So you’re racing down the road in Burnout Paradise and you’re all, “Was that an Obama ad?”
Yes, yes it was.
EA has confirmed that the Obama campaign is running ads in several of its video games including Madden NFL 09, Need For Speed: Carbon and, as you see here, Burnout Paradise.
The ads appear only after having connected to Xbox Live—it’s not like these ads are shipping on the disc or anything.
You should also note that the ads only appear if you live in one of the 10 so-called battleground states. These states are Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin.
The ads direct gamers to voteforchange.com, an Obama Web site.
If nothing else, this is further proof that gamers aren’t just little kids playing in their bedrooms—politicians value your vote now.
…ugh.
Well, those are games I will never buy now.
What? The people I work with had the same reaction, I will never buy those games, and avoid their makers if I can! I lost all respect for these games makers!!!
Are you going to stop drinking Coke too because they have ads throughout the game? Or perhaps stop buying Madden because they preview FIFA? Any of the hundreds of other products that advertise while you sit in front of the television?
Whether you are voting for Obama or not, the ad is there to help educate voters by directing you to their website. But you can always ignore the ad and keep driving.
Ea Sucks. this makes it even worse. Obama needs to end EA as a monopoly imo
im glad… i never liked racing, or sport games :) so, i dont need to bother purposly avoiding them.. also, i dont use Xbox live… so, im set :)
I have the latest Obama game, it’s called “Hail to the Chief”. It should run well for the next eight years.
Signed: A Veteran from Pennsylvania
ads!! please stop this bs. oh wait thank god i never bought an xbox. xbox or not just keep the crap off any game for that matter!
You gamers are missing the point…although everyone has an opinion of who to vote for, it’s more about reaching young voters and getting them to voice their opinion at this critical election. If you can spend 23 hours a day gaming, you can definitely take 5 minutes to cast your vote this November…
Lovely, now we are paying to be advertised to on top of buying the product? EA should make advertising to its customers voluntary with free map packs or something for those willing to sell their souls instead of forcing us all to look at shit we don’t want to.
Can’t wait for it all to end after some religious fanatics start buying up space with billboards saying “Jesus Saves”. That will get them to rethink their marketing plan. Stupid EA…
@ barackthevote.
No, I think you are missing the point. Have you even ever logged onto xbl? There are enough political ad’s already on the MP. We don’t need the shit in game. Also, do you really want people who play video games for “23hours” a day deciding the fate of your country? Half of these people don’t know the base policy of the candidate’s and you want them voting. Here’s your sign loser for wanting the one with the most publicity to win.
I don’t scorn any on the vote they choose so long as they know why they are voting for them. Sounds like to me the Obama campaign is pushing for the ignorant vote. Sadly this will probably work since when it comes time to go to the polls the uninformed will just circle the name they remember best. Look’s like the Dem’s have learned how to buy a country.
Well EA just lost a customer for life. This is something all gamers should protest whether you are an Obama supporter or not. If we don’t, more and more games will be politicized or just full of advertising for anything. “HeadOn, apply directly to the forehead” umpteen times an hour every hour you play? How do you spell Brainwashing?
This is the reason that the majority of our world views Americans as being close-minded. This is not just advertisement for Obama, but means to reach out to a new generation of people. In the past, “gamers” have been labeled as such with a derogatory intent. This is really the first generation that the label “gamer” can reach out to many. My mom plays WoW for crying out loud! This is so much more than just an advertisement for Obama. Take a better look at the world around you, and view it for more than face value for once…
As long as I don’t actually have to vote for the guy, I don’t care where the ads show up. The least EA could do is provide both parties the opportunity. If the other doesn’t want to do it, fine they had their chance. If it came out that the other party wasn’t approached regardless of the reason, but it won’t make me change my opinion of EA Games. I’d imagine those ads are maintained by a completely separate group from the people responsible for the game.
You’re not supposed to be looking at the ads in Burnout Paradise anyway. You’re going 250 MPH. There isn’t time.
If you really don’t want the ads, disconnect from Xbox Live. They can’t serve them if they can’t connect to your machine.
A Voter has the right of it. I don’t look at the billboards in game when I’m playing unless it’s to drive through them. I’ll have to start up mine when I get home and see if they are on the PSN as well. Either way it doesn’t make much of a difference unless they refuse to run adds for the opposition. If that is the case then they are showing that they are no better than most of the media outlets. Best just to ignore them if that is the case.
The people who own the xbox, don’t have to ask your permission if they can put ads in their games. When you start your own gaming company (which I doubt you will), you can refrain from allowing any company or political candidate from advertising on your games. For the gaming company, it is not political. It is about dollar signs $$$. The same thing with the internet. There are ads all over the internet, but I don’t see you complaining about that. The ads are here to stay, whether political or not. So if you don’t want to see the adds on the games, then stop buying them!
I am glad that I don’t play games much any more, because I think EA has some great games. I would not be inclined to buy any game with an Obama add. Even though it is a feed to XBox I will put off buying EA for the PC on principle.
Stick to games. We don’t game because we think real world advertising is desirable, but just the opposite. Keep your adds out of the games please.
Looks like I will never buy another EA games product either!!!!!
I play a game to escape from this ugly partisan political race. I have paid my $50 for the game, I am not interested in being advertised to overtly, particularly a polarizing political ad. Hey “CitizenForChange,” how about a picture of bloody fetal remains on a sign that says “Democrats kill babies.” Would you be so sanguine about that being in your game? Hey if a pro-life group poines up the cash, by your argument, why not?
Bloody fetuses aside, I *think* I agree with your overall point: we play games to be entertained and “get away from it all.” I don’t want to see a giant Obama or McCain ad in the middle of Ironforge, for example.
-nicholas
Its not about a gamer spending 23 hours playing games. My gamers all have very strong opinions including political opinions. I think that Obama advertising in a video game shows that he understands what kind of medium it is and the type of people that play it, but product placement in games takes away from the gaming experience. That is what really frustrates the gamers. If McDonald’s started popping adds all over the place that would also frustrate me. So its really a give and take. but on the other side that money helps support the game, so its really a give and take. Another perspective is that the games that he is advertising in are games that take place it the “modern world” and those games are already full of advertisements so why not add another.
Honestly “Need for Speed: Carbon” is an old game so I’m really not sure if there are a lot of people still playing it. “Burn out paradise” is not to recent either, but “Madden 09″ is a recent game and a very large number of people purchase that game and play it year round so Obama is getting his adds to the masses.
I love the idea of advertising in games! It’s a smart thing to do, it’s another way big companies or even smaller ones can make their cash, you never know adverts in games could catch on && maybe one day lower the prices of new game titles ;) <– I doubt it (we are greedy by nature… so i can’t blame them), but you never know.
I won’t mind unobtrusive ads (billboard in racing games, stadium banners, etc.) if the manufacturer starts reducing the price of the games. Bring prices back down to the $30 range and watch sales grow.
Video games are our escape, our relaxation, our way to get away from the nonsense surrounding us for a bit. In-game advertising for real-world products is, at best, an annoyance. When political advertising is allowed to enter the game, well, I think it is an affront to what gamers value–regardless of their political beliefs or affiliations.
Next, I suppose, we can alter movies that are shown in digital based on where they are shown. More money–but at the trivial cost of integrity? How much are those small margins worth?
Truly, this is an exercise in greed–a trend we have seen too often of late with game developers. I, for one, will avoid games open to such content. I wonder, though, how long I will be able to remain a gamer with such a stand.
I happen to be voting in one of those swing states. I can tell you this–I’m not impressed–though I don’t hold issue against the advertiser so much as the game developer. Considering the backlash I’ve seen in this forum and others, it may be prudent for those intending to place political advertisements to stray away from such mediums.
I can understand the use of ad based revenue in a game like Burnout Paradise where there are massive updates being generated for the game at not cost to the consumer. The recent addition of motorcycles and the addition island that is coming out, it costs money to develop these things. If they can offset that cost with ads instead of charging me for these additions, I’m all for it.
Wow,
And to think, I use to like EA games!
What sell outs!
Is nothing sacred?
This is a little too much reality if you ask me?
They should at least put the Red Hammer & Sickle up with those ads!
Talk about pervasive!
I say gamers should draw the line very clearly here and say ENOUGH! After all, what is there to escape to if even our games are full of BS like this! If we don’t act with resolute determination right now then you can bet the door is open and we wont be playing games anymore, we will be clunking through advertisements…
NoBama, NoBama, NoBama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow,
And to think, I use to like EA games!
What sell outs!
Is nothing sacred?
This is a little too much reality if you ask me?
They should at least put the Red Hammer & Sickle up with those ads!
Talk about pervasive!
I say gamers should draw the line very clearly here and say ENOUGH! After all, what is there to escape to if even our games are full of BS like this! If we don’t act with resolute determination right now then you can bet the door is open and we wont be playing games anymore, we will be clunking through advertisements…
NoBama, NoBama, NoBama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow,
And to think, I use to like EA games! What sell outs! Is nothing sacred? This is a little too much reality if you ask me? They should at least put the Red Hammer & Sickle up with those ads! Talk about pervasive!
I say gamers should draw the line very clearly here and say ENOUGH! After all, what is there to escape to if even our games are full of BS like this! If we don’t act with resolute determination right now then you can bet the door is open and we wont be playing games anymore, we will be clunking through advertisements…
NoBama, NoBama, NoBama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did anyone bother to read all that fine print and EULA when they bought the games in question? It probably said something to the effect of “…purchasing and installing this game gives us the right to advertise whatever we want to you, whenever we want, regardless if you like it or not…”
No one ever reads the fine print. Everyone likes to complain. If people read the fine print, they would have nothing to complain about. Ahhh ignorance.
On a different note….this is why I don’t vote. I mean, seriously – political advertising in a game? I don’t have $50 to spend on a game. My rich neighbors kids might. Who are they advertising to? I work my ass off day in and day out. My neighbors 24 year old son sits home and plays games most of the time. Advertising to the wealthy and lazy – GOOD JOB !!!!!
I think this was a long time coming. As in golf games, racing, and many other sport games, product placement of that industries gear are integrated into the game to provide realism, and generate pre-production capital by charging these companies for their product’s placement. As we see here, rotating ads throughout the game allows for a continued revenue even after the customer paid the $60 for the game, without providing new content. As these monster “programming, design, and publishing” companies expand(EA, Activision) and get their hands entrenched in the design/programming you will see them push ideas like this for increased avenues of revenue. The cost of making a game now-a-days is on the scale of making a movie. Like the movie industry, they will begin to push product placement more (outside the game’s industry) the next J.Bond game TAG watch ,Pepsi soda machine, Nathan’s Hot dog health cart and such.. This is, to an extent, the same thing you see driving down the highway (billboards), surfing the web (hows those ads down the side treating you) or watching a movie (ohh so many spotlights). Do you avoid driving, or surfing the web, or going to see a movie because there is ads in it? If it is a complete commercial or game for the product then maybe, but people usually are for the plot/theme or gaming experience.
As for it being a Obama ad, power to a person for looking toward new ways of reaching people. EA put it there, Obama made use of it, same as that billboard, or the TV commercial, or web ad. Wouldn’t matter if it was a McCain ad, it just that I think Obama is pushing more for younger voters.
I’m all for “Change”…change to a different video game. I agree with whoever mentioned it above: if you’re gonna do it, do it for both parties.
Encourage the vote, but don’t be biased.
Xbox is owned by Microsoft, Microsoft owns MSNBC which is the most one-sided new channel in the world. You can appeal to young voters with out postering Barack’s big ears all over your game. I would want to see wrinkly McCain’s mug either. I’m glad I still play Colecovision.
*news nubs
Unless these gaming companys see an adverse affect from running the ads, losing a few people who don’t want to see the adds will not stop them from running them. If you are paying that much attention the bill board, then you are not really playing the game anyway. Besides, what if you owned the company and you had a few people telling you to remove the ads because they don’t like you running them and it is decision between running the ads and say, 2 million dollars? You can’t tell me you wouldn’t run the ads.
This isn’t a question about it hurting someone. It’s just about the fact that you don’t like it. I don’t like political ads on tv. But I’m not going to start writing CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC and everyone else out there running the ads and ask them to remove them because I don’t want to see the adds on tv. Please, it’s not going to happen.
I still haven’t heard you complaint about Yahoo, Interent Explorer, Mozilla, etc. about their ads.
I think EVERYONE is missing the point. (a couple of points actually)
1) If you sell advertising, as this game does, it defrays the cost and makes the game cheaper. i.e. you get a better game for less money.
2) If you sell advertising, just like television, radio, magazines etc., you are required by law to accept advertising from ANYONE who is willing to pay for it (with a few exceptions such as for cigarettes), whether it is from Coke, Pepsi, or Obama. You can’t pick and choose whose money you will accept.
3) The reason McCain or the RNC haven’t put up adds on games too is only because they didn’t think of it. (and probably also they don’t have as much money this election year)
Boycot whoever you want, but advertising and product placement are here to stay.
I think its kinda cool actually. Im for neither Obama or McCain, but seeing as how its a totally irrelevant part of the game that really has no bearing on anything, its a neat touch of realism and gives the title a tie to the times.
Vodka brings to Coke the thing that Coke has been missing – Vodka!
let me guess
all you guys that are not buying the game will also stop watching tv, reading newspapers, watching movies, or anything else right. arfter all those all have ads in thim. if you avoid a game because of one ad which you can ignore then boycott all media.
onestly you amicans can be such a bunch of retards at times. looks like obama has the only brain.
now what do you have to say
umsima wa umshimi wa
let me guess
all you guys that are not buying the game will also stop watching tv, reading newspapers, watching movies, or anything else right. arfter all those all have ads in thim. if you avoid a game because of one ad which you can ignore then boycott all media.
onestly you amicans can be such a bunch of retards at times. looks like obama has the only brain.
now what do you have to say
umsima wa umshimi wa
LOL stop WHINing NOOBS =P