Advertising in games, chapter 2

We've discussed this before  but it bears repeating. Advertising in games is a slippery slope. Yes, we already have it in a number of sports games. We've gone over that. Advertising belongs in sports games. We see it in the sports we watch every day. But don't think that the introduction of an ad here, or a banner there is harmless. It's poison.

There were no ads in cable television when it first came out. The thinking was that you paid for it, so why the hell should you have to sit through ads? Do you see ads on today's cable tv? Once in awhile, right? If you don't think this is comparable, think again. Big business has been looking for a standard way to get into our games for years. If this solution is the elxir they've been seeking out, then, sure, we can still play multiplayer Unreal Tournament 2005 – this round of fun is sponsored by Bounty.