A new San Francisco-based company, Double Fusion, is releasing technology that will enable advertisers to drop advertising into old games. The technology will facilitate the free re-release of back catalogue games and could extend the shelf life of games currently on the market.
The technology, called fusion.runtime, will enable publishers to drop ads into completed games without having to alter the original code. It will also enable the ads to be placed anywhere within the games, rather than just in slots allocated during the game's development.
Double Fusion has already inked a deal with Ubisoft, which will use the technology as part of a new initiative to release old games for free with advertising revenue supporting the releases. The technology will also be used by Oberon, a casual games publisher that distributes its titles through the likes of MSN and Pogo.com.
Current in-game ad-placing technology requires that code be implanted in games from early on in development using fixed in-game locations. The content of the ads using the locations can then be alternated over the internet.
SPOnG caught up with Ed Bartlett, the VP of publishing in Europe for in-game ad specialist IGA Worldwide. “I don't think it's worrying, it's just a different approach”, Bartlett told us. IGA focuses on premium games such as DiRT, Counter Strike and Test Drive Unlimited, games which the company claims reach advertiser's key 18-34 year old demographic.
“The question is”, Bartlett went on, “will there be a big enough critical mass of audience who play these older games? Is it anything more than a niche?
“The other question is, when you're taking these older releases that haven't been designed for ad-space, will the ads fit in appropriately?” Bartlett added. In contrast to Double Fusion's post-development approach, IGA works with developers from early on to try and optimise the placement of the ads.
Still, free game, eh?
You can see SPOnG's interview with Ed Bartlett about in-game advertising here.
The technology, called fusion.runtime, will enable publishers to drop ads into completed games without having to alter the original code. It will also enable the ads to be placed anywhere within the games, rather than just in slots allocated during the game's development.
Double Fusion has already inked a deal with Ubisoft, which will use the technology as part of a new initiative to release old games for free with advertising revenue supporting the releases. The technology will also be used by Oberon, a casual games publisher that distributes its titles through the likes of MSN and Pogo.com.
Current in-game ad-placing technology requires that code be implanted in games from early on in development using fixed in-game locations. The content of the ads using the locations can then be alternated over the internet.
SPOnG caught up with Ed Bartlett, the VP of publishing in Europe for in-game ad specialist IGA Worldwide. “I don't think it's worrying, it's just a different approach”, Bartlett told us. IGA focuses on premium games such as DiRT, Counter Strike and Test Drive Unlimited, games which the company claims reach advertiser's key 18-34 year old demographic.
“The question is”, Bartlett went on, “will there be a big enough critical mass of audience who play these older games? Is it anything more than a niche?
“The other question is, when you're taking these older releases that haven't been designed for ad-space, will the ads fit in appropriately?” Bartlett added. In contrast to Double Fusion's post-development approach, IGA works with developers from early on to try and optimise the placement of the ads.
Still, free game, eh?
You can see SPOnG's interview with Ed Bartlett about in-game advertising here.
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Comments
madjo 4 Sep 2007 22:00
1/3
There is a similar service, called Freeloader.com (at least they used to offer ad-supported games for free)
Back when they started, they even had their own episodic space-opera/space-fighter game called Halcyon Sun, which showed ads at certain places.
Though it was kinda strange to see a florists ad inside the cockpit of your fighter-jet.
Apparently it still operates, only that game Halcyon sun is nowhere to be found (to my knowledge they never finished it), but they do offer games like GTA2 and Magic and Mayhem and such. Not sure if those games themselves are ad-supported. I see mentions of gold-level accounts and points.
I have a funny feeling that in a few years, this service, too, will have gold memberships, for which you have to pay.
Back when they started, they even had their own episodic space-opera/space-fighter game called Halcyon Sun, which showed ads at certain places.
Though it was kinda strange to see a florists ad inside the cockpit of your fighter-jet.
Apparently it still operates, only that game Halcyon sun is nowhere to be found (to my knowledge they never finished it), but they do offer games like GTA2 and Magic and Mayhem and such. Not sure if those games themselves are ad-supported. I see mentions of gold-level accounts and points.
I have a funny feeling that in a few years, this service, too, will have gold memberships, for which you have to pay.
deleted 5 Sep 2007 09:15
2/3
Im really surprised that this has taken so long to come out, this could be a huge thing for digtal downloads which are now starting to take pace, this could be a great thing for devs why?
People with older computers can download past games and enjoy them, while at the same time creating a brand awareness for the New/Current line up of IP`s and giving the Dev/Publisher an increased income to spend on New/Current IP Development...
Think of EA`s soon to be launched download services,
Customer thinks of buying NFS:Pro Street, but has never played a NFS Game so he goes on to EA`s Download service and has access to EA`s Older titles for free with ads injected, so he freely downloads NFS:U2 and loves it so he decides he will purchase Pro Street and at the same time EA has added a new customer to the NFS brand, or someone is a Fifa fan loves sports but never played a Madden game, decides to give it ago downloads an older version of Madden and loves it and will more than likely buy madden each year like he buys fifa each year, i could go on, but for devs this could be a great way of using older IP`s to create revenue while getting free marketing at the same time and We the consumer will start getting free games admittedly older titles but i havent played everything ever, have you?
People with older computers can download past games and enjoy them, while at the same time creating a brand awareness for the New/Current line up of IP`s and giving the Dev/Publisher an increased income to spend on New/Current IP Development...
Think of EA`s soon to be launched download services,
Customer thinks of buying NFS:Pro Street, but has never played a NFS Game so he goes on to EA`s Download service and has access to EA`s Older titles for free with ads injected, so he freely downloads NFS:U2 and loves it so he decides he will purchase Pro Street and at the same time EA has added a new customer to the NFS brand, or someone is a Fifa fan loves sports but never played a Madden game, decides to give it ago downloads an older version of Madden and loves it and will more than likely buy madden each year like he buys fifa each year, i could go on, but for devs this could be a great way of using older IP`s to create revenue while getting free marketing at the same time and We the consumer will start getting free games admittedly older titles but i havent played everything ever, have you?
vault 13 10 Sep 2007 06:54
3/3
I think your referring to demos. Demos have been around forever. I have a demo of pong. It's only got one paddle and the ball doesn't move though.