Subject: EA says "let's put more adverts in games; Microsoft says, "Hold my beer"


EA recently started pushing the idea that adding more advertisements
into games is something every publisher should start doing.
(Coincidentally, EA started saying this just as they unveiled their
new API and service that lets developers easily add adverts into their
games ;-). Of course, many EA games have already had adverts inserted
into them, but this new program would widen the range of games that do
this. Still, these adverts would likely be sleekly inserted into the
game in billboards or on stadiums (or maybe on the main menu screen),
and not really interfere with the gameplay itself.

Microsoft apparently saw this and decided that the best thing to do --especially as their XBox division is reeling from low-sales-- is
announce that the REAL future was ad-supported gaming where your
gameplay is interrupted by ad-breaks... just like on the TV!*

But don't worry, Microsoft assures us that the ads will be held "to
the same quality bar as our content." :)

Right now they're just talking about 'pre-game' adverts to support an advert-supported tier of streaming... but if you think that will last,
then just look at how ubiquitous adverts are on YouTube now. That
started with just one advert before watching a video; now you can't
watch five minutes of content without seeing three minutes of adverts.

(Well, I can, but that's because I ruthlessly use ad-blockers. But I
suspect that tactic won't work as well on in-game adverts. A Pi-hole
probably would, though ;-)

Anyway, it just seems an odd direction for Microsoft to go now. They
are already suffering from really terrible reputation amongst their
customers; their hardware isn't selling, their games aren't that
popular, they're ruthlessly firing the staff that makes the game,
they're pushing unpopular AI agents, and all the while raising the
price on their products. Maybe now /isn't/ the best time that --in
addition to all of the above-- you're trying to shove more adverts
into our faces?





* story https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-is-putting-ads-before-games-and-it-feels-gross/




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* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Subject: Re: EA says "let's put more adverts in games; Microsoft says, "Hold my beer"

Lick my balls, Spalls. (They're very smelly right now)

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Subject: Re: EA says "let's put more adverts in games; Microsoft says, "Hold my beer"

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:

EA recently started pushing the idea that adding more advertisements
into games is something every publisher should start doing.
(Coincidentally, EA started saying this just as they unveiled their
new API and service that lets developers easily add adverts into their
games ;-).

There's a reason I have not bought a game from EA in, um, a decade or
two. Frankly I cannot remember.

This is certainly not encouraging me to change that situation.

EA: Taco Bell Aftermath sold as games.

Xocyll
--
I don't particularly want you to FOAD, myself. You'll be more of
a cautionary example if you'll FO And Get Chronically, Incurably,
Painfully, Progressively, Expensively, Debilitatingly Ill. So
FOAGCIPPEDI. -- Mike Andrews responding to an idiot in asr

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Subject: Re: EA says "let's put more adverts in games; Microsoft says, "Hold my beer"

On 7/30/2026 11:03 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Right now they're just talking about 'pre-game' adverts to support an advert-supported tier of streaming... but if you think that will last,
then just look at how ubiquitous adverts are on YouTube now. That
started with just one advert before watching a video; now you can't
watch five minutes of content without seeing three minutes of adverts.

(Well, I can, but that's because I ruthlessly use ad-blockers. But I
suspect that tactic won't work as well on in-game adverts. A Pi-hole
probably would, though ;-)

I don't know what it is but I never see adverts on youtube, unless I'm watching an ad supported movie (which I've only done a few times) and I
don't have any addblockers nor do I pay for youtube premium. I'm logged
into youtube though, so that might have something to do with it. I
noticed on the TV which I just have a guest account setup for as I don't
want all the kids junk they watch making it into my feed, I do get lots
of ads. But then I only very rarely watch anything on youtube on the TV.


--
-Justisaur

?-?
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
?ª'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Subject: Re: EA says "let's put more adverts in games; Microsoft says, "Hold my beer"

On Fri, 31 Jul 2026 08:15:13 -0400, Xocyll <Xocyll@gmx.com> said this
thing:

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the >entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:

EA recently started pushing the idea that adding more advertisements
into games is something every publisher should start doing. >>(Coincidentally, EA started saying this just as they unveiled their
new API and service that lets developers easily add adverts into their >>games ;-).

There's a reason I have not bought a game from EA in, um, a decade or
two. Frankly I cannot remember.

To be fair, EA hasn't been too bad with in-game adverts (outside of
its sports games)... or at least, not any worse than any other
triple-A publisher.

This new behavior is almost certainly a result of the impending
takeover by its new owners, who are about to saddle the company with
$20+ billion worth of debt. Just paying off the interest to that debt
is going to cost the company about 1/5th of its annual profits (maybe
more). This leaves a lot less cash for, you know, actually making
games (or slipping into the pockets of its owners as profit). So
expect to see EA pushing a lot of sleazier tactics in the future.

On the whole, EA lost me as a customer more because of their
insistence on using a separate launcher. Even though their games are
on Steam again (and both the game and app are launched together
transparently through Steam), I dislike this added umbical, and more
often than not if I see an EA game I avoid it for that reason alone.
(I have a similar reluctance towards playing Ubisoft games).

But I haven't avoided them altogether. They do still make some games
I've enjoyed; the recent "Dead Space" remake was good (despite it
being a remake); I quite enjoyed the "Star Wars Jedi" games and "Star
Wars Squadrons". Their various racing games aren't bad either.

But I wouldn't be too upset if they disappeared either. Well, so long
as their hoard of never-used IPs were released back to their original
owners first. ;-)



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)