Today, video games and advertising go hand in hand, although for the most part, this only applies to mobile games where many players get accustomed to anticipating advertisements for different goods and services while they are playing.
Today’s console and PC games still maintain a certain barrier from advertising, allowing players to play them through to the end without being prompted to make any purchases. The most recent evidence indicates that Xbox users could be the first to see in-game advertising.
Can This Be Called a Surprise? Not Really
Perhaps a few weeks prior to this announcement, it was reported that Sony was working diligently to introduce advertisements in free games and that these changes could be anticipated by year’s end. Ads can presently be seen on PlayStation consoles in the menus that game publishers use to advertise their titles, but their integration into the games themselves is a step farther.
Ads can use a variety of formats, drawing on the expertise of mobile gaming. Simply put, they can come in the form of coupons that promise discount codes within the game and vouchers that can be reimbursed in the real world when buying products. They can also be interactive so that the player approaches the advertised brands through in-game tasks. As an example, they can be straightforward visual templates within the game that blend with the environment of the world in which the player is currently located.
3 Types of Ads in Games
Theoretically, there are three types of ads in video games: static (ads that do not change), dynamic (ads that do change), and what are known as “advergaming ads“ (the game itself is constructed as an ad). Even while they may be less well recognized, several games have already been used as very effective marketing efforts that, from a current perspective, accurately foretold how advertising would change in the future.
Remember when Barack Obama got his first term as US president in 2008? Later, the campaign expanded into the virtual realm, appearing in games like NBA Live 2008, Madden NFL 2009, NASCAR 2009, Guitar Hero III, or Need for Speed Carbon as virtual banners urging people to cast ballots.
The sports simulation NBA 2K22 is one of the most recent examples. Brands like Nike and Puma have collections that are linked to both pro and amateur sports. Every gamer cannot help but notice NBA 2K22’s logo because it is present on so many background virtual items. The NBA 2K22 basketball simulation players will notice Nike and Puma brand merchandise more frequently as a result of this, which also improved the in-game gaming experience.
Michael Jordan’s Fortnite product campaign is another comparable illustration. Fortnite, a highly popular eSports discipline, which has long been offered to bettors by Ethereum sportsbooks, revealed its plans to begin a partnership with Jordan Brand in December 2021. Gamers could compete for other in-game features as well as the renowned Air Jordan XI Cool Gray shoe.
Microsoft Following Sony’s Footsteps
The aforementioned examples demonstrate that in-game advertising is really nothing new, but the adjustments that may occur on consoles will not be isolated incidents but rather a setup for recurring advertising that may eventually become the standard. A similar policy change was already revealed by Sony, and now Microsoft has made an appearance.
It was discovered that Microsoft has expressed interest in integrating advertisements into games in a post on the well-known media outlet Business Insider. It was also mentioned that the digital juggernaut is actively searching for advertising firms to carry out such plans.
All users who regularly spend time playing games on mobile devices are aware that the concept of adverts can occasionally overwhelm the screen with advertising of various items or services to the point where they ultimately give up on further gameplay. In this instance, Microsoft does not want to operate in a manner that would divert players from their gaming. Microsoft wants to replace this with in-game advertisements.
An illustration of this may be an open-world game with advertisements that can be seen in many locations. This kind of advertising could be seen as non-intrusive and should not interfere with the gaming experience. Xbox users are currently accustomed to seeing advertisements. It is safe to assume that gamers have not taken kindly to companies exploiting corners of the screens of consoles to display their advertisements when players open the Xbox dashboard.
The new sort of advertising would only be tested by Microsoft with free-to-play games, which is crucial. The reasoning for this is simple: since players already have paid for all of the content they access, targeting adverts to already-purchased games could lead to dissatisfaction among them. Since players have not invested money in free games, advertising may be implemented more simply.
It is yet unclear if Xbox players would pay attention to the in-game advertisements or not. Previously created for greater visual effect, fictitious commercials and in-game posters may now be transformed into real advertisements promoting actual products. We shall see the shift of advertising into a serial component of video games if this kind of promotion is embraced, which is simply a matter of time.
Other Technical Reviews:- Reviews
