Midway signs Double Fusion for in-game ads

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot
Posted Feb 23, 2006 11:56 am PT

Fruits of multiyear, multigame deal to be seen in Stranglehold, other select titles.

In-game advertising is on the rise of late, with Midway Games providing the latest evidence of a growing trend. The company today announced a multiyear, multititle agreement with Double Fusion to provide dynamic in-game ads for specific upcoming Midway games.

"We believe that the technology to allow for dynamic, in-game advertising will add a sense of cultural relevance and context for the mass-market audience," Midway's chief marketing officer Steve Allison said in a statement. "Our relationship with Double Fusion will not only add potential incremental revenue on top of our existing static ad placements, but allow us to work with a partner sensitive to game development and committed to making ad placements organic and credible."

So far, Stranglehold is the only game that Midway has confirmed will have ads provided by Double Fusion, pointing toward a previously unannounced online multiplayer component for the title, which a Midway representative later confirmed for GameSpot. The publisher did not announce when players can expect to start seeing Double Fusion's ads in its games, but Stranglehold is currently scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2006.

15 Comments

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jakeboudville
Posted Feb 23, 2006 11:37 pm GMT

interesting.....
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vaejas
Posted Feb 23, 2006 5:39 pm GMT

"Let's all go to the lobby... let's all go to the lobby..."
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rusty_ghia
Posted Feb 23, 2006 4:53 pm GMT

And yet another reason why I won't be getting any Midway games. That, and the fact that their games are just plain terrible.
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someguy99
Posted Feb 23, 2006 4:41 pm GMT

The whole reason i dont watch tv is cuz of the advertisements! Now they are infecting this too?!?!
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fenriz275
Posted Feb 23, 2006 2:46 pm GMT

With ideas like this Midway wonders why their profits are down. Apparently you don't actually have to have any good ideas to be a Midway exec. I wish I could get a job like that.
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tankintheair315
Posted Feb 23, 2006 2:15 pm GMT

not cool
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santana4064
Posted Feb 23, 2006 1:21 pm GMT

Most likely they will have some posters withing a game or players in the game drinking a pepsi or coke during a scene of the game.
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ssj4_2004
Posted Feb 23, 2006 12:49 pm GMT

If polybren is right then it won't be so bad. In fact I like the idea. As long as it helps midway bounce back and create some great new games I'm all for it.
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Polybren
Posted Feb 23, 2006 12:35 pm GMT

Assuming it's like other dynamically served advertising and what Double Fusion pitches on its Web site, these in-game ads will come in the form of in-game billboards, branded vending machines and the like. The "dynamic" part comes in Double Fusion's ability to switch them up periodically, so a Gap billboard one week might have a summer blockbuster movie on it the next.
MiKaNoH
Posted Feb 23, 2006 12:28 pm GMT

hm... it will make midway games sell a bit more, so, its good for Midway
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Lungz5
Posted Feb 23, 2006 12:26 pm GMT

PS3 Game, lol, I like product placement, I hate banners and commercials in game that take away from viewing area or gaming time, not cool.
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--PlayStation3-
Posted Feb 23, 2006 12:25 pm GMT

thats stupid...
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FIJIDAWG
Posted Feb 23, 2006 12:15 pm GMT

if it is like commercial breaks i will not be happy, but if it's in the game say on billboards or little posters and stuff along the walls that would be ok. non obtrusive advertising, but enough that you can take a closer look if you want to. high def will make it easier to see these ad's without making them to big, so that is the best way to go. of course you know this should help lower those next gen game prices but it will just add money to each company.
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frankeyser
Posted Feb 23, 2006 12:03 pm GMT

is it going to be like a commercial break... or something more intergrated....
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paradyme777
Posted Feb 23, 2006 12:01 pm GMT

How exactly is this in-game advertising going to work?
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