The video game industry ceased being a small-time role-player in the entertainment world some time ago and as it continues to grow, the big business side grows with it. Translation? Ads.
We're used to seeing advertisements in games these days and while it usually involves little more than a simple billboard or a strategically placed vending machine, there are times when it's a bit more – shall we say – in your face. However, it's a much bigger issue if these ads are actually having a negative impact on the gameplay: it seems a new patch has arrived for Wipeout HD ; known as update 2.10, we didn't hear much in the way of details, but we know it tossed advertisements into the game and the hardcore fans are none too happy about this "update." In multiple topics over at the WipeoutZone forums , the faithful are complaining about the new graphics scaling (one concerned reader sent us an e-mail that says there's "less detail in the distance") presumably to accommodate the new ads, and there have been more instances of freezing and crashing, especially online. Essentially, we're talking about an already existing game that now features ads due to an update and theoretically, this could be done to just about any game, so herein lies the problem.
We don't mind ads. We understand they're an essential part of the business. But when you take one of the best games of the year and toss in a gimp just to include these ads, that's a problem. We urge you to boot up Wipeout HD and see if you face similar issues; the more people who complain, the more obliged Sony will be to look into fixing it.
Related Game(s): Wipeout HD
I thought there was way too much Nuka-Cola advertising in Fallout 3. But that's just my opinion.
Nuka Cola isn't real is it? I mean it isn't a europe thing but stateside IDK,
either way, im not too fussd. they're great health bonuses. plus the Quantums are great for AP.
I guess sarcasm doesn't work on the internet XD
I think I'll pass on this update and keep my Wipeout the way it is.
Maybe they're trying to get to fancy with it and need lower resolution images or something.
is this a repeat from six months ago? I thought Wipeout added ads and then removed them after much whinging by the hard core fans…
that's what I'm thinking
Why would they do such a thing? I already own the game. They don't have a right change it for the worse.
true ben, ads are okay as long as they well implemented. It's not like i dont remember the vans from burnout, you know the gillete fusion ones, there so damn slow i've seen many slow motion epic crashes in the side of them when driving the f1 car.
and like in mgs4, the ads are so prominenet. when otacon cries near the end when naomi it just screams, APPLE MACBOOK, etc etc.
really? i didnt even see any ads in mgs4. i am on my 5th play through and all i really remember is the ipod. i havent played in a while so maybe next time i will be looking for that. i did know apple had its hands in mgs4 though and that was part of the reason it wasnt going to the 360. (along with the 360 not being able to handle it)
Whoa!
Weird and really controversial indeed!
Wonder what they'll do :O
The Burnout: Paradise Island update brought a ton of them. It shouldnt be something we see in game I think if the game is going to have them then the game should be bargained price like the 360 Burger King games.
Why the hell should I *pay* for a game that includes ads? I'm already paying $10-20 more per game than I was for PS2, so why do I need to be hit with ads?
Im sorry, but after paying 60 bucks for a game I dont want any ads in it. Im ok if its ads for other games made by the same studio, but to see a coke billboard in a game makes me sick.
Not sure why ads would cause a problem, the game already features moving images on billboards in-game, why not simply replace the graphics, that should have no impact on performance or reliability. Sounds like someone got too ambitious.
We don't mind ads. We understand they're an essential part of the business.
….WTF
Speak for yourself Ben. Don't Include others in that, I DO mind ads and cannot see how it is part of the business.
I paid full price for this game when it came out, now ads are being served up I feel I should be compensated, by either a rebate of free upgrade to the fury pack.
I have no issue with adverts when the user is compensated either by the game being free of charge or at a realistic discounted price.
Games are expensive enough at the checkout and with tool's like Bobby Kotick who would like to raise game prices even further and I am sure he would be all too happy to load them up with adverts at the same time it is getting too much.
Once again the customer gets screwed.
Agreed.
The games increased in price by nearly %50 for this generation, so why do they have to include in-game advertising as well?
Whenever Ben says "we" he means PSXE.
Well that may be the case, but that is not how it reads to me and more importantly not how a game developer or publisher would read it should they look at the article and take it as the general consensus among gamers.
Make no mistake, I think that this is a dangerous subject, once adverts are within games as a standard it will be nigh on impossible to reverse the decision and get them taken out.
I completely agree with you. But at the same time its inevitable, you pay to see movies, they have product placement, you pay to watch tv, they have more advertising than anything else (thank god for dvrs, lol). Now when games are becoming as popular as those two industries, its bound to happen. It sucks, but what can you do except boycot those games?
I pay for my T.V (in the U.K) and that contains no adverts.
I remember being slightly taken aback when I ran right into that GameStop ad in Prototype, but I suppose I should've known since it's Activision.
I wanted to get this game. Really happy I didn't.
Your loss, it's one of the best games this gen.
If any game has obvious product placement, it should be discounted in price, or free.
sigh.
can sony release 1 update without fu***ng something up?
Yeah why is it that almost every update released always has some sort of problem? And that goes for firmware updates as well. I'm getting kind of sick of it u know?
Granted the 360 had issues with Fallout DLC, but it seems to be more common on the PS3..idk? Maybe just a coincidence?
Have yet to download the update but I'm sure if enough people complain, Sony will fix it like they usually do. I just want to know if they can AT ALL tell ahead of time that stuff like this is going to happen..
Last edited by Daedusian on 11/9/2009 3:17:10 PM
is that a hint of sarcasm i detect?
its called testing its not that hard.
Is there even one chance in a billion that someone's going to buy something because they saw a billboard for it in a racing game? And for this they screw up the game. Greed is a really pathetic thing. Needless to say, I'll never buy this game.
sony gets paid for the advertisement thats why its there.
sometimes its good like the MGS4 apple stuff that was funny.
others just get annoying.
If they put a sales model in place that gives me a free game but shows ads maybe, but no way am i paying full retail for a game I already made a commercial decision to purchase. I buy games to promote what the game advertises, ie. awesomeness. I do not buy games to be told mid adventure i need a double cheeseburger. although double cheeseburgers are also awesome. You get my point.