Sega GETs in-game ads

Now that the majority of gamers have apparently resigned themselves to the unstoppable force that is in-game advertising, the revenue stream is picking up momentum. Since July, major publishers, such as Eidos and Codemasters, have signed deals with in-game advertisers, and Sony has gone as far as to create an in-house business unit dedicated to ad implementation.

The latest publisher to sign up for in-game ads is Sega of America. Today, advertising firm GET Interactive announced it would be partnering with the publisher on a "new video game it is developing." The title in question was not identified.

Instead of simply making an impression with a static product placement, GET's technology lets consumers actually buy a product seen in the game via in-game commands. The company claims that its advertisement methods are opt-in only, but did not elaborate how the opt-in process worked.

According to Rob Lightner, Sega's vice president of business development, "With typical product placement you simply see a product in the game, GET allows you take the relationship one step further and allows the consumer to interact in a more meaningful way with the brand."

Neither GET nor Sega had indicated what game the ads were being designed for or the specifics of the deal as of press time.