What if all PS4 Games are free to play with ads like broadcast TV?
- Thread starter onQ123
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Silas Lang
Member
I'd rather it be more like Netflix's model if they were to go this route.
I probably wouldn't care if I could still choose to buy the game outright with no ads (but I doubt that would ever happen tbh). Let people choose. I don't think it would affect development really as the goal would still be to make the best game possible, and so I don't really see what bad could come of it.
That's the pay channel
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
No, it would push you to not play any more games on the system, because that's bullshit. If you didn't want to buy the game in the first place, you're not going to decide half-way through that you want to drop $60 on buying it all of a sudden... let alone, because some Doritos ad showed up.
What....
Games - if we're talking about single player, which is seems like we are - are hours-long endeavors that people play through once. Maybe a few times every now and then. Songs on the radio are 2-4 minutes and can be listened to incessantly. That is a completely invalid comparison.
kruis
Exposing the sinister cartel of retailers who allow companies to pay for advertising space.
That's why next gen NEEDS Blu-Ray. 50GB discs make it possible to store a 10GB game and fill up the rest of the disc with commercials.
And why stop with just commercials? Add exciting new features like bonus levels you can only reach after watching a 10 minute infomercial and answering a couple of questions. Make game worlds more realistic and therefore immersive by putting in real world items (that are paid for by sponsors). Offer sponsors the possibility to get their name in the title for a nice sum of money: "Coca Cola and Sony present God of War 5".
:-(
djplaeskool
Member
Don't even venture down that slippery slope.
Speedymanic
Banned
And how long until it begins to infect bought games? the same argument will be used for disc based games, buy it for 30 bucks instead of 60 and for that discounted price, you only have to watch a few ads.
It's opening a Pandora's box, ad companies would like nothing more than to directly advertise to the young adult demo, what better way than to do it through games? Developers wouldn't be able to hold out for too long against said ad companies, especially with ever spiraling developing costs.
Ads through a dash are acceptable as they are easily avoided and don't affect your overall experience, ads that directly interfere with gaming or in load screens can never happen and the idea shouldn't even be entertained.
Speedymanic
Banned
Good God, the day that happens is the day I give up gaming forever. I'd literally bury my games collection and hold a wake to say goodbye.
if you play a game & you like it but you don't like the ads then the smart thing to do is to buy the game without the ads.
do people not buy movies just because the movie came on TV with ads? do people not buy albums or MP3's just because the Song came on the radio & was followed by a ad?
It honestly could work and also make gaming a bigger medium on the side.
Arrange regular advertisement spots in addition to subscriptions ranging around 40-90$ a month that remove or decrease ads. Promise to share large portions of the profit with the devs and publishers depending on playing activity with the insurance of certain payment to promote activity especially earlier in the lifespan before proper ad revenue starts off.
I started dreaming about it too... They'd just need enough bank to start it off, and it'd be risky as fuck. But it'd be hell of a marketing play and be enough to beat the competitors in the mainstream IMO. Also data collection would have to be increased and privacy problems would arise, as well as some sort of 'log online every 3 days minimum' would have to be sorted out.
Imagine an install base of 50 million and over, ads and sub revenues would be pretty serious, think about tv and consider the average playing time of every consumer. Could definitely happen in the future and would be a grand opportunity for gaming to grow very large, would be a very risky investment though
Arrange regular advertisement spots in addition to subscriptions ranging around 40-90$ a month that remove or decrease ads. Promise to share large portions of the profit with the devs and publishers depending on playing activity with the insurance of certain payment to promote activity especially earlier in the lifespan before proper ad revenue starts off.
I started dreaming about it too... They'd just need enough bank to start it off, and it'd be risky as fuck. But it'd be hell of a marketing play and be enough to beat the competitors in the mainstream IMO. Also data collection would have to be increased and privacy problems would arise, as well as some sort of 'log online every 3 days minimum' would have to be sorted out.
Imagine an install base of 50 million and over, ads and sub revenues would be pretty serious, think about tv and consider the average playing time of every consumer. Could definitely happen in the future and would be a grand opportunity for gaming to grow very large, would be a very risky investment though
TimeEffect
Member
I personally don't get why they don't have this as an option now. Sell DLC, but have advertisements for it-- like, when you download it, fill out a survey, have it load ads in the loading screens, have ads tastefully in the game (for example, ads for other games within Burnout Paradise' billboards).
Of course, this is the free version. You can flat out buy the game with no ads at all, but the option would be great.
Doing that for actual full fledged games doesn't sound so bad either, provided that they are sensible, but you just can't trust these companies not to push their luck
Of course, this is the free version. You can flat out buy the game with no ads at all, but the option would be great.
Doing that for actual full fledged games doesn't sound so bad either, provided that they are sensible, but you just can't trust these companies not to push their luck
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
A more reasonable analogy to what you're proposing would be someone buying a DVD for a movie after being interrupted by a commercial when watching that same movie on TV. Which is ridiculous.
Silas Lang
Member
Ah yes I guess that is pretty much the same thing. I'd be down with that. I wonder how many games it would include and how much it would cost if it were a reality? I think it would probably be a little more expensive if it were to have 60 dollar games available to play.
People see movies they never heard of on TV all the time & go out & buy the DVD.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Movies have much, much more replay value than games... so again, it's not the same.
And the scenario you were suggesting earlier was that one would be interrupted by a Dorito's commercial when they get to a Dark Souls boss battle, and say to themselves, "wow, I should really drop the $60 on this now." Which just isn't going to fucking happen. They're either going to finish the free version of the game and never think about it again, or they're going to get fed up with the ads and stop playing... but this sort of set up will almost never result in a sale, let alone at $60. Why would it? If they didn't see the point of the investment earlier, why would they several hours later when they're playing a free game they don't ever have to pay for? The cheapskate mentality is a palpable thing.
No matter how badly you want to believe games are analogous to movies or music, they're not. The pricing, longevity, and replay value are all completely different; making reasonable comparisons as far as this goes impossible.
Speedymanic
Banned
Yeah, I can totally imagine everyone chilling for a few mins during a deathmatch in CoD or whatever title. This would destroy online gaming, unless of course, all console manufacturers moved to a sub system, so you're still paying for an online pass...
ColdBlooder
Banned
I want to be fully emersed into the gameworld when im playing a game. When i see "Buy our BEST BRAND SODA now!" ad, that takes me totally out of it.
This is also a reason why i don´t like watching a movie on TV.
This is also a reason why i don´t like watching a movie on TV.
Speedymanic
Banned
Well, they did do this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LLTkF1IFuo
So it's entirely possible they might try something similar in future.
have you lost your damn mind?
most games have more replay value than movies. people play the same game day after day & some play the same game all day long, who you know that play the same movie for 5 - 10 hours in the same day & play that same movie day after day?
& I didn't say anything about a Dorito's commercial when they get to a Dark Souls boss battle, you or someone else said that what the hell are you talking about?
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
We were talking about single-player games, which is where that statement came from. How would a multiplayer game reasonably incorporate ads and offer an ad-free version without disadvantaging certain players?
Messypandas
Member
All i can imagine for ps4 is never-ending software updates and installs
Lobby ads, stat screen ads, loading ads - There are ways to execute ads in proper ways
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Those aren't commercials, though, like the OP proposed. Of course they can just plaster ads everywhere. I own a 360 already, I know.
Canis lupus
Member
That is a nightmare.
By ads I meant on-going commercials, you can put those to all of those too.
Then pay for a theoretical subscription fee.
Speedymanic
Banned
Ads that increase load times becoming the norm like those that were in Wipeout HD? Frightening stuff.
OriginalNameGuy
Member
Commercial ads in real sports are bad enough. If I popped in Madden or 2k and was subjected to commercial breaks I would lose it.
Speedymanic
Banned
I do think we should prepare for load screen advertising and more in game advertising that doesn't fit in with the general feel/look of the game.
I suspect those will become the norm at some point and they'll win us over by reducing the price of those games or offering free content.
Megadragon15
Member
You actually dreamt about the PS4? Fascinating. To answer your question: no, I would skip the PS4 if was like your dream (more like a nightmare).
That may be but the concept of free games funded through ads is a complete non starter. it is not feasible
Logistical issues aside, the big problem with this is it would stifle creativity even more than we're already seeing. Right now we have the publishing executives making the calls on what they think we want to play, and if ads were thrown into the mix we'd end up having advertisers also involved in those decisions. It just wouldn't be a good thing.
I love the idea of free, ad-supported games in theory, but it would be terrible in practise.
I love the idea of free, ad-supported games in theory, but it would be terrible in practise.
It's like soda pop. You give people options. Some want 1 liter, 2 liter, 20 ounce, 12 ounces. Some want a can, some want a bottle.
Then you raise the prices a little. Then you make the 16 ounce the default bottle, sell it for the same price people used to pay for 20 ounces. 1 liter now sells for same price as a 2 liter.
Games, they get ads. Then the consoles have ads before you get into the games. The game have online for free. Then if you don't own it you have to pay.
It happens.
Even if they made the games free, at some point they will start charging you for the games and you will still have all the adds, on the system, and in the games.
Then you raise the prices a little. Then you make the 16 ounce the default bottle, sell it for the same price people used to pay for 20 ounces. 1 liter now sells for same price as a 2 liter.
Games, they get ads. Then the consoles have ads before you get into the games. The game have online for free. Then if you don't own it you have to pay.
It happens.
Even if they made the games free, at some point they will start charging you for the games and you will still have all the adds, on the system, and in the games.
who is we? I never said any thing about the type of games & online multiplayer games are not the only games that get replayed over & over.
IonicSnake
Banned
I don't think ads would cover the amount of money devs put in huge games.
But! I would not mind ads during loadscreens if it meant that I could buy the game for like 30-40$
But! I would not mind ads during loadscreens if it meant that I could buy the game for like 30-40$
if you pop in Madden or 2k you already own the game so this wouldn't even affect you.
Not really. Look at Microsoft. Their size alone would allow them to risk proper service funding early in the program. Yet the market share they could tackle with this is huge, there's a lot of potential money to be extracted from the general console experience, see xbox's live payment and dashboard ads. Now add these 'small' stuff to every part of the gaming experience: loading and starting screens, audio advertisements, you name it - and you garner a lot of cash
Now putting an ad or a commercial to every single place available may be extensive, but as long as it is not too offensive ( see the thread about dashboard ads, not many even notice them ), they don't really matter for the mainstream, who only care about the fact that everything's _free_ - for others, you allow different subscriptions for different commercial allowances
Honestly, a console that sells 60$/e retail games can't compete with such a console, and it would be attractive to even the most casual of the casual people, once they get other services to the console too. And this is key, this could in theory prove an answer to what MS and others are trying, and have a system that is not exclusive to games only. I got ahead of myself again... but I honestly feel like there's a market to be capped, yet the initial investment risk could be a bit too much though, before the install base and revenue get on par. The possible reward though... skyhigh
Whomever jumps onto the ad based model soonest would be the biggest winner - however they would obviously need to incorporate in app purchases as well.
Let's just be entirely honest, history has shown us that people have a tendency to think 10 times before purchasing a 60$ game. However, give them a 5$ game with over 100$ worth of in game purchases and the person who would have never bought your game now buys it "Just to try it out". Many of these then go on to make more in app purchases depending on how much they enjoy your game.
Ideally, from a purely economical perspective, a company/console manufacturer would want to cover both aspects. Have an ads/purchase to avoid ads and in app purchases. As a gamer both annoy me to no end yet from a financial perspective it's do or die. All you're doing is giving the consumer more choices after all
Let's just be entirely honest, history has shown us that people have a tendency to think 10 times before purchasing a 60$ game. However, give them a 5$ game with over 100$ worth of in game purchases and the person who would have never bought your game now buys it "Just to try it out". Many of these then go on to make more in app purchases depending on how much they enjoy your game.
Ideally, from a purely economical perspective, a company/console manufacturer would want to cover both aspects. Have an ads/purchase to avoid ads and in app purchases. As a gamer both annoy me to no end yet from a financial perspective it's do or die. All you're doing is giving the consumer more choices after all
I know NeoGaf is going to hate the thought of this but it seems like the perfect solution for Musical/Dance games that have copyrighted music in them.
Have a game like Sing Star or Dance Star Party that's completely free but ad supported so that the Artist , Sony & even the user can get paid if their live stream is bringing in enough viewers.
People are already flooding Twitch TV just to watch other people using PlayRoom to talk so having live Sing Star & Dance Star shows would be a gold mine.
Have a game like Sing Star or Dance Star Party that's completely free but ad supported so that the Artist , Sony & even the user can get paid if their live stream is bringing in enough viewers.
People are already flooding Twitch TV just to watch other people using PlayRoom to talk so having live Sing Star & Dance Star shows would be a gold mine.
SwiftDeath
Member
Not for me
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