commercials in online loading screens?

[sny]

I raised an eyebrow back in the days of WO 2097 when I saw the Red Bull loading screens, but it didn't make me feel less immersed in the game. I'd probably react the same way if they enabled ads on loading screens: I wouldn't be pleased to see them, but in a certain, twisted way they actually add a sense of realism, seeing how horribly over-commercialized current racing events like Formula 1 are.

Also, like many, I'd give SL the benefit of the doubt that they are using the ad revenue for upcoming DLC, they've been doing a superb job so far IMO at a bargain price (heck, you can get like 4-5 LittleBigPlanet costumes at the price of Fury, and those take two days tops to make), so we really have no reason to question the means, so long as the end result is bigger, better and gets to us faster.

[krioto]

I'm in europe, so no ads, but if it makes more wipeout as cheap as this, then go for it SL.

I would prefer energy drink ads, and futuristic stuff though

[rushin]

i understand that $$$ talks, and as soon as advertisers decide its worthwhile we will see many more ads in games. not a happy day, but i understand it.

however having sound, especially for a game like this where music is a big part, and people are generally playing it loud with custom playlists is not even a little bit ok.

I wouldnt be able to play if some shitty ad with sound was blaring out every time a race loaded

[Spece2goin]

I raised an eyebrow back in the days of WO 2097 when I saw the Red Bull loading screens, but it didn't make me feel less immersed in the game.

There were lots of Kappa logos in Fusion too, but they fit good in the game.

But State Farm, Omfg!
it's not even the right audience!

[mdhay]

Why in God's name must some ****er capitalize on a game? Is State Farm part of Microsoft for their sales technique? Can't we have our game back the way it was? i.e. A Game?>

[okam]

You brits got it too?

[mdhay]

Not yet, but just hearing about other people having it has pissed me right off.

[NightArh]

No one wants to pay for ads...

[PjotrStroganov]

No one wants to pay for ads...

How much did you pay for them?

[NightArh]

HD + Fury Expansion price. It is not free. Do you see you buy a game with one purpose - to play it! But not for watchin advertisements. IMHO

[PjotrStroganov]

The price of HD and Fury is far below of what was to be expected. Compare them with similarly priced games and you know what bargains HD and Fury are. Pricing is what made many people buy the game.

Who knows, maybe the game is being sold at such a sharp price, that SL has to use adds to make a decent amount of money. Maybe the money generated from the adds is being used to get future content to you for free.

[NightArh]

Maybe. Who knows... I am not sure SL made this.

I become aggressive when see ads everywhere. I hate this crap. It poisons minds. It become so annoying. Am I normal?

[guillaume]

Don't know if you are normal but I feel just the same!

[crawdad62]

I noticed it last night. Sort of freaked out when I saw dollar bills floating around. Couldn't figure it out. Ended up seeing it was an ad. Does it affect my game play? No. Am I going to take a stand? No.... too lazy.

About the only thing that puzzles me is why they don't target the ad a bit better. State Farm? I'm sure there's a huge population of Wipeout players just hoping to be goaded into buying insurance.

I could see some bloodshot eyed Wiper sitting there for the umpteenth hour being persuaded to buy a Red Bull or something but insurance?

[Farside]

Maybe. Who knows... I am not sure SL made this.

I would have to assume that it had to be SL that placed the ad there. I'm not sure but I don't think Sony could just place ads in games at will, otherwise PSN games would be riddled with them.

About the only thing that puzzles me is why they don't target the ad a bit better. State Farm? I'm sure there's a huge population of Wipeout players just hoping to be goaded into buying insurance.

State Farm probably paid more than anyone else was willing to pay.

Wanna talk about ads that are out of place?
NHL09 does this ad placement thing except they place the ads on the boards.
During the election they had an Obama ad...
Recently I've seen ads for The Fast and the Furious DVD
You might not think ads on a hockey rink could be out of place, but wow... they most certainly are

[crawdad62]

True, State Farm probably did pay big. And of course that's their problem. If I was buying ad space for State Farm about the last place I'd be looking is a futuristic racing video game. But maybe it works for them. I just think that if whomever is responsible for actually imbedding these ads would sell to the target audience a bit better they might be received a bit better too.

Again it really doesn't bother me but it's sad. You just can't escape it.

[Mu5]

Maybe the money generated from the adds is being used to get future content to you for free.

Hardly, Sony are in severe financial trouble.

Heres just one article on how their sales are sliding....and they are losing money... big time.

[LOUDandPROUD]

Yah, I saw the ads for the first time last night too...multiple times. I don't recall hearing any sound though...I'll double-check that tonight. Honestly, it doesn't bother me a whole lot. I mean, would I rather there NOT be ads? Definitely. Is it going to drive me crazy though? Nah. As long as it's not intrusive to the actual gameplay, it's not a big deal to me. In other words, as long as the ads are limited to loading screens, which I have to stare at (or not) anyway, I'm ok with it. I don't mind ads on billboards in-game either. Heck, I wonder how anyone would see them while racing anyway...speaking for myself, I never stop midrace to admire the scenery lol. I suppose you could see adds while the camera is panning around the track before a race...or directly in front of you while sitting at the start line waiting for 3, 2, 1, GO. That wouldn't bug me a whole lot either though. Now, if they started stopping gameplay to show a video ad whilst I'm trying to get a missle lock on someone on my around the Chengou hairpin, THAT I'd have a problem with. Like some have said, if the extra revenue generated by the ads helps SL to generate more DLC, more often, then awesome.

[zerojay]

In Burnout, the ads made sense and helped make the world feel more real. It didn't break the player's immersion in the game. This is a whole other story.

By the way, the ads aren't just in the US. I'm in Canada and I'm getting them too even though State Farm doesn't exist here.

The State Farm ads break all hype and immersion for me to the point where I just want to put the controller down. Obviously, the fictional world of Wipeout has always been covered in fake ads and that's fine... I just wish they went THAT route for the ads. Not place them all over the tracks, but taking the company logo and the ad style and giving them the Wipeout style, look and futuristic feel. Hell, even make it slightly funny by having State Farm advertise insurance in case an antigrav ship goes off track and lands on your mother-in-law. That would be fine and it wouldn't bother me at all.

Or, if they want ad revenue, why not release a version of the game for free that is ad-supported and then keep the paid version clean?

But then there's the other major issue these ads are causing... at least for me. I can't play the game when the ad comes up. My entire PS3 *crashes* each and every time I try to play the game, because it keeps trying to play the State Farm ad and BOOM.

So... I've paid $30 total for a game I've loved up until this point... and I can't play it due to the crashing because of this ad.

Awesome.

[stinkleroy]

Hardly, Sony are in severe financial trouble.

Heres just one article on how their sales are sliding....and they are losing money... big time.

Hehe Mu5! It's hardly surprising that Sony's sales have taken a battering, considering we are in the middle of an econimic and financial meltdown, and their hardware is expensive. If ad's help to generate cash then so be it. It's not like it's anything new to Wipeout anyway...