In-Game Ads Activated in Deus Ex: Human Revolution

[Rob Williams]

PC gaming sure isn't what it used to be. Remember when the biggest inconvenience was needing the CD to play? Today, we have to instead battle a multitude of different DRM schemes (the worst being Ubisoft's famed "always online"), games that launch with a billion bugs, and now, games that shove ads down our throats.

Read the rest of our post and then discuss it here!

 

[marfig]

I was pretty ticked learning about it too, despite, and thankfully, these ads not being served in my country. In fact when I first heard about it, I dismissed it. I thought it was just some in-game ad placement I had missed or something. It's when I first saw that image on a gaming blog that my jaw dropped.

This is worst than ad placement. It's ad rape or something. Pretty incredible that this company decided to do this and -- the worst of it all -- introduce it in a subsequent game patch. It didn't even let us know before purchasing the game we would be served ads. It just slyly introduced them, without prior notice, in a game patch. Of all things!

DE:HR is a great game, no doubt. And I can only thank the gods that Europe (at least so far) is immune to this abuse of my consumer rights. But I feel for anyone who has to put up with this crap. It would probably drive me up the wall. It's just on loading screens and then it goes away. But it doesn't matter.

The fact we actually have something more than ad placement in a AAA title for the first time in nearly 3 decades of personal computer gaming is incredibly worrying. And what's more worrying I don't see the public outcry! Most media outlets are quiet also, or approach the issue with mild tone (*). I wonder if they fear not getting their Thief 4 for free when it is made available. Anyways, I wonder where will we be in 3 or 4 years from now. I don't want to think this is the start of a very ugly thing.

(*) They spent more time and energy discussing stupid issues like boss battles (which really aren't that bad and amount tomaybe 5 minutes of gameplay all told against the 30-40 hours of a full playthrough), than they ever did discussing this. I find the whole gaming media pretty disgusting these days, to tell you frankly.

 

[Tharic-Nar]

I'm in two minds over this one. I don't like 'in your face' ads, the ones that you can't avoid, close or dismiss, the worst being time delayed ones that prevent you from doing anything while it shows you the ad.

These ads being in the bottom corner of a load screen aren't too bad - especially considering I see that screen once to twice an hour for 3 seconds or less. Does the ad break immersion? Not really - the load screens by themselves do a good enough job with that. If the ads were actually in-game via billboards and such, but in a convincing style, i don't think too many would complain, or even notice. It's when the ads are glaringly obvious that it becomes irritating.

Now, having these ads on top of a paid-for game is irritating - but I can understand the 'logic' behind it. Piracy. If the ads are integrated into the game - but not associated with an online connection, the publisher is at least gaining an income from non paying recipients of the game (or from those that at least patch). But of course, these ads can also be disabled with third-party mods, so the whole point becomes void (or via a firewall entry as marfig pointed out).

I think the offense with DE:HR comes in the form of absolutely no warning or fore-mention that ads will become part of the game, it wasn't even mentioned in the patch notes either.

People pay for TV, Cable and Satellite channels - channels that show ads too. Ads are put into DVD releases - often unsinkable - DVDs you paid for. Putting them into games just seems like the next step... doesn't mean i have to like it though.

 

[marfig]

And btw, there's another way to remove the ads without hacks, recently revealed on Steam: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showpost.php?p=25144224&postcount=38

I don't believe I didn't think of this before. It's part of my everyday life. But there it is. You can use use Windows Firewall, or your own personal firewall.

 

[marfig]

I should certainly keep in mind that this won't bother everyone, Tharic. And there's no doubt that small box isn't doing anyone any harm. But what I fear is what that small box can become. Not what it is.

Ads are viruses that spread through any media like wildfire, and before we know it we have ads cropping in games like they did on TV to the point of becoming intrusive. In North America you have to go back quite a few years to remember the last time you saw a TV show from end to finish with one 10 minute ad break. What I fear is that some sort of intrusion may eventually happen. So, I try to fight the notion of ads in games every time they show up. It can be seen as an overreaction, but small boxes don't stay small for long. Not when ads is what we are talking about here.

People pay for TV, Cable and Satellite channels - channels that show ads too. Ads are put into DVD releases - often unsinkable - DVDs you paid for. Putting them into games just seems like the next step... doesn't mean i have to like it though.

I could try and draw some sort of comparison between these type of game ads and DVD ads. For instance, I don't get loading screens on DVD movies so I can actually enjoy the whole movie without any ads in between, except for placement ads on those movies that do have them and which setting reflects contemporary societies. But I do sort of feel like it's a straw man argument I have there. Still, I said it for your own analysis.

Instead there's something that runs deeper to the "there's ads on other media" logic that I'd like to mention. And that's what I believe should be a resistance to conformity. Ads entered our collective thoughts as inevitable and ubiquitous elements of our daily lives. But those few niches where they haven't entered yet should, I believe, be protected to the best of our abilities. It goes deeply against my person this notion that I should conform to established practices just because they are established practices.

But I do risk sounding like some annoying ranter. That's the price I pay, I guess. And for nothing, let me tell you. I never changed anything that I didn't like. It's beyond my control. Still... I do it. And will keep doing it. It's who I am.

My only request, that everyone would do it too and never used "established practices" as an argument against. Questioning our world is more valuable to us than conforming to it.

EDIT: And here is my formal complaint to Eidos and Square Enix. Didn't do it earlier because I just felt lazy about creating Yet Another Forum Account.

 

[Rob Williams]

Good post at the Eidos forums, marfig.

To me, the ads are intrusive. If I die in a game and see a loading screen (which for me takes a lot longer than 3 seconds to pass) with an ad completely unrelated to the game, then my attention is now on something else, not still 100% on the game like it should be.

I'd be fine to an extent with ads on billboards in the game, because they could be done well and not break immersion at all. But to place one totally out-of-context and in a location it looks like they just chose at random, it rubs me the wrong way.

If I ever see an ad, I won't be wasting any time in disabling it.

The "but there are ads in movies" argument to me, is bullshit. I wish people would stop raising it as a valid point.

 

[OriginalJoeCool]

We pay for the game; therefore we shouldn't have this stuff shoved down our throats. It's just another way of screwing their customers.

 

[Kayden]

I agree intrusive ads should never be apart of a game you pony up cash for, especially $50+ bucks! Absolutely chicken shit they didn't say anything about this before release, they just bent us over and used sand paper. Great way to show you appreciate your customers Eidos! Whats your next trick, ads in the menus?

 

[CaptainFluffy]

And btw, there's another way to remove the ads without hacks, recently revealed on Steam: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showpost.php?p=25144224&postcount=38

I don't believe I didn't think of this before. It's part of my everyday life. But there it is. You can use use Windows Firewall, or your own personal firewall.

You can edit the hosts file to get rid of the ads too. Just tried it and didn't see a single ad.


1)Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc
2) find the file named "hosts" and open it with notepad (you'll need to run notepad as an admin on Vista/7)
3)add the following to the bottom of the file.

127.0.0.1 doublefusion.com
127.0.0.1 *.doublefusion.com

4) Save.

 

[Rob Williams]

Reason #1 someone has to edit their 'hosts' file: Piracy

Reason #2 someone has to edit their 'hosts' file: In-game ads

 

[marfig]

I'm not very found of editing my 'hosts' file to be frank. It's a good solution I'll give you that, but hardly ever advise it. Thing is, am I sure I want to "ban" doublefusion.com from my machine? What if they go web-sided and TG uses it? What if I actually support their ads on some application, or a free game or indie game?

See the problem?

 

[Kayden]

I'm not very found of editing my 'hosts' file to be frank. It's a good solution I'll give you that, but hardly ever advise it. Thing is, am I sure I want to "ban" doublefusion.com from my machine? What if they go web-sided and TG uses it? What if I actually support their ads on some application, or a free game or indie game?

See the problem?

I see it, but honestly it's a good reason for them to think twice. If they don't then oh well for those who do make that change. If you don't then go for it, but I will not support a company that makes money from invasive advertising ever.