2K inks Massive ad deal

Dynamic in-game ads will round the bases in Major League Baseball 2K6; possibility of ads to move into other 2K Sports titles.

As sports games get closer to mimicking television broadcasts, they've become prime targets for in-game ads. The move has been very noticeable recently, with Fight Night Round 3 bringing in Burger King to pitch fast food and PowerBar sponsoring replays in NBA 2K6.

The whole spiel around in-game advertising has frequently come back to one caveat--it's fine as along as it feels like it belongs in the game. Anyone who has ever been to a Major League Baseball park or recently watched a televised MLB broadcast knows that baseball is fertile ground for advertising, whether it's on the scoreboard, in the ballpark's name, or in between-inning entertainment.

It makes sense then that Massive Incorporated, a company that specializes in in-game advertising, and 2K Sports, publishers of Major League Baseball 2K6, have announced a deal to put in-game ads in MLB 2K6.

Also involved in the deal are MLB Advanced Media, which handles interactive media and Internet-related issues with the MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association. Under the agreement, Massive has the exclusive rights to dynamic in-game advertising "in certain MLBAM-licensed" games. No specific platforms or terms of the deal were disclosed.

"Sports games are ideal vehicles for in-game advertising, as the advertising adds an element of realism to the experience for gamers," said Steve Glickstein, vice president of licensing for 2K Sports.

Though the deal makes 2K Sports "a member of the Massive Network," no other sports titles have yet been announced to feature Massive's services, but it's very likely that the deal will spill into other titles.

37 Comments

  • flashheadeditor

    Posted Apr 29, 2006 2:50 pm PT

    I don't care cause NBA 2k6 comes out at 40 while Live 06 comes out at 50 and is a better game in almost every way. If the adds give more funding without interfering with gameplay or raising the price, its all good.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Apr 6, 2006 5:55 am PT

    oh noze!!! ads!! fine with me if it lowers the price of the game. but i bet they will just pocket the extra $$$$.

  • dn3datomiced

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:57 pm PT

    You know, why don't they do it the other way around: Show an advertisment for the Dodge Caliber on TV and call it "The official car of Fight Night Round 3, from EA"? Eh?

  • NeoJedi

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 8:42 pm PT

    If it doesn't hinder gameplay, I don't mind at all... sports are huge vehicule for adds anyways.

  • gatsbythepig

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 1:18 pm PT

    If I am going to look at ads in my videogames then I will pay less and expect more.

  • ZeTecThreaT

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 1:06 pm PT

    My respect for 2K Sports just got lower...

  • Corvin

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 12:47 pm PT

    I sense... the coming of a transitional period where you may be able to purchase a game in the store for the regular tag price of $50-60 OR there will be a cheaper, download version with advertisements (either integrated or in menus, cutscenes, etc). It would be a good experiment; how much do folks *really* mind ads in their game, if you combine no manufacturing/shipping plus offset costs with optional advertising in game. Seems like a worthy experiment to *me* at least.
    If you could have ES: Oblivion for $25-30 but it takes up 5-6g on your 360 HD, no box or printed manual/map, and has in-game advertisements, would you?

  • balindos

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 12:45 pm PT

    This is easy. If your are going to put ads DROP THE PRICE OF THE GAME. Ads will only make developers work hard on the advertisements other than graphics and gameplay, at least drop the price for us.

  • glennsonoda

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 12:27 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • chaos_theory_09

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 12:20 pm PT

    as long as they don't put a mcdonalds restaraunt in the next elder scrolls, I don't really care.

  • fluffebunnie

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 12:11 pm PT

    FOR THOSE ASKING FOR LOWER GAME PRICES, this is not going to happen.

    Correct.

  • fluffebunnie

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 12:10 pm PT

    Bleh. In-game advertising. Buy your Lindsay Lohan Tunic now!

  • smbius

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 12:03 pm PT

    FOR THOSE ASKING FOR LOWER GAME PRICES, this is not going to happen. As long as people continue to buy games at these current prices, developers/publishers do not want to use ad-supported sports games (or other games that use ads) to set a trend for cheaper games. This can affect the quality of other games that do not use any ads at all. Consider the fact that high-caliber RPGs require bigger production teams using more money but cannot use ads. If other games were cheaper than these high-production games, the developers would be losing a ton of money per copy. Customers/gamers would be more inclined to wait for price drops.

    Games are becoming more like gas. More people seem comfortable paying for it....and we all know we need gas...not games.

  • Cartman86

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 12:00 pm PT

    Sports game are obviously fine. In fact it maybe be better. More realism. Its the day that an MMO gets it when you have to pay and it doesn't make sense. Like "Don't miss an exciting new episode of 24 this Monday ON FOX!" in World of Warcraft.

  • John_of_Fire

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:57 am PT

    I'm glad if companies can recoup some more money to help with development costs. A few adds in sports games and racing games fine but if load screens start being add banners I'm going to be furious. I try to boycott DVDs with forced previews and adds in front. I don't pay money to watch adds.

  • VolcanoMan001

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:55 am PT

    The ads belong in sports games and make them feel a bit more authentic. As long as I am not FORCED to watch the viagra sponsored instant replays and such then I am ok with that. However, some games are beginning to become annoying with ads. Everyone knows that EA is advertisement sellouts in every game. How many people remember the check your messaged on the T mobile (TM, (c)) Sidekick! In Def JAM? Or racing past that 1 millionth Best Buy and McDonalds in Need for Speed? Sometimes it can get a little annoying.

  • glennsonoda

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:53 am PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • ashuncc2

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:46 am PT

    Ads are fine.
    Sometimes, they can make a game look more realisitic. The only complaints are when the advertisement would not normally be in that type setting or affects gameplay.

  • jcloverboy

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:32 am PT

    Having advertisements in-game (ex. NBA 2K6) make the game all the more realistic.

    A lot of times Instant Replays in sport are sponsored.

    i remember when Triple Play games had fake adds throughout the game that you'd hear on the PA while playing. Good fun.

  • FrankieLA

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:31 am PT

    Simple Math:

    Next-Gen Games Cost MORE. Besides these Massive deals are pennies compared to selling a couple extra thousand copies of the game.

  • EBWCLIF

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:30 am PT

    I just think, since all these games are adding advertising then the next gen systems shouldn't be charging $60 a game. The advertising revenue should be keeping the prices of games down. It just doesn't seem to benefit the customer, only the developer.

  • DeathAdder

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:24 am PT

    The problem is that since the next gen games cost more to make they have to do stuff like in-game ads just to keep the price where it is. Without the added revenue from stuff like ads the game would probably cost 80 bucks or more. 60 bucks for a game is the new norm. Get used to it. In a few years when its cheaper to make the games then you can expect lower prices but until then ads will be necessary just to keep the price at 60 dollars.

  • mookiefl

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:15 am PT

    Ads for real companies on the walls in a major league baseball stadium or on in front of the scorer's table in an NBA arena would be more realistic than the fake ones we get now, but the promotional stuff in Fight Night Round 3 is a galling and distracting mess. You never see anything like it on HBO, Showtime, or ESPN. It seems more in tune with the old FX broadcasts of Toughman competitions. If you've seen the match "brought to you by the new Dodge Caliber," you know exactly what I'm talking about.

  • skitzocyko

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:13 am PT

    drop the price of the game if you are advertising since they are getting paid to be in it

  • Yagami-Iori

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 11:10 am PT

    Watch as your replay videos now have this amazing ability to always keep a view on a couple major ads.... and maybe the player

  • Spartanx23

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:57 am PT

    I hope this road leads to finally having Michael Jordan back in NBA games. Playing old all star teams that do not include him is a joke.

  • the_junk

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:57 am PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • joeamis

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:57 am PT

    I also think a game's price should be lower if it had ads within it. The should drop the price to $55 or $50. But there is a downside, games without ads, that would be more impacted by ads, might put ads in too in order to be able to be $50-$55, or they might get less sales being at $60.

  • mkdc

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:52 am PT

    honestly, the ads don't matter as long as we are not forced to see them. If it's somewhere along the park or scoreboard or even on a player's shirt, it's fine. A sin would be if the game stops and force us to watch the ad.

  • Bgrngod

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:47 am PT

    If anything this will mean that the 2k games will remain at the $50 price point or lower DESPITE the increased costs in producing these games on the next-gen platforms.

    Personally..I miss the $20 2k game season we had awhile back..that was awesome. (and the only version that I own).

    Kyle B.

  • cloudstrife75

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:33 am PT

    ^^... if thats true then i dont mind

  • ghsacidman

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:33 am PT

    What I don't get is, they are making more money with the advertising yet the price of the game stays the same.... So why is their an advantage for the gamer to pick up an add filled game, it's like paying the same price for less. I personally hate adds even if they don't get in the way and purposly avoid games that have adds. It's like paying $50 dollars to become a corporate tool, I can't have that. If they dropped the price of a game with adds 10 bucks, I'd might pick a add filled game up to save money.

  • Attitude2000

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:32 am PT

    It probably just means the ads on the scoreboards and walls won't be fake.

  • elessartelrunya

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:30 am PT

    Mmmmm...Burger King...

  • eduardjm

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:22 am PT

    what about bringing the price of games DOWN now that this additional revenue is guaranteed with a contract for advertising....or is that money going to offset flying in Shaq in a private jet to get his facial profile perfect in the game??...

  • MordethDrakkhar

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:22 am PT

    Agreed.

  • birdinflight

    Posted Apr 5, 2006 10:17 am PT

    As long as it doesn't interfere with gameplay, I couldn't care less about in game advertisements.

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