This directly ties in to some of the retro gaming radio interviews. One of the classic game makers (I think it's Pitfall maker David Crane or perhaps Gary Kitchen; i can't be sure) went on to found a company that does specifically this--embed ads in games in ways that don't interfere with gameplay. Simplest example would be a car racing game where the decals on the cars are actual ads paid for by actual companies. :-)

Or, maybe a baseball game with a Mac logo hanging from a billboard, etc. Perhaps the basketball has a label, etc.

If you've played games at the Candy Stand then you've experienced a whole gaming community supported by embedded ads.

Personally, I don't think this is anything to get upset about. True, it is totally deplorable for a company that's already charging enormous fees for gameplay to add insult to injury by embedded ads; but if the gamemakers rely on the ads to keep down costs, I'm all for it. Besides, if the purpose is simulating life, wouldn't a corporate intrusion be appropriate?

I think a good advertising theorist would tell you that subtle advertising is more effective than in-your-face-popups, etc. I remember all the hooplah about the Reese's Pieces in ET, which is probably one of the most famous examples of embedded advertising. (Though Wayne's World certainly parodied it well.)

Did you know that Hershey didn't pay to have their candy used in ET? It's an urban legend! Wow, I didn't know this.

Actually, the article says that they agreed to launch a $1 million ad campaign promoting the movie, so in that sense, Hershey did pay. What's interesting in the article is the fact that this incident was probably the beginning of today's product-placement explosion.

An interesting aside to this: the "darker side" of product placement is the fact that the script had to be changed because Mars would *not* agree to have m&m's in the movie. As I believe Larry Lessig has pointed out, copyright law has now expanded to the point that items appearing in the background of movie shots do not qualify as fair use. Now the major studios must employ huge staffs for each film--not only to negotiate product placements, but also to track down rightsholders for permission to film even the most trivial objects appearing in a film.

This effectively prevents independent filmmakers from filming anywhere other public places, where fair use (thankfully) still applies. Yet another example of copyright law gone berserk!

I like this phrase. Sort of sums it all up rather well :)

Actually, after reading that article, I'm rethinking about buying the game.

I HATE McDonalds, and if to play the game, I have to constantly be reminded of McDonalds... quite frankly, I'll feel kind of disgusted with the game.

Personally, (in my opinion, of course), McDonalds is a center for low life & the poverty stricken. It's a depressing sight.

I'm actually SHOCKED that eating there or owning a McDonalds would be advantageous in the game.

After all, in real life, the most popular successful people eat in fine restaurants, and own exclusive cafes. They're not hanging out slinging & slurping hamburgers at a Las Vegas style McDonalds.