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A kid with the name of Dragunov played Burnout Paradise just this week and made a screen shot of what he had seen in his game. What he saw was Obama posing in a billboard in the game. Somebody asked, "What's wrong with posting ads in video games? After all, Obama's been courting the youth."
I kept on wondering about the odds of this act but yeah, what's wrong anyway?
We've only gotten one report of this, which seems a bit odd, but an Xbox Live gamer who goes by Dragunov765 has posted photos of what appear to be in-game ads for Barack Obama.
Dragunov (we know his real name, too) says he came across the ads while playing Burnout Paradise earlier this week and posted them on his Rooster Teeth journal page. We were tipped to the pix by a GP reader who vouches for the guy. In turn we contacted Dragonuv, who commented on the ads:
The ads mention that early voting has begun and reference voteforchange.com. That site says that it is "Paid for by Obama for America" and helps voters find early voting locations in states that permit the practice (which has indeed begun).
EA reps did not respond to several attempts by GamePolitics to verify the ads.
GP: Bottom line? If the ad pix are Photoshopped, ya got me, Dragonuv. But I don't think they are. Dragonuv is no kid and my gut tells me he's on the level.
And in any case, why couldn't - why shouldn't - a candidate make use of in-game ads? After all, it's the new, new thing, and Obama has been courting the youth vote all along.
The concept of in-game political ads does raise some issues, however. Does the campaign get to choose the games in which their ads appear? We have to think they do. Having one's campaign ad appear in GTA IV, for example, might hand an opposing candidate an opportunity to sling mud.
News story attached to:
- Burnout Paradise [PC, XBOX360, PS3]
Latest comment:
Most recently commented on by on Oct 14, 2008
Most recently commented on by on Oct 14, 2008
Comments
*bleep*.
That's not being cynical, that's being realistic.
But in all seriousness, I think this is a good strategy. Unusual, yes, but a smart move.
And why is everyone so up in arms about this? I mean hell gaming companies have told us for years now that they would be adding advertising to their products. I for one have just accepted it. I mean it is a good way for companies to make some extra money on their games. And any time a company can make some extra money that means they have more money to make more and potentially better games. As long as the advertising isn't blatantly obtrusive what does it even matter?
OR it might be one of those Franchise/Partner cars (I can't get any of them V_V I guess I got the game too late).
Never looked, but I don't think I've seen the Ad. I might have though, it looks familiar....
Whether it is wrong or not = not my place to say. But you have to admit it is a damn clever campaign move.
I just forsee this being capable of being used as political fodder if the wrong people get their hands on it.
Also - Obama was on the ball with Hillary Clinton when it comes to legislation censoring and banning video games, so this is kind of a(nother) flip for him.
Personally, I'm tired of having to choose the "lesser of two evils" which seems like what we've been doing in America for quite some time.
Anyways, enough of the political bullshit, I'm going back to worrying about my gaming!!!
Secondly the ads are generally placed by an ad agency. More often than not the canidates simply aprove the message not precisely where it is placed. Thus Obama might not even be aware the ad is in a video game. Assuming of course this is indeed real to begin with.
Politics has no place in games. End of.
Also - I've been playing the game for months now, and never seen this ad. It sounds and looks fake tbh.
i think politics can be effective in games if they are implemented correctly. this you can classify as [sorta] because it is trying to get the youth to go out and vote (by youth i mean young adults)
FF13v looks balanced in that its not all political. It reminds me of FF7 where it had political but also had the Fantasy atmosphere that FF games is all about.
The main point as I said, players play games to be immersed in a story and gameplay element to take our minds away from the real world and its issues, which includes politics. Real world issues has no place in games.
you said which i completely understand and agree with but i think it also depends on how its used and in which type of games, if its a driving game, i doubt there's a very in depth story that centers around anything other than racing and getting cars. Now if this were to be found in a game such as White Knight or FF13vs then i would totally agree with what your saying. But to say politics have no place in games period then that's where i can't say the same thing, just look at Bioshock's main plot, its about a guy that doesn't want to be ruled by the governments so he creates his own haven underwater, but some don't see it like that because it ties in perfectly to the plot.
i guess the main point for this stupidly long reply is that, politics can be in games, but not are supposed to be blunt about it.
I rather pick him over MCCAIN,Edwards, and Hillary.
But I think all political ads should not be in video games. It reminds me of the whole "we don't talk about religion or politics" . . .
How would people like Churches to start paying for ads in video games? I can GUARANTEE there would be an uproar like none other. But political ads? "Aw well . . . it's just an ad, right?" or "Well I don't like it, but let's leave it at that." instead of the uproar we'd see from the formerly mentioned type of ads.
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