Bring on the Advertising

Unless you’re illiterate or oblivious to the things going on around you, this industry is hurting. I haven’t seen anything like it since 1989 and before that 1983, but there were a lot fewer of us then. People are losing jobs left and right, north, south, east and west. These are good people and more than just game developers. They’re my friends that I have known for years and with whom I exchange ideas and share laughs. These are amazing people who are out of work. They have families and bills just like me (and maybe you). There are so many of us now.

So, I am making an official plea to introduce real advertising into games. Put it on the loading screen, on the save screen, on your intro menu. Every piece of screen real estate except for the game itself should take the opportunity the industry has long resisted and integrate advertising to fuel the rising development costs that make risks riskier and bombs much more painful than they otherwise need be. From the first load, all I ask is that the magic circle of the game be preserved. Once we are in, please let us have that. I need less opportunities to fight the BK King.

Ah, revolt, revolt. But get past it, eh?

Behold your coveted Facebook. Witness CNN.com. Think of movies what movies do. The first 20 minutes presents us with advertising for other movies, Coca-Cola, and Disney World. Think of television - even the shows you love so much - who stop your viewing every few minutes to pay the bills that will bring you yet another episode next week. Think of the advertising all over stadiums and racing cars and in the pages of glitzy magazines.

My friends need jobs.

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