Crispy Gamer News

A new research report released this week reveals that 14 to 25 year olds watch less television, instead spending more time on online activities, watching DVDs and video games. The study, “The State of the Media Democracy,” was conducted by Deloitte and polled multiple age groups including 14- to 25-year-olds (Millennials), Generation X (ages 26-42), Baby Boomers (43-61) and Matures (62-75).

Millennials watched just 10.5 hours of TV a week, compared to 15.1 hours for those indentified in the Generation-X group. Baby Boomers watched 19.2 hours, while the old folks in the Matures group watched 21.5 hours a week. So what are Millennials doing with their time? Shunning cable TV to partake in other activities. Among those activities - playing video games, listening to music and surfing the Internet.

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A rose by any other name may smell just as sweet, but game footage on any other console? Well, it smells a little fishy.

The Advertising Standards Authority, a UK group established to police the country’s advertising codes, has taken Electronic Arts to task over a TV ad for the company’s Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 game for the Wii. The ad in question shows the golf legend taking a few swings with his trusty Wii Remote, while gameplay footage is shown in the background. Just one problem … it’s not the Wii footage being shown.
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Sony’s virtual ‘Home’ away from home hasn’t even officially opened to the public yet, and it’s already looking like the neighborhood is getting zoned for commercial use. According to a report this morning on UK-based marketing website BrandRepublic, energy drink manufacturer Red bull has become the first brand to build a presence in PlayStation Home. While game companies have promised to have their own presence in the virtual PS3 community, Red Bull is the first non-gaming company to announce a brand partnership with Sony.

The Red Bull brand will be showcase on a new tropical island built in Home, which will feature an airplane racing game based on Red Bull’s real world Red Bull Air Race series.
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THQ and the Microsoft owned video game advertising firm, Massive Inc., announced yesterday that they have agreed to a global, multiyear deal naming Massive as the exclusive in-game advertising partner for THQ’s upcoming lineup of games on the PC and the Xbox 360. Massive’s collaboration with THQ will include advertising in several of THQ’s owned properties, including the recently released Saints Row 2.

“By aligning with THQ, Massive is now poised to represent new content and franchises that are realizing enormous market success globally,” said Eric Bassman, COO of Massive. “And with an open-world, mission-based game such as Saints Row 2 coming into the Massive network, we can work creatively with advertisers to place their brands in new, edgy environments.”

“We have entered into a strategic agreement with Massive because it is a leader in the emerging industry of in-game advertising,” said Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of publishing at THQ. “The Massive team has a strong track record of collaborating with game developers, sports leagues and advertisers to find a unique way to place brands and products that enhance the gameplay experience.”

Why, oh why, can’t they just leave us the f**k alone? They harass us on network television, assail us in email, and call us incessantly on the phone.. and now they remind us in our video games that there is an election going on. sure, it’s a big election year with tons of big issues to deal with but can we just have one sacred place to get away from it all? Nope.

See, when money is to be made, companies like EA have space to sell in their games. EA has put up billboards featuring presidential candidate Barack Obama in several of its top sports games like Madden NFL 09 and popular games like Burnout Paradise. EA spokesperson Holly Rockwood would not say how much the ads cost, but said that they are running on the Xbox Live versions of the game through Nov. 3. They began earlier this month - according to an Associated Press report.

“It reaches an audience that is typically hard to reach—young males, roughly 18 to 34,” said Rockwood. “That’s very appealing to our advertisers.”

Rockwood declined to say how much revenue the company generates from selling ad space in its games, but chances are like network and Cable Television, the camp is paying a low cost rate that conforms to national election laws.

While some may see this development as “exciting,” “a breath of fresh air,” or very tech savvy on Obama’s part, I see it as just another way for game companies to monetize something we have already paid for. We paid for the game already and we pay a subscription fee to Xbox Live, so why should we be forced to see any ads - let alone political ads that some of us are trying to get away from in the first place?

Kudos to Obama for finding new ways to reach voters, but shame on EA for re-monetizing a product we’ve spent our dollars on. It’s this kind of behavior that caused the Boston Tea Party, folks.

Source: breitbart.com

In-game advertising company Double Fusion has hired former Conde Nast and Electronic Arts salesperson Jana Friedman as Vice President of Sales, Casual Games Group. According to the company Jana’s responsibilities include leading the representation of in-game advertising opportunities appealing to marketers targeting teens and adult female consumers, including the recently announced additions of Habbo USA and Yahoo! Games. Additionally, Friedman will be focused on the expansion and management of Double Fusion’s New York sales office.