EA’s Ad Deal Is Sweet - 1.9.06

Electronic Arts has inked a deal with IGA Worldwide and Microsoft’s Massive Inc. to deliver changeable ads to some upcoming titles.

IGA will provide the ads for three EA titles, including the soon-to-release Battlefield 2142, which rolls out for the PC and Xbox 360 in October.

Massive will supply the ads for four titles, including Need For Speed: Carbon, which also hits shelves in October. The Need For Speed ads will include a mix of static placements and “dynamically delivered ads” that can be switched out and changed in real time.

It’s the Massive deal that sounds very cool. By changing out the ads on a regular basis, the campaign could actually lend realism to EA's games while putting more money in its coffers.

I’m not a big fan of in-game ads, but I have to admit EA’s VP of online commerce, Chip Lange, was right in his statement: “In places like a basketball court, football stadium or roadside in a racing game, advertising is not only nice to have, but it’s an essential component to create the fiction of being there.”

When they’re used in a manner that actually increases a game’s atmosphere, ads go from being annoying to down right neat. Being able to change them out and mix up the scenery a bit sounds awesome.

With lots of game makers struggling to make ends meet (EA included), this particular in-game ad idea sounds like a winner or at least a proposal that will be a whole lot more tolerable while putting a few more dollars in EA’s pockets.

Related:
In-Game Ads: Selling Out Or Selling Smart?
Sales Woes For EA, Activision, Midway
Sony Strike Deal for Massive In-Game Ads

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