Blizzard Incorporating In-Game Ads Scheme for "Titan"

Keen eyes have spotted a job listing on Blizzard's website that is looking for a franchise development producer. The individual selected for this job will be responsible for working with major consumer brands to facilitate product placement and licensing within the world of Blizzard Entertainment's next-gen MMO. In other words, Blizzard's "Titan" (codename) will sport in-game advertisements, whether it's a billboard or a bottle of Coke.

There's speculation that this little nugget of information points to a current or somewhat futuristic setting. It could also mean that due to its "casual" nature, Activision Blizzard is looking for a little financial help as id Software did for Quake Live. Does that mean Titan could be a free-to-play MMOG that relies on microtransactions for revenue? It's possible, but very little is known about the game at this point.

In addition to bringing advertisements to the game itself, the Blizzard job sees the candidate push the game's brand outside the gaming industry while also working with the development team to help get merchandise on store shelves including books/novels, action figures, comics, short movies ad apparel. Based on that tidbit of information alone, this won't be Blizzard's version of FamVille.

Here's what we know about Titan thus far: it will be "casual," and probably a lot more social than anything Blizzard has offered thus far (maybe incorporating Facebook friends like Words With Friends?). It's the "most ambitious" project Blizzard has ever attempted, and even has the potential to eclipse World of Warcraft but will definitely coexist with Blizzard's flagship MMOG. Chief Operating Officer Paul Sams called the game "something that's cool, and new, and different." 90 developers are already assigned to the project.

Titan is expected to launch in 4Q13 alongside the fifth expansion to World of Warcraft. A BlizzCon 2012 reveal is possible, but highly unlikely.

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onehitxzibit

How will adding ads to your game "enhance the gameplay experience"?
ben850

BLIZZ, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU MAKING BEHIND YOUR CLOSED DOORS???
alidan

gmcizzleExactly what I was going to say lol.

onehitxzibitHow will adding ads to your game "enhance the gameplay experience"?

imagine a large present day city landscape... tell me what would make that more realistic...
advertisements... not big eff you advertisements that are in some raceing games where its obvious... but you see real stores with real products, you see a dodge bmw and a ford on the street, and hanging from some of the buildigs are large advertisements.

you come under fire, and you duck behind a coke machine.

possibly even go out and seek a coke machine because you are thursty and want to drink some...

i could see in game advertiseing working that way... it would at least keep me in the game better than fake brands everywhere.

Other Comments

Goldengoose

As much as i hate ads, they do pay for half the free games i download. There's always going to be a way of getting rid of them too.
monktongaz

I know it is inevitable that this will happen, but I would still rather just pay a monthly fee and not have to deal with bottles of bloody coke in a game (for example). Of course, I would appear to be increasingly in the minority these days!
ben850

BLIZZ, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU MAKING BEHIND YOUR CLOSED DOORS???
onehitxzibit

How will adding ads to your game "enhance the gameplay experience"?
ajay_vishvanathan

lets hope blizzard are making "TITAN" compete Frostbite2 and other engines that are graphically awesome..
gmcizzle

onehitxzibitHow will adding ads to your game "enhance the gameplay experience"?

Exactly what I was going to say lol.
alidan

gmcizzleExactly what I was going to say lol.

onehitxzibitHow will adding ads to your game "enhance the gameplay experience"?

imagine a large present day city landscape... tell me what would make that more realistic...
advertisements... not big eff you advertisements that are in some raceing games where its obvious... but you see real stores with real products, you see a dodge bmw and a ford on the street, and hanging from some of the buildigs are large advertisements.

you come under fire, and you duck behind a coke machine.

possibly even go out and seek a coke machine because you are thursty and want to drink some...

i could see in game advertiseing working that way... it would at least keep me in the game better than fake brands everywhere.
alidan

monktongazI know it is inevitable that this will happen, but I would still rather just pay a monthly fee and not have to deal with bottles of bloody coke in a game (for example). Of course, I would appear to be increasingly in the minority these days!

so long as the game is cheaper i dont care about in game ads, if the game costs retail, i wont buy out of spite.

and if its an mmo, if the adds make all the content unlock from the beginning with non of this teired crap that is in all games currently. i would be happy.
xerroz

Well clearly it's no longer about the consumer. Blizzard has gone down the drain ever since they merged with Activision. Not playing Titan if any ad whatsoever is in the game regardless of how in my face it is
NuclearShadow

If Titan turns out not to be free to play than I simply cannot support a game that you pay for and has real world advertisements. If a consumer already pays for the product they shouldn't have advertisements shoved down their throat as well.
phishy714

Everyone is still in the WoW fantasy realm type of thought. Yes, seing a coke bottle in Org, or a window of one of the buildings with an Xbox logo on it would be absolutely ridiculous. However, since they are making a new ip, what says they can't do a futuristic (or present even) game in which you DO see a bmw driving down the street, or a Boeing airplain in the sky. What is the big deal that you are walking in the middle of a very busy down town and see a coke advertisement hanging off one of the buildings? or a Jack Link's beef jerky billboard as you are driving in the countryside? or a microsoft add on one of the many LED light adds much like in Times Square in NY?

IF they do it correctly, I wouldn't mind one bit (since it will help pay for the game) and it would actually immerse someone more in the experience because.. the game has become a bit more real.
phasmantis

As much as I hate advertisements, it fits in our society, so it will probably make the game feel more authentic (whatever it's trying to portray). This game gives me the vibe of a second-life type thing, but it has to go deeper than that, and I have a feeling Blizzard is going to be very innovative here.

Also, with the potential to "eclipse" WoW, I feel like there will for sure be a free-to-play model. Afterall, they have BOATLOADS of money.
dickcheney

ben850BLIZZ, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU MAKING BEHIND YOUR CLOSED DOORS???

They are making Bobby Kotick happy and will drown in moneyz for it.
billybobser

as long as product places aren't so horrendous as films (not that everyone in a film uses an apple right next to the damn screen).

Having adds in realistic environments I happy for.

The coke vending machine example from earlier, as opposed to having Coke as your primary energy source.

Alot of games have vague references to the products anyway (Nuka-Cola in Fallout), if it chops off some cash I have to pay for a game in return having subtle advertising in the background, I don't care.

Though I imagine this ISN'T what developer have in mind, I imagine they will be gathering data a la google and ramming stuff in your face.
(detects poop gfx card, suddenly all adverts in game are telling you how awesome XXXX graphics card is)
zachusaman

yearly crappy expansions, 15 bucks a month, and ingame adds?
who are you blizzard?
mrmaia

Soon we'll spend more time seeing advertisings than anything else. Now even refrigerators have ad-capable screens.
Lavacon

Advertising as we know it is out dated and stale. We live in an age of educated consumers (mostly). Who, other than children who see an ad for a new toy or game, goes out and makes a purchase because they saw a commercial or an ad on a web page? Certainly not me. Consumers seek the products not the other way around. It is the advertisers job to let people know their product is out there in the least intrusive & least annoying way possible.
phasmantis

zachusamanyearly crappy expansions, 15 bucks a month, and ingame adds?who are you blizzard?

Full of assumptions aren't we?

Quote:

Advertising as we know it is out dated and stale. We live in an age of educated consumers (mostly). Who, other than children who see an ad for a new toy or game, goes out and makes a purchase because they saw a commercial or an ad on a web page? Certainly not me. Consumers seek the products not the other way around. It is the advertisers job to let people know their product is out there in the least intrusive & least annoying way possible.

I think you're giving people way too much credit.
PseudopsiaKite

Nothing ruins the role playing immersion like artifacts from real life. I haven’t played WoW for over a year. Seems Blizzard is always trying to find new ways to milk their fan base.
phasmantis

664663 said:

Nothing ruins the role playing immersion like artifacts from real life. I haven’t played WoW for over a year. Seems Blizzard is always trying to find new ways to milk their fan base.

How will it ruin immersion if it makes sense to the title. Maybe it's a future based around our world? We know nothing of the game. I doubt Coke will be gone anytime soon...

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