McDonald's, Intel to advertise in The Sims Online

According to a Reuters report, EA has signed multimillion dollar deals with McDonald's and Intel that ensure that players can buy virtual versions of those companies' products in The Sims Online. Players will be able to buy a McDonald's-branded hamburger stand in the game and earn virtual money by selling Big Macs to other players. Computers based on Intel's Pentium 4 chip will also have a place in the game.

Product placement is a common and lucrative practice for Hollywood TV and movie studios, but there have been few high-profile deals like this for games. EA notes that The Sims reaches a desirable demographic for advertisers, as half of the game's regular players are young women, according to EA's surveys.

The Sims Online is scheduled to launch in November. For more details, check out our previous coverage of the game.