New Study Says Gamers Don't Mind Ads

You are an ice-cold gangster, hardened from years spent and lessons learned on the streets. 9mm pistol in hand, you crouch behind a dumpster as you survey the darkened alley. Your quarry -- a low-level punk drug dealer -- slides into view. You spring from your hiding place, about to pop three or four caps in his disloyal ass. Just then, a hand grabs you by the shoulder and you wheel around to face the aggressor.

"Care for a tasty whopper?"

Welcome to the brave new world of in-game advertising, a practice that seems to be growing in popularity. Frustrated by declining rates of television viewership and the media-savvy habits of young people who are already saturated with traditional ads, marketing agencies have had to devise creative ways of getting their products in front of potential customers. This includes so-called "unobtrusive" advertising, which seeks to subtly insert product references over the course of participating in other forms of entertainment.

A new study by IGA-Nielsen suggests that most gamers are not overly concerned about this growing trend. The study found that 82% of gamers surveyed thought that games were "just as enjoyable with ads in them as without."

Activision executive Dave Anderson had this to say about the results of the study:

"From the research it is clear that the overwhelming majority of consumers enjoyed the gaming experience just as much, if not more, with dynamic ads present. As game publishers, it is reassuring to know advertisers and consumers both stand to benefit from dynamic ads.”

Sigh. While it is clear that the practice of in-game advertising is not going to go away, we would do well to remember that Grand Theft Auto IV, the highest selling game of 2008, has no real-world product placement of any kind. Kudos to Rockstar for bucking this annoying trend.