Using built-in down time sounds like games are getting commercials like TV.

I guess I don't have a huge problem with them advertising in video games, it's probably inevitable. But I better get some free, or at least really cheap, stuff for watching these ads.

Keep this up, Microsoft, and Sony won't even look bad when they put the ads back onto the PS3 Wipeout's loading screen!

ARGH

This is why I don't watch (much) TV, I fucking hate commercials.

I thought they laid off a bunch of people at Massive, not enough I guess.

If the intent of this is to lower the price of the final product so gamers don't pay as much for their games I can understand. But if it's just a way to increase Microsoft's profit at the detriment of gamers, then it's ridiculous.

Why would I pay full price for a game only to be bombarded by ads that don't benefit me at all.

In some instances, like previous attempts at doing this, it really gets in the way of the game as it inflates the waiting time, e.g. Wipeout for the PS3.

I don't want ads in paid content, period. It's insulting and there is no benefit for my gaming experience.

At least they should give you the option to buy an ad-free game. Otherwise they're not seeing a cent of my money.

Game budgets are getting more expensive and gamers don't want to pay higher prices to keep up. So publishers are coming up with other revenue streams. Hence paid for DLC (which gamers also complain about), ads (which gamers also complain about), etc.

This sort of thing is an inevitability, unless y'all want every game to be coming out with 2006 level production values.

Cheaper games? Really? I hope you left out a smiley face there. That won't happen because $50 have that instant 'budget' stigma that kills high-profile games. However, I'm happy with my high-profile multimillion dollar production games NOT being $80 or $90.

Besides, what about cable TV, Netflix, movies, internet videos... those all have ads, are super popular, and people pay money for them..

Interesting!

Well, if they can get away with throwing Obama ads into video games, I'm glad to see they'll also be advertising crap I actually care about.

If I thought that it actually would bring down the cost of games I would be all for it, but since they will take the extra revenue on top of the price of the games it's just another excuse to deprive me of money. One thing everyone should wonder is how will they sell ad time. Will they use a click through model or a ratings based scale. So then will there be Nielsen Boxes hooked up to your console? Just things to think about.

Stupidity like this is the reason why I've gotten more and more away from playing video games. I spend (too much) money BUYING a game that needs to have more levels and patches downloaded to it when I put it into my already expensive system, then I have to suffer watching ads that I don't care about and WILL become repetitive FAST, and outdated all too soon. I think that I'll stick with reading books on paper.

Books on paper, why what a novel idea.....lol. I am currently reading 2 books made out of paper & both for enjoyment. Im glad they heven't figured out how to put ads in books yet & hope that these F'in ads that are going to be in games are based on a number of times you can see it before they go away. Last thing I want to see 3 years after a game comes out is the SAME ads. Are there going to be ads in WOW's next patch? or D3? I can understand ads in a racing game as you drive by a billboard, but if I have to sit and WATCH a commercial when I want to shoot & kill, well....I guess we'll have to see how long the top dogs of the games makers can run for the hills before every gamer chases after them in a real video game. Happy Hunting !!!

How about this idea, the pay-n-play games.....are there going to be ads in these since you are PAYING them EVERY month??? I have yet to see a game worth spending monthly money on after I've bought the original. New content yes, but monthly charges.......F that.

Anyway, I hope these ads are game related.....ie....racing games should have car ads, Sims should have Douche commercials, space games should have ads geared towards the scientific aspect, so on and so forth.