In Game Advertising and Digital Distribution
by J.R. Antrim | 2006-03-??
So what are you guys more excited about, Nintendo's announcement that their new system will be able to play Genesis and Turbo Grafix 16 games, or Sony's announcement that the PlayStation 3 will feature in-game advertising?
For the life of me, I can't figure out why Sony doesn't just keep their big mouth shut. The PlayStation 2 has had the most impressive run since the original NES. We're going on, what, seven years now? And the games are STILL coming strong. Everything else from that generation is dead, except for Gamecube, which is hanging on for dear life to the Twilight Princess carrot Nintendo's been dangling for years now. Sony's doing good. Sony's doing just fine.
So why is it they feel the need to brag about shit other companies wouldn't even talk about?
First, Phil Harrison said Sony wants to phase out game discs in favor of digital distribution. Don't even get me started. You ever try to sell a "digital distribution" on eBay? Believe me, it's tough. This is the worst idea since those screaming bald guy 3D accelerator ads back in the 90s. Digital distribution does away with pesky concepts like "ownership" or "property", slaps you in the face and tells you that a good little bitch doesn't own anything.
Games are objects. They can get scratched or lost, but they're yours to keep or give to your nephew or hang on to until they raise in value. (Freaking Suikoden II is going for a bundle, I heard.)
Not to mention you're one PlayStation hard drive crash away from losing everything.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Phil Heretic starts talking about in-game advertising:
He added, "Games can have the same social currency as a great TV show, like Lost or 24." He also pointed out that in-game advertising will play a significant role in PlayStation 3's future.
"This is a tremendous opportunity if handled with sensitivity towards the consumer," Harrison said.
Source: Next Generation
Slight difference. TV doesn't cost $50 a pop. It's free.
Of course, people pay for cable, which is now more saturated with advertising than the networks. That's the beauty of "consumer sensitivity." Heat the water slowly enough and no one will realize they're being boiled alive by Black Eyed Peas ring tone ads. Or something.
Say what you will about Nintendo's third party support. At least the first party aren't a bunch of assholes. While everyone else is trying to turn home consoles into everything I hate about computer gaming -- "patch it later" mentality, draconian licensing agreements, social networking -- Nintendo's just puttering along, thinking about the good old days.
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