Obama's in-game ad bill: $44.5K

Democratic presidential candidate discloses costs related to monthlong campaign in 18 games across 10 battleground states.

Tonight, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is paying about $1 million each to CBS, NBC, and Fox to run a half-hour campaign ad during primetime. However, one high-profile attempt by the Illinois senator to reach young voters didn't come at such a premium.

Virtual billboards cost real money.

For weeks now, Obama has been running in-game ads in games such as Burnout Paradise for the Xbox 360 across 10 battleground states. The full campaign started on October 6, runs through November 3, and spans a reported 18 games. According to the Obama campaign's pre-general-election filing with the Federal Election Commission, the Democratic challenger paid Massive Incorporated $44,465.78 for online advertising in early October.

Massive has previously said that it also approached Republican presidential candidate John McCain about advertising in games, but the senator from Arizona passed on the offer. As of press time, Massive representatives had not returned GameSpot's request for clarification as to how much of the ad campaign that payment covered.

215 Comments

  • Lord__Darkstorn

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 2:14 pm PT

    $45,000 is almost nothing in a presidential campaign. Obama's a smart man for making this move.

  • sgt-hawkins

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 11:59 am PT

    well i guess since everyone on the planet can run amarica better than evry other person when we vote we should all do a write in that way they would have to do a 250 million person tiebreaker

  • retrofraction12

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 9:58 am PT

    wow, that is to much money..... ushally I dont even look at the sines in the game.

  • akiwak

    Posted Nov 2, 2008 9:54 pm PT

    Change is good?

  • frazzle00

    Posted Nov 2, 2008 9:30 pm PT

    @rarson

    Well you could argue that the failed examples of Communism seen since the second Russian Revolution set Lenin in power, are not "real" examples of Communism, but Communism sullied by human frailties like greed . Apart from that I do agree with what you've said. It's a shame that the majority of the voting public in America are not as well informed.

  • rarson

    Posted Nov 2, 2008 8:37 pm PT

    "The man is a socialist and people cannot see this. I don't mind moderate dems, but this guy is FAR from moderate."

    No, he's not. He's actually *right* of center. That is, he's a moderate CONSERVATIVE.

    http://politicalcompass.org/uselection2008

    If you want to call someone socialist, you'd have to be talking about someone like Nader or Kucinich, who are actually left of center.

  • rarson

    Posted Nov 2, 2008 8:34 pm PT

    "I don't see how we are crumbling given that we haven't hit a depression (yet)."

    That's because the Fed uses its money magic to (attempt to) avoid recessions and depressions. What you're failing to see is that while they tend to make things better in the short term, they actually make things worse in the long term (see the Great Depression).

    The root of the problem is that our currency is fiat and controlled by private banks who manipulate it for their own gains. They can't see past their own greed, and thus they continue to make the same mistakes that others have made in the past that led to the ruin of various currencies (see hyperinflation in Germany in the 1920's, where prices doubled every 49 hours).

    As long as the government keeps playing make-believe with Monopoly money, we will continue to face ever-increasing economic problems. What we need is sound monetary policy backed by tangible assets.

  • rarson

    Posted Nov 2, 2008 8:30 pm PT

    "Thank you Alan Greenspan for championing rampant deregulation."

    The US government has spent 1.425 TRILLION dollars bailing out bad businesses since 1970. That is the exact OPPOSITE of deregulation. It is government subsidization of bad business practices.

    Lenders were giving out bad loans like Halloween candy because they knew from past experience that the government would bail them out, just like daddy Bush bailed out the savings and loan industry back in 1989.

    http://www.propublica.org/special/government-bailouts

  • rarson

    Posted Nov 2, 2008 8:24 pm PT

    "Socialism works"

    LOL! In the same way that communism works!

    Most people don't seem to understand that the "capitalism" that we have today isn't actually REAL capitalism, it is crony capitalism. You can thank Hamilton for our bastardized capitalism. Mercantilism is a better word for it than capitalism.

  • Tainaled

    Posted Nov 2, 2008 12:06 pm PT

    i bet obama makes himself sick with his advertising tactics

  • frazzle00

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 10:28 pm PT

    @skunkpants

    You should read the article again. The ads only show up in America, and only in 10 states where it is expected that the voting battle will be close. I do however agree with you that America has a nasty tendency to assume its absolute importance over the rest of the world.

  • frazzle00

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 10:26 pm PT

    It's a clever move on Obama's part. He's reaching for a demographic that may tend to be apathetic towards the whole voting process. It can also be taken as a positive indication that Obama is willing to try something new, which surely is a lot better of an option than having a staid politico like McCain and his frighteningly insane running mate Palin.

  • skunkpants

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    Why do we in Europe have to put up with seeing gay ads on your candidates? Just because you can't make up your mind and have to see who throws in the most into advertising to choose for next president, doesn't mean that we have to put up with it!!!
    USA is a small part of the world that should keep more to itself then spreading itself into other continents!

  • 14113a

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 2:17 pm PT

    @ ecs23

    Socialism works

    get over it

    and capitalisim produces basteds, utter basteds.

  • 14113a

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 2:15 pm PT

    on nintendo kid's point, I have nothing against mccain, but I feel that the shock value in having a black president should help towards combating the inherent racism in the American system.

    oh

    and Sarah Palins a nutter

    and george bush is stupid and ignorant, you only have to watch him in a press conference to see that. and the only reason that he beat john kerry and al gore in an election is that the american voters are as ignorant as he is

  • 14113a

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 2:13 pm PT

    Palin is the worst thing ever to hit america, if she were elected, sure, ittll be funny as moose killing becomes mandatory but in the second before she nukes the only foreign place shes ever heard of (russia) and the world ends all americans will realise what idiots theyve been.

  • Zerabp posted Nov 1, 2008 11:06 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    Zerabp

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 11:06 am PT (hide)

    @ hungoman

    While I agree the Palin nomination wasn't Mccains best choice you do realize she has more experience herself then Obama right? She also with that more experience has less baggage then Obama. The fact is neither man should be running my country and both are going to mess up our economy more then it is already.

  • division_9

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 8:16 pm PT

    I like Obama, the guy's smart, very smart.

  • maverick_76

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 6:29 pm PT

    The left allowed the legislation to be passed to get a home loan with no money down and no job security and the right didn't care because they made gobs of money off the speculation in stock prices and falsifying quarterly earnings. Thank you Alan Greenspan for championing rampant deregulation. Oh and yes, this election is a lesser of two evils.

  • RavageGT

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 4:45 pm PT

    My parents are democrats and I think Obama is cool, but isn't this pushing it?

  • nintendokid

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    @ecs33

    Offer productive criticism but don't disrespect and insult McCain just because he's older than any other presidential candidate. Your posts were great until I got to that statement. It just totally destroys your credibility. If you scroll down the page there is not one single insult directed at the Obama's background, but rather his policies. You went from intellectual to "old and frail". Horrible. Might as well bring up that Palin is a woman and Obama's father is from Kenya.

    You are making yourself out to be one of those liberals who ignorantly view President Bush as unintelligent and dumb eventhough he destroyed Yale alumnus John Kerry and Harvard alumnus Al Gore.

  • Champ721

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 2:58 pm PT

    Gee, I wonder who was paying for this?

  • ecs33

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 1:07 pm PT

    And by efficiency I don't mean by how well the government reacts to things (it is slow). I mean the nature of the laws and the economy those laws govern.

  • ecs33

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 1:06 pm PT

    Crumbling empire? This isn't the only recession we had in the past decade. Even during this recession our economy still runs strong to world standards, but compared to how we were it is crappy. I don't see how we are crumbling given that we haven't hit a depression (yet).

    And even if we did hit the big D, we have been through one before, so I am sure our government is more than capable to get by it.

    What I am worried about is significant changes to the government that would make us inefficient. One of the reasons why we became one of the most dominant economies in the first place is because of efficiency. Yes there are blaring innefficiencies, but not nearly as bad as you would see around the world. capitalism will produce losers and winners. I just hope that this "revolution" doesn't take us too far from our government's roots so that what made us strong in the first place is gone.

  • Hugomanen

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 12:59 pm PT

    Im a european so im of course biased by that in the obama vs mccain discussion

    i read something on wikipedia that BOTH canditates have made promises that would dramatically increase the foreign debt, only mccain apparently wants to increase it by 50% where obama stays at 35% (by 2020 i think?)
    To be honest i dont think either candidate is fit to rule a crumbling empire, but in the end i think obama is the lesser of two evils, among other thing because mccain simply doesnt think or research before he acts! just look at the palin nomination!!!

  • ecs33

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 12:45 pm PT

    And then the guy first said that he wouldn't tax anyone over 250000, now he lowered that number to 200000. The guy is obviously lying through his teeth. There will be large tax gains for any family making over 70 grand a year if he is elected. I am calling it now. The man is a socialist and people cannot see this. I don't mind moderate dems, but this guy is FAR from moderate.

  • ecs33

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 12:42 pm PT

    @gamer082009

    And what the media doesn't tell you is that the very reason we are in a recession now is due to both democrats and repubs faults.

    Do research on something called ACORN. This organization (sponsored by Dems) put in legislation that helped those lower income people who wouldn't be otherwise qualified for it, qualified. Many of the people who are defaulting on their loans received those loans due to the socialist policies of the left.

    The right are also at fault. There does truly need to be surveilance over banks, but the dems don't make it easier.

    So instead of saying it is one side's fault do your research. Many of the socialist policies of late have contributed to the current recession. This, coupled after the Obama Socialist bomb shell that I saw recently, makes me not want to vote for this guy. I don't like McCain much either. Independent this year baby!

  • ecs33

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 12:36 pm PT

    @necronaux:

    Dude, you are out of touch. Remember how Obama promised us that he wasn't going to spend alot on advertising and give it to the public? He obviously renicked on his promise, given this and the fact he had a 30 minute ad before the Phillies game.

    Then I heard his rant about socialism. Oh my God. No thanks. I can take care of myself thank you.

    McCain on the other hand is old and frail. I don't know if more of the same would work out. But I do know for a fact that I can't trust Obama at all. The guy is a radical left. I cannot stand socialists.

    So Necro, instead of spouting out common leftist phrases that everyone has heard a million times, please put some thought and research before you say something real dumb.

    Plus I don't think this will be a very effective ad. It will piss people off more than anything. I believe that video gamers don't want everyday life mingled in with their video games.

  • TranRoxas

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 11:55 am PT

    huh? gamespot told me they deleted my message because I directly insulted another member, but I still see it. Reguardless, I would like to use this forum to apologize to Metalman. I am sorry for calling dumb. You are more than welcome to inaccurately use words to describe things you know nothing about.

  • necronaux

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 11:34 am PT

    Love it or hate it, it was money well spent. Just look at all the extra publicity it's generated through news reports, articles, and blog/postings like this. And for McCain and his advisors not to have seen this as an opportunity, just shows how out-of-touch he is.

  • bildevo

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 11:12 am PT

    Funny how he's always preaching against games yet he adversises in them

  • glhx2112

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 10:52 am PT

    Great, I have to watch The Messiah's commercials spouting Socialist/Marxist propaganda on TV 24/7. Now he's invaded my game system ?

  • Subsanity

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 9:57 am PT

    Don't gamers know we don't talk politics or religion online.

  • ShirkDawg

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 9:14 am PT

    Mattcake,

    I agree 100%

  • mattcake

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 5:57 am PT

    Ergh, I didn't realise they were doing things like this. I don't have a problem with ingame advertising when it's relevant to the game world, but the last thing I want is to see current affairs issues otherwise games will just be one big commercial break. Next they'll be telling us what's on Fox tonight or what colour Paris Hilton's knickers are today, should she be wearing any.

    I think it would be a hugely good idea to stay away from anything political and religious at the very least as they bring out the worst in people's attitudes towards each other (see below)

  • lucebuce

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 4:30 am PT

    more than half of the users who commented on this are gonna get banned

  • ElectrolightSH

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 11:11 pm PT

    Who would vote for that... um I am not getting banned again but all I will say is that if I seen his face in any of my games I would sue it's developer and publisher for the game containing vulgar and offensive content.

  • Rockman_00X

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 10:51 pm PT

    If anything McCain is more of a socialist than you think. He's only looking out for his Elitist friends and will do what he can to protect it. McCain never had to deal with racism or profiling. Yes, he was a POW, but how does that qualify you as President? He's just gonna do what Bush did and sit back and let our economy run wild, while working people like us are going to suffer. He's not gonna create anything except a socialist regime to oppress everyone who works. Don't believe me? Look at the city of New York and look at the divide of it's residents. Now picture that...across our country, if we vote in McCain.

  • gamer082009

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 10:39 pm PT

    If people think those things the media, in particular the right wing media are putting out is true about Obama, expect a McCain/Palin ticket to win, and if you thought the U.S. was in bad shape now wait until they screw things up much more than what Bush did. McCain and Palin are the equivalent of DUMB and DUMBER! If Obama loses people are gonna be wishin they had went with the only TRUE-HONEST-HOPE-people first candidate that this country will EVER see. **Go Obama**

  • nintendokid

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 9:43 pm PT

    @Jebril

    Merriam-Webster definition of fairness: marked by impartiality and honesty : free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism

    If we are going to be 100% fair let's take money from everyone who pays taxes, not just those who make more than $250,000. It's not fair that only the rich folks get to give their money to those who pay little or no tax. I want to give my money away too! Don't you, Jebril? I'm sure your parents want to give away their money too. I want my parents, I want your parents, I want Jebril, I want all of us who has a job and pays any amount of tax to contribute.

    Jebril, how many games will you be buying this holiday? Would you be willing to give away some of your games to those who can't afford to buy games this Christmas? No? Why not? I thought you wanted to be fair? Are you saying you or your parents worked long hours to get you your games? But how come you were so accepting earlier when it was other people's money being given away?

  • TehUndeadHorror

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 9:01 pm PT

    Haha that's mean! Massive got loads of money!

  • MTMind2

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 5:25 pm PT

    @nintendokid

    "I would like to know what your nationality is. It would give us a better understanding of why you feel the way you do."

    sorry mate but i do prefer to keep such details private. call it experience ;-) but thanks for asking

  • nintendokid

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 5:14 pm PT

    @MTMind2

    I would like to know what your nationality is. It would give us a better understanding of why you feel the way you do.

  • Jebril

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 5:11 pm PT

    For anyone who thinks that what he's doing is economic redistribution or socialism or communism or whatever, LET ME JUST SAY ITS NOT.

    Under Bush these fat cats had HUGE tax cuts, this is basically the opposite of what Bush did. It's called FAIRNESS.

  • MetalMan300 posted Oct 30, 2008 4:56 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    MetalMan300

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 4:56 pm PT (hide)

    Obama, what a communist... Thats not the kind of change I want.

  • MTMind2

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 4:23 pm PT

    @RonRicoSalsa

    you wrote: "On foreign policy, I guess it's entirely the U.S.' fault that Iran, a terrorist-supporting nation, is developing Nukes and promising to destroy Israel, or the U.S. fault that North Korea wants to blackmail the world with nukes for money to support their putrid communist economy. Or maybe it's the U.S. fault that almost every nation in the world with a respectable intelligence agency was saying that Iraq was developing WMDs."

    another example of putting words into peoples mouths. where did i say it was all the us fault? i didnt. terrible things happened and were happening in the world which require a response from the us. in some ways they were dammed if they do and dammed if they dont. but the bush administration approach to foreign policy resulted in critisism and enemies of those who could have been in support and allies. but at the same time, i do know that it is soooooo easy to say this with hindsight, but some mistakes should have been avoided.

  • tkworldwyde

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 4:08 pm PT

    THIS IS FOR NINTENDOKID..............
    Dude your last paragraph is dead on righ (just look at....) i'share the same thoughts. i posted here yesterday. 18 19 20 year olds are going to vote for obama because hes the "in" thing. like their new puppies they see everyone carrying. this guy is gonna be here for 4 years, i dont think they get it. ya can get a new pres. when your tired wiht this one.

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