When Vivendi acquired Activision -- or was it Activision acquiring Vivendi? these business deals confuse me -- to form what the soon-to-be Activision-Blizzard late last year, many players were concerned about how this would affect our beloved MMO. Blizzard assured its players with an FAQ on the forums about the merger stating, in no uncertain terms, that it would not affect Blizzard's games in any way (except to improve them, presumably). Activision CEO Bobby Kotick recently spoke with Next Generation, however, and talked very much like the businessman, discussing possible revenue models for their stable of games. He mentions how Activision-Blizzard must figure out StarCraft's business model for the future, "with in-game advertising and sponsorship" which he says "presents a tremendous opportunity for the future."He illustrates how StarCraft can actually be "the model for in-game advertising and tournament play", spooking at least one World of Warcraft player, who asks on the forums if WoW could be next. Fortunately, Karune chimes in the same thread assuring StarCraft fans (and by extension, WoW players) that Blizzard has "no plans to have in-game advertising in StarCraft II." He explains that "Bobby (Kotick) was actually referring to Battle.net, which has always included ads." It's very reassuring, but perhaps such speculation would be avoided if Activision-Blizzard's CEO actually words things a little better.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3-07-2008 @ 10:46AM
faradhim said...
It all depends on how it is done. If they decrease my monthly subscription fee because they defrayed the cost by putting up a Pepsi banner over the entrance into the auction house I am okay with that. But what I would not put up with is the game forcing me to sit in front my computer and watch halo trailer before it let me into the realm.
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http://doctorsofphilosophy.blogspot.com/
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3-07-2008 @ 10:48AM
peaglemancer said...
Though not an RPer myself, I would still argue that any real-world advertising has absolutely no place in the "World" of Warcraft. Unless the mighty Pepsi Titans of planet Cola are the new faction in Lich King, that brand doesn't belong in the game.
3-07-2008 @ 10:58AM
faradhim said...
Okay. Let's turn the table a little bit. What if they let you play the game for free but the game have in-game advertising. Is that okay?
3-07-2008 @ 11:43AM
Safety Dancer said...
Yes. Idk about a pepsi sign here or an Axe Body Spray quest. But on the same token, I agree it would ruin the RP servers. I dont play on a RP server, nor to I partake, but to each his own. If your a hardcore RP'r then by no means are you going to accept a Iron Forge being renamed the PEPSI center. I don't think we will see it in the game of WoW, but if we do there will be an uprising and that 9mil+ player base they have will cease to exist.
3-07-2008 @ 10:49AM
borgman said...
i hope there not stupid enough to mess up the game with in game advertisments. If im paying $15 a month to play a game theres no reason for there to be adds all over it. thats one reason allot of people upgrade to the pay service of most MMOs. It would be a large mistake at this point to do it as they do have to competative games coming out in the near future.
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3-07-2008 @ 10:55AM
Jasperwind said...
tru.dat
3-07-2008 @ 10:56AM
Todd said...
Yeah well, the powers-that-be can still make the final decision. Will be soon be seeing vendors selling coca-cola and sprite?
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3-07-2008 @ 11:01AM
Zali said...
I can see it now... lvl 1 warriors running all over in front of the AH and bank in Stormwind spamming the /1 with "Pepsi, the choice of a Raiding Generation" And my rogue getting a recipie for Mt. Dew instead of Thistle Tea, for that quick boost of Energy... Maybe Tauren warriors would get Red Bull for a little Rage potion maybe.
/2 WTS Nike Air Taurens. +28 Stam, +24 Str, LVL 70 Epic. Has 10% flight speed boost. 340G. PST with offers.
Or am I just a cynic?
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3-07-2008 @ 2:25PM
Lars said...
Funny stuff. I got a couple more:
Tauren to be renamed Taurine, and a quest added in Mulgore which involves painting your character red.
Quest renamed from "Going, Going, Guano" to "Going, Going, Guarana *sponsored by Rockstar*"
3-07-2008 @ 11:02AM
Zali said...
I can see it now... lvl 1 warriors running all over in front of the AH and bank in Stormwind spamming the /1 with "Pepsi, the choice of a Raiding Generation" And my rogue getting a recipie for Mt. Dew instead of Thistle Tea, for that quick boost of Energy... Maybe Tauren warriors would get Red Bull for a little Rage potion maybe.
/2 WTS Nike Air Taurens. +28 Stam, +24 Str, LVL 70 Epic. Has 10% flight speed boost. 340G. PST with offers.
Or am I just a cynic?
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3-07-2008 @ 11:04AM
h8rain said...
Calling it now..... The Toyota Tacoma Truck mount becomes "real".
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3-07-2008 @ 12:27PM
kevan said...
I'd be completely ok with that one!
3-07-2008 @ 11:11AM
Zali said...
OK. That one I actually want. Who do I need rep with for the Four Wheels of Fury?
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3-07-2008 @ 11:11AM
grravie said...
I would gladly change my guild tabbard to a mt dew logo, if i could play for free
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3-07-2008 @ 2:28PM
Lars said...
I don't think any of that type of advertising would increase sales anyways though.
/leaves to get some mt dew
3-07-2008 @ 11:14AM
Alveredus said...
If there WERE in-game ads, I think what we're talking about would be to go NASCAR with the "online sport" approach that things like Arena servers (and I predict, Raid Servers) represent.
Currently, there are a few raid guilds that take corporate endorsements/sponsorship.
I do NOT think it would effect live servers but I could see, for instance, Arena Servers where the Mountain Dew team (which gets payed to PvP professionally and has corporate tabards) fights the Nextel Team.
I don't think that would seep over into regular servers nor do I think it's necessarily a bad thing... and it would certainly be desirable for Activision/Blizzard as a possible eventuality.
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3-07-2008 @ 11:16AM
Alveredus said...
Also?
One nice thing that COULD spill over to live servers would be the possibility of asymmetrical tabard/armor design.
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3-07-2008 @ 11:32AM
Badger said...
Quote: "He illustrates how StarCraft can actually be "the model for in-game advertising and tournament play", spooking at least one World of Warcraft player, who asks on the forums if WoW could be next. Fortunately, Karune chimes in the same thread assuring StarCraft fans (and by extension, WoW players) that Blizzard has "no plans to have in-game advertising in StarCraft II." He explains that "Bobby (Kotick) was actually referring to Battle.net, which has always included ads."
... This suggests to me the possibility of an ad-based StarCraft MMO. If "StarCraft" is the "model" to which Mr. Kotick points, but, as Karune confirms, there is no plan to insert advertising into "StarCraft 2," then perhaps another "StarCraft" title, with a design more similar to the original Battle.net architecture (see below), would work.
Yes, I know that Karune also explained that he was referring specifically to Battle.net, but in the same sense as I've indicated above, he may have been subtly trying to redirect attention away from speculation on the new unannounced MMO property (which might be somehow similarly inspired by the original design for Battle.net - again, see below).
Battle.net was free, thanks to ads, and was an excellent medium to connect players for multiplayer games; if Blizzard creates a StarCraft MMO that is largely PvP or tournament-driven, sponsorship opportunities would be massive (pun intended), especially if they kept the game free. I don't doubt such a game would double WoW's subscriber base, topping 20 million players, if it was free - and the ad dollars would absolutely *flood* Blizzard's offices!
Two other factors worth consideration: (1) "StarCraft 2" might be designed simultaneously with a follow-up MMO in mind, in order to establish the story prior to its release (a la "WC3:TFT" / "WoW"); (2) corporate advertising would be much more at home in the dystopia of the "StarCraft" setting, and would make no sense and destroy any feeling of immersion in a fantasy property, such as "Diablo Online" or "WoW 2."
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3-07-2008 @ 2:43PM
Lars said...
Why not just cut to the chase and make an MMO that's fundamentally ad-based. All the character classes and races are based on ads, plus every item and quest in game.
"My WALL-E Weekend-Warrior has the Rav 4 mount, can't afford the epic H2 yet. I gotta check Sothebys for some new weapons to replace my Wiimote and Nunchuck. Just upgraded my chest piece to the Lakers jersey, so I'm good for a few levels there..."
3-07-2008 @ 2:45PM
Badger said...
Lars, that is so funny, and yet so horrifyingly wrong.