EA Stupidly Want To Put Ads In Triple-A Games

Subscribe to the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast anywhere you get your podcasts!!
- Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/75Wj1jp...
- Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...
- Podbay: podbay.fm/p/whatculture-gaming
----------
For more awesome content, check out whatculture.com/gaming
Find us on Twitter: / wculturegaming
Catch us on Facebook: / whatcultureg. .

[@ThePromp34]

Sports licensing should be taken away from EA

[@SeongJeonHwan]

any video game studio also need to be taken away from EA

[@BrainboxccGames]

have you SEEN sport on TV? They'd get MORE sports licensing not get it taken away!

[@DRAGONSAREPRETTYCOOL]

Ikr,these aren't mobile games

[@toongrowner1]

how it should go: "Hey, how about we put ads into our games?" "You're fired."

[@Bman32x]

It should… except the person saying you’re fired is the person who’s suggesting putting ads in games.

[@GUKingOfHeart]

instead of you're fired, they're giving them a raise!

[@Kleetus_Van_Damm]

This would be the literal worst idea in gaming history.

[@dirkdigger69]

It’s like the scene in ready player one “we can monetize 90% of the screen before inducing seizures”

[@orc001]

Tbh EA have had a lot of those, but the billions they still steal from little kids and their mommies' credit cards keep pushing people around, doing whatever they want. Scum

[@gnollsuwu3861]

Funny enough this isn't the first time this was suggested essentially

[@ThatPinkPanther]

Why? People will still buy. I support EA in this move.

[@Bman32x]

Other than developers getting tips from customers who already bought the game.

[@trumpetbob15]

Dear EA, I paid for your game. No ads! End of story! No discussion; no questions; nothing! I already paid you!

[@DUDE16914]

Buying from EA was your mistake

[@trainingsavedmylife]

Stop giving EA your money and maybe they will go out of business. Thats how we win

[@rhinox9292]

Since WHEN has that mattered to EA😂 Buying from EA means: $70(game) + $100/monthly(for loot boxes) + BattlePass fee It’s wiser to play poker at a casino owned by the Mob

[@susanalderson8267]

If I pay for a game & find ads in it I'm getting a refund .

[@justinsinke2088]

"How much revenue is enough revenue". That's the million dollar question (no pun intended), because more often than not, the answer is "more".

[@Bman32x]

Especially when single player and local co-op multiplayer games with true expansion DLC prove they are more than viable markets. The publishers are just greedy.

[@xSintex]

Welcome to late stage capitalism. Where capitalism collapses because infinite growth is impossible.

[@umziwoxolodlodlo285]

EA is now literally the IOI company from Ready Player One😂

[@MikieCotignola]

I remember Alan Wake when it launched. The Duracell ads didn't bug me as much as the Verizon ones did, but that's because there was an achievement tied to watching all of the Verizon ads. One was just a "it makes sense" and even added a bit of realism (Duracell) while the other stopped gameplay and gated off an achievement. As for games moving forward, I'm not opposed to ads outright, but like these guys said, if I paid full price for a game I shouldn't end up with 30-second unskippable ads that halt gameplay. I don't mind billboards or product placement if it makes sense (don't give me Duracell ads in Red Dead, for example), but even opening up to ads a little is going to be a slippery slope that leads to a bad place.

[@ledumpsterfire6474]

Mark my words. Within ten to fifteen years, every game is going to have its own mobile style "no ads" microtransaction for like $10. The worse examples will have monthly subscriptions for ad free.

[@xSintex]

@@ledumpsterfire6474 Maybe every triple A game. Or is it quadruple a? Quintuple A by that point? Whatever. Indies are where the gaming is now. Publishers have killed all main stream IPs.

[@ledumpsterfire6474]

@@xSintex More specifically, yeah. It really is a shame though. If indies had even a quarter of the budget these AAA companies do, there would be an ass load of amazing games.

[@bkr8932]

This sounds like what KZbin already does, but just like KZbin, this makes me want to buy your product less not more

[@npcimknot958]

Imagine paying 80$+ for ads

[@Bman32x]

It’s what’s happening in streaming. The prices keep going up, but they still have ads before your show or movie starts.

[@psycho-fe5xd]

Could u imagine having the perfect headshot lined up and suddenly, WHOPPER WHOPPER WHOPPER WHOPPER!

[@JakeTheHuman1]

JUNIOR DOUBLE TRIPLE WHOPPER!

[@Bman32x]

LOL as much as I hate that idea this is hilarious

[@tehabi]

Sonic had ads in Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 but they were non-intrusive and were limited to posters and billboards.

[@Cornhollo26]

The same is applied to “Midnight Club: Los Angeles”, “Crackdown”, and “Burnout: Paradise” for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

[@ZorroVulpes]

I don't think they're talking about adding billboards to open world games, I think they mean ads in menus windows 11 style

[@tehabi]

@@ZorroVulpes that's fair. I would not want such ads in my games. I would give up the hobby if they started being in every game

[@Bman32x]

Those are not the ads we’re talking about. We’re talking unstoppable mobile game ads that interrupt your playing experience.

[@dakidvision]

@@Cornhollo26the Obama van

[@GLJosh]

'Open a loot crate'-Watch Ad for a 2% chance for better loot?

[@markysumm72]

It's inevitable but when it becomes the norm for ads to interrupt games like they do with KZbin videos, that's when I'll quit my gaming hobby that I've enjoyed for 46 years. 🙄

[@toongrowner1]

or move to indie or retro

[@happyspaceinvader508]

@@toongrowner1This… and I did it anyway a few years back, due to the numerous ways triple-A games try to nickel & dime money out of you when you’ve already paid for the game. And good grief there are some incredible indie games around. And of course a massive library of older games you can play via emulation.

[@markysumm72]

​@toongrowner1 I mean if it becomes the norm for ALL games. Wouldn't be surprised if indie companies do it too, they need revenue more than the likes of EA.

[@bricktop.]

Sir, I started on the ZX Spectrum and it'll be a damn shame if I have to quit gaming now but il do what must be done. The absolute state of this industry is pathetic. Greed beyond anything even remotely fathomable.

[@toongrowner1]

@@markysumm72 don't think you have to worry about that, what is norm for AAA is not norm for indie. Like I could tell you not a single indie game that has life service, micro transaction or loot boxes. Maybe a DLC or two, but then mostly just when the game did actually became a succes and in certain cases like Shovel Knight or pizza tower, it's a free update then. The people doing indie games, making games legit out of passion for the medium and not for greed

[@seizetheghost6616]

Every day I'm shown I was right to leave AAA games alone

[@MrPerfect55555]

I haven’t been able to play online since February and now they want to do this. I really want to know why they hate us.

[@n1mand]

Stop buying their games.

[@MrPerfect55555]

Already did I’m just trying to play the games I already have.

[@ledumpsterfire6474]

Because you're poor. And if you're not poor, then you're not giving them enough money.

[@MrPerfect55555]

@@ledumpsterfire6474 🤣

[@SmashBrosAssemble]

It’s obviously not gonna happen with the Star Wars games cause Lucasfilm just won’t allow it.

[@Bman32x]

Don’t be so sure. Publishers are becoming more money hungry and greedy than ever. Star Wars Outlaws already has seasonal content on top of $70 premium.

[@dsmith11373]

Stop buying EA products now. Send the message.

[@sonikwidak]

The only games I played from ea in the last 10 years are jedi fallen order, dead space remake, and jedi survivor, I only payed for jedi fallen order and it was on sale so I think it cost me £20, the rest I played through game pass, but most ea games are boring and rubbish ie sports games 😂

[@davidmahoney3804]

Boycott EA games, we've seen this work several times!!!!!!!!

[@MrMartellSincere]

Ea are scummy for doing this

[@UnjustifiedRecs]

The day i get adverts in games i play is the day i stop playing

[@fernandeirao]

EA always finds a way to do worse. Unbelievable!

[@Black_Phillip_Goat]

This is why I’m worried about College Football 25. Everyone is using nostalgia to say the game will be great, but they forget that EA sports is not the company that used to be.

[@KadeemG61]

EA Sports is dead.

[@johnhoyt8349]

Totally agree. As much as I loved playing the college football games as a kid, this new one is just going to be a reskinned Madden. And it'll probably be jankier than normal Madden and have even more microtransactions.

[@craigl458]

The state of gaming right now compared to 20 years ago is frightening. I feel bad for kids today growing up where this bullshit is the normality

[@the83rdtrombonist60]

EA loves to double-dip whenever and wherever possible

[@thanatosyt9894]

EA does not have the customer loyalty they think they do.

[@bricktop.]

Adverts are the single most ANNOYING thing about any form of digital media. The thing is though, they must work because companies/youtubers/developers etc all keep doing it. If i get an advert pop up for literally anything then i will not buy that product or service. If i need something i will search it up and purchase it. I dont want it thrown in my face .

[@danielmay5065]

I think it would be for the best if EA went out of business cause frankly they are toxic.

[@famijher]

Flash Forward a few years: "Welcome to the Madden 28 Superbowl! I bet you can't wait to see the amazing ads they've made for this Landmark Video Game!"

[@jimvideotv]

Not only did EA put ads in Burnout 3, the screen shots in ads and popular magazines didn't show ads.

[@quatsch344]

I think it is fine. People who don't want ads can always buy a monthly subscription for their single player game to remove them from the product they bought but don't actually own. The subscription for 4.99 lets you play the game but with ads, the one for 10.99 removes most ads except for those that are not skippable and in-between cutscenes and the one for 19.99 removes all ads except those implemented by "premium brand partners" who also paid quite a lot in turn to keep their ads in your game.

[@whee38]

The problem is that shareholders demand infinitely more money and that's impossible

[@SuperGunnster]

Man I was pissed when adverts started to appear before my film at the cinema (not trailers adverts for everyday products) Cant tell you how much I am nope-ing out of games that do this.

[@mightyktv]

I'll never buy a EA game again!

[@JakeTheHuman1]

If you have a game set in a modern city, then ads such as signs and billboards or TV’s in the windows would be fine. You just need to be smart about it.

[@OdaTheSamurai]

EA: "We're gonna put ads in your games." Me: "Do it..." EA: "Wait wha-" Me: "I said...DO IT."

[@orellaminx3530]

They've tried doing this before. Someone has anyway, don't remember if it was EA or another developer, but there was a time in the early 2000s when in game billboards displaying real world ads was hyped as the next big thing in gaming.

[@abdulazimnaushad]

This is like if you paid for Spotify Premium or KZbin Premium and still got ads.

[@Linklex7]

The AAA gaming crash can’t come quick enough. It needs a hard reset. AAA now, doesn’t work.

[@Maelael]

EA needs to be reigned in. They got blasted time and time again, and if they put this on Reddit, this idea could overtake EA's most ratioed comment in record time

[@D-Zero...874]

It would be best if no one bought anything from EA for a few months, the crappy ads would disappear so quickly that no one would know....

[@ChippyL93]

NBA 2K had the most recent egregious example of this in 2k21 I believe. Unskippable Gatorade ads during timeouts.

[@gfear24]

Practical ads, I'm fine with. For example, if you need a flashlight for a mission, it would be practical to see Duracell or Energizer batteries be used as a way to advertise the product without overtly advertising the product.

[@colbymclemore7642]

Literally all the industries are beyond fucked.

[@TomWellsLSF]

I want to see adverts in Star Wars game, but only for one product... CERVEZA CRISTAL

[@jimbeaux89]

1:06 what community are they hoping to build while making stupid decisions like this?! 🤦‍♂️

[@gorgha3988]

Honestly I say, if it brings us less expensive or even free games and less predatory monetization practices, then bring on the ads. As long as they aren't aggressive and in your face. Such as if they are on billboards on the road side, or subway car posters. Bus murals, things like that and not actual youtube style mandatory ad videos. They can be easily ignored. However, sadly, I can bet that won't be the case.

[@ianmccleary4997]

I heard this news and the next thing I heard was a whistling followed by a *CRASH* *BOOM* *FIRE CRACKLE* I hate this Idea

[@darkmatter-mc5iv]

It's one thing if it's on a billboard. It's another thing when it impedes gameplay. That's when it's a NO. Honestly its the best solution.

[@Billybobble1]

I am the last person I thought that might say this, but with proper context I am okay with certain ads, and I dodge ads almost professionally. But in billboards of sports games that are replicating real life, I don't really have an issue, nor say a shooting game or similar in a city, a place where billboard ads exists, it's recreating the real world. These absolutely have to be unobtusive though and at no stage stop your entertainment, it's almost subliminal. I may not like the poison energy drinks and food ads, but seeing a billboard in game advertising an upcoming movie or TV show, I don't really see the harm. The flipside is GTA V, that has satirical ads all over the place that you would actually want to stop and read them! I feel there could be a middle ground, but I don't think EA are the one's who will find it. As you mentioned it, I would buy UFC in a heartbeat if it was on PC, but if I did own it and was force fed The Boys ad, that would make me hate two things I love. Advertisers need to seriously raise their game, with smoking and alcohol they were masters, now they're just idiots!

[@jovialnobody]

They keep trying because they know gamers will eventually relent and accept it with a shrug. Other things went through the same route: microtransactions, loot boxes, the disappearing of physical games.

[@shadowplanestudios]

the only in-game add that has made sense to me, was the ads in euro truck simulator, some of the billboard you drove past had reallife jobs as truck driver in irl so players who enjoyed euro truck sim could apply for real world jobs as drivers.

[@lusalma5404]

yes, ads are fine in free to play but for triple AAA premium it is a hard no. They can do the product placement like tv and I probably won't care too much; but not ads that disrupt or are intrusive.

[@jamesianhutchison1165]

I think it's vile. Reprehensible. I'm glad I already have an embargo against EA and I hope nobody else tries this. They'll just end up in my bin too. 🤷‍♂️

[@StephenLeGresley]

What the hell are they thinking other than greed? You want the quickest way to turn people off of video games? Tell them they have to sit through ads to play them. And what right do they have to even do this? People already paid money for the game, why should they have to sit through ads as well? It's so interesting to sit back and watch greed tank all of these industries. I can't wait to laugh when someone comes up with an ad blocking program for this the same as people use for KZbin and streaming.

[@PookieMaliboo]

Next BF will have Prime Energy Drinks instead of med-paks

[@joels5150]

I steer clear of anything EA or Activision put their grubby hands on. Some of the worst examples of corporate greed and terrible decisions in the gaming industry. We all need to stop giving these companies money, if we want to get things back to a reasonable state where studios are given creative license, decent pay, and some damn job security. The corporatization of game production is ruining the industry. One of the first instances of advertising in a video game I remember was seeing Redbull billboards in WipeOutXL on the PS1. It was non-intrusive, it was just there as you flew past in your hovercraft. Not some stupid full screen ad that you can’t skip past for 60 seconds. No way am I buying any game like that.

[@Gbc666]

To be honest it’s not too far from what we get now in some games and adverts and sponsored hidden inside videos pass the one minute mark so you don’t skip a game ranks , all do it

[@dasallmaechtigeJ]

It’s not new, even Skate 2 had paid ads on the billboards.

[@HorrorHoundV]

This isn't a new concept though. Ubisoft did this in a number of Tom Clancy titles in the 2000s, most notably on R6: Vegas 1 and 2 as you'd see billboards and bus stop ads for various products or movies or whatever bought the ad space. It isn't all that intrusive and just like regular ads in the real world, you can easily just ignore them.

[@glenndallas7171]

Product placement is very different from the discussion of full-screen unavoidable ads.

[@FHL-Devils]

Pot Noodle in FF14 was just over the threshold of what should be acceptable for product placement. Where the cringe exceeds the humor.

[@vampiresaremosquitoes]

I dont mind product placement, the problem is with ea, you give them an inch they will take a mile. However if the right studio did it, this could be a pro-consumer alternative to microtransactions for live service games. But i do not want full screen ads in my games, I payed for this, I want to play not watch tv

[@eries347]

F*** EA!

[@johnsayles8032]

The only game with successful product placement was Crazy Taxi. That's it, the only one.

[@claywalker1980]

Product placement, yes, but ads no.

[@zero195]

100% they will do this in the most horrible way possible. Because they have a monopoly on the NFL, and despite losing the FIFA license, everyone is still buying FC. And even with these games getting worse and worse, they are still selling, still making money. They can do whatever the want to these games, and it will sell, and that's all they need. The number of sales will tell them they are "doing the right thing".

[@jayremi1835]

Companies are realizing they can't directly milk us so they're finding more ways to milk each other at the expense of our time.

[@FergieTheTaurus]

EA = Mr. Krabs. They'll try to do whatever makes them the most money, but it's just going to go horribly in the end.

[@jaredmichael7659]

I kind of want to see game tips on loading screens, with a small note "Brought to you by Carl's Jr"

[@RobotnikPlngas]

My life got so much easier and simpler once I stopped playing AAA games. Now I'm an Indie Andy and I feel good about myself and how I spend my money lmao.

[@NotIfICU1st_]

Even diegetic ads will rub me wrong. Please don't. We have so few things advertisements don't intrude on

[@hawk66100]

This will kill AAA games if this becomes a thing.

[@Mentalrift]

If I pay full price for a game and I have it stopped periodically to force me to watch/stare at an ad, I'm boycotting that company. We should let EA know that any company that takes advantage of this opportunity, we will boycott thos products and companies.

[@SyncedUp_]

Its crazy that we pay $20 a month for streaming services to not have ads yet EA being EA want to charge $80 for the next years same Sports game and add in ads. Id say thats crazy but this is EA.

[@alanknotts5975]

I would be interested in seeing the results of the negative impact of advertisements in a video game. I can only speak for myself but when I am engaged in entertainment for temporary escape, and force fed an advertisement it causes resentment tword the product/company as well as the game as a whole. The whole premise seems like an outdated one, back in the earlier times of television.

[@leevpotts7656]

Putting in Ads just to make money, at the expense of the immersiveness will be the death of videogames 🙃

[@johnnykend5728]

I always ignore ads, so it doesn't matter to me.

[@corediagram8016]

Adding advertisements in AAA games sounds abhorrent but they don't have to be. Advertising is not necessarily a 6-60 secs video. When a friend recommends you a cool music artist, that can also be considered advertising. When you go out to have dinner in some restaurant, the napkins are printed with some company's logo. That is also an advertisement. The level of subtlety involved in promoting an ad is key to the gaming industry's financial future. I don't know what EA has in store for their player-base by "ads" but this does not necessarily have to be immersion-breaking.

[@warcriminal1276]

I'd be okay with product placement. For example your sitting with someone in the story of your game, their telling you about your next mission and just happen to be drinking a can of Coke. Or perhaps you're driving through a city and there's a billboard for Pepsi. Small things like that I'm good with. Being forced to watch a commercial before I'm allowed to play or during gameplay is a hardcore no.

[@Patrick19833]

If this means cheaper games, I'm all for it!

[@ArmaniGaming7]

They really want to be the most hated game company.

[@garyking2622]

If they make games have ads, I will just make do with their older games

[@garyking2622]

Ea should just make Burger King games

[@raidengoodman8754]

Does EA stand for "Enhanced Advertisements"?

[@ShakingMyHead295]

Underrated comment right here

[@abdulazimnaushad]

That’s what they are now ig

[@cppblank]

Season passes still exist.

[@asiatic_african]

.99 cent fee a monthly for no ads

[@s0meX0therXguy]

If a commercial break happenes in between games of apex ill be uninstalling faster than the speed of light

[@dgt83]

If it was the case of billboards, non intrusive product placement etc, I don't think I'd be that bothered... but in your face unskippable ads etc then absofuckinglutely not.

[@jordanhanks3280]

This would be awful, can just imagine EA putting massive billboards on every surface on every game until they're taken to court just like they were with the loot boxes

[@martesdeo]

I'm pretty sure saints row 2 did this years ago with in game billboards

[@videogames5279]

Unless the video game industry boycotts EA ... EA will make more money then ever. Video gamers complained about micro-transactions ... Look how much money they made.

[@dirkdigger69]

It’s not “gamers” it’s sports bro gambling on ultimate team and fifa.

[@videogames5279]

@@dirkdigger69 who buys the micro transactions? The gamers. Boycott the game , make them lose billions , they'll take it out.

[@cppblank]

If it is things like billboards or stuff around a stadium or track in a sports or racing game, I actually kind of like it for realism. We all know that isn't how it will stay though.

[@faze2819]

Have a free version of games with ads

[@CptCross101]

Battlefield 2 and 2142 for pc had ads as well, it was kinda cool to see back then

[@v2joecr]

I liked the fake ads in Crackdown & Crackdown 2.

[@ryankelly9167]

Dear EA, I already have a library of very good video games that I will never be able to possibly play in my lifetime. I can tell you this too, I hate ads and I’m one of those people willing to pay for an ad-free experience. If you start putting ads in games that already have a premium price tag, this whale is done. I’m not about to support a company adding more time for me to waste that I don’t have so they can make a few million more bucks.

[@bricktop.]

EA: " this man is willing to pay EXTRA to avoid ads. Write that down! WRITE THAT DOWN!! "

[@ryankelly9167]

@@bricktop. yeah it’s called being reasonable. I understand these companies have to make money to keep making the products that I like. I’m not expecting these games to be made for free. If I’m opting out of ads then I expect there to be a price to make up for that revenue lost. I just think making consumers watch ads after they have paid a premium for a product is going too far.

[@ContrastCopy]

Didn’t Splitgate do this with Game Fuel? I mean, that’s an indie studio so it’s different, but they did do it.

[@elidragom]

if it’s in real-world areas like spider-man’s new york, it could be more immersive in some ways. i think it COULD be a win-win but will always be annoying. easy to mess up.

[@SomewhatSlightlyBored]

"This bike is awesome! It should be on Ride, with Norman Reedus!" -- Norman Reedus

[@CommanderWolf104th]

i remember when mcdonalds was one of the ads in nfs underground 1 and 2 had many more billboard ads