded with some kind of in-game item or currency. It’s something that most consumers are interested in according to the reports online which makes it potentially a great option for home console games.
Now what we don’t know is how intrusive these ads will be. There’s a chance that much like mobile games, the ads will be something that’s more options. You could very well skip out on the ability to earn free currency or in-game items. Meanwhile, there might be players that would actively watch these advertisements just to get a better edge in the game with the extra funds or gear rewarded from spending time to watch the ad roll.
Still, there are plenty of players out there that are not interested in ads being present in video games that are already costing them money. In some cases, we might be paying about $70 to get a brand new video game only to find that it’s equipped with advertisements for players to sit through. For now, only time will tell if fans are interested in this advertisement option. After all, would you be keener on watching an ad if it actively contributes to your gameplay in some fashion even if it’s just a small bump in-game currency or a cosmetic?
Source: PC Gamer
