Blizzard Adding In-game Advertising to Next-Gen MMO

Posted 23 January 2012 by Elly

OK, so this won't cut it

OK, this is not Diablo related but it’s pretty interesting. Blizzard are looking to NeoGaf for their next-gen MMO for a Franchise Development Producer.

In other words, someone to work with big brands to get their products into the game. Some of the job’s tasks include…

  • Work with major consumer brands to facilitate product placement and licensing within the world of Blizzard Entertainment’s next-gen MMO that enhances the gameplay experience.
  • Direct strategic analysis of market trends and competition.

We have discussed the ideas of product placement quite a few times over the years here on the site (here) and even Bobby Kotick stating Blizzard/Activision would not be placing ads into their games in “inappropriate ways”:

“There may be future opportunities where you might offer a consumer an advertiser-supported experience so they wouldn’t have to pay for it,” he continued. “But as long as our audience is paying $60 for a game or a subscription fee I think we’re going to limit the amount of advertising or sponsorship incorporated into a game.”

The next game could in fact include an additional  free to play model where there will be no subscriptions, it could be completely supported by advertising as Bobby hints at in his comments. Players who pay a monthly  subscription could avoid any advertising as part of the fee.

While ads for Doritos or the latest Toyota won’t cut it in the Diablo franchise, the job position indicates that the next-gen MMO (AKA Project DiabloWikiTitan) could be set in a modern-day or futuristic setting where in-game ads would not look out of place. It makes you wonder though, is there any product placement that could work in Diablo 3? Perhaps we’ll have to scale ‘Mount Dew’ at some point ;)

Thanks NeoGaf

Tagged As: | Categories: Job Ops, Project Titan, Robert Kotick
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56 Opinions have been expressed on “Blizzard Adding In-game Advertising to Next-Gen MMO”
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  • I think this is a sign of free-to-play.

    • [tinfoilhat]
      I think it’s a sign of a mmo with 60$ box, 8$ subscription, micro transactions, in-game adds, buyable DLC and expansion packs you have to pay for in order to progress. Oh, and you can pay for power. The only company that could pull something like that, and people would still buy it. It pleases Bobby…
      [/tinfoilhat]
      Seriously though, if in game add make it “sort of F2P”, i’m fine with that.

      • Fanboys, housewives and 8 years old kids will definitely love the game.

        If there is something that I hate (more than item selling) is adds. No matter what they do its impossible for an add to not break immersion, even with products suitable for the game’s environment. In my opinion is more than obvious that Titan will have a RMAH and Blizzard will also probably follow this idea of in game adds with an option to pay a fee to remove them. There’s no way I’m playing a game like that, I’m glad GW2 will be released this year to fulfill my MMO needs for the next few years. (I quit WoW, SWTOR is lame and Titan will be an add festival)

  • Hardly think so.

    And this is not news per say, its “known” that Blizzard wanted to explore this in Project Titan for some time now and some other things about Project Titan.

  • I’m sorta ok with this but ONLY if its in the free 2 play edition. I don’t mind paying for my games, but I don’t want to see danish bad commercials for washing powder.

    This is a delicate thing, if it isn’t handled correctly it could be the start of the ending of Blizzards awesomeness.

    Interesting yet scary.

  • Yes, Elly added F2P there to the news.

  • Advertising doesn’t “enhance the gameplay experience” unless we’re talking real car models in a racing game. In fact, if the game is set in “the real world” they should go GTA/Robocop and have over the top satire “real” ads.

  • I could swear I saw the Bobby eyes while reading that. Sparkling.

  • this has bobby eyes all over it…

  • “But as long as our audience is paying $60 for a game or a subscription fee I think we’re going to limit the amount of advertising or sponsorship incorporated into a game.”
     
    Notice it says “limit”, not “there won’t be any”.  Maybe i’m cynical but i could totally see them putting some product placement in a monthly sub mmo.  Just like you pay to go see a movie, pay again by watching previews, and then pay a 3rd time by watching product placement in the movie itself.

  • Could be the beggining of the end.

  • Even worse, this could mean that there might be even different kinds of subscription such as the highest one (ex. 20$ per month) which doesn’t show you advertisements in game.

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