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FEATURED VOXPOP nick_olsen
Welcome home, Mario; we’ve missed you!
By nick_olsen
Posted on 05/13/13
[ Editor's Note: As Nick Olsen is a writer for Theory of Gaming, this won't be counted in the monthly Vox Pop prize. However, it is very much a worthy read. ] By Nick Olsen Co-founder, Theory of Gaming In 1985 Nintendo started a revolution when it...

GAMING NEWS

Sony Patent Will Pause Games To Show Ads

Posted on Friday, May 25 @ 09:04:14 Eastern by Keri_Honea


Oh, how I wish this was just a rumor gone wild. But sadly, no, it isn't, as you can see for yourself with this copy of the filed patent

Sony's new patent is for quite possibly the most in-your-face advertising method for gaming in existence. In the middle of your game, it will be paused for a brief ad display. Once its commercial time is up, the game will resume. We can only hope to God that these breaks will be at logical parts of the game, and not during a sudden ambush. Controllers would fling through windows like they never had before.

No, wait, that's the wrong thing to hope for. We need to hope that this never comes to fruition. You want to place ads in the XMB like Xbox does with its dashboard? That's fine. Really, it is. I'd even be okay with commercials in games before the opening prologue (like seeing movies in a theater), but do not interrupt my game. I love Sony and I love the PlayStation, but if this happens, I will make the complete switch to Xbox. Please don't make me do this.
Tags:   Sony, patent


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Comments
  • Bras
    Bras

    Joined: Jul 2008
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 9:17 am
    I'm in the same boat as you, and there is no way I will put up with that type of marketing, a game that comes with an annoying form of this will simply not be bought.
  • TurinAlexander
    TurinAlexander

    Joined: Sep 2006
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 9:29 am
    I could see it in F2P games, but it would be colossaly stupid to add it into paid titles.
  • 213EDD
    213EDD

    Joined: Sep 2007
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 9:33 am
    Reasons like this makes me feel more comfortable around hacking
  • Keri_Honea
    Keri_Honea

    Joined: Dec 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 9:44 am
    A friend on Twitter pointed out that maybe this would be implemented to non-PlayStation Plu subscribers. If so, STILL NOT COOL (and I'm a subscriber).
  • wildmario
    wildmario

    Joined: Jan 2007
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 9:52 am
    Marketing is about coming up with the most retarded ideas ever just to troll consumers.
  • danielrbischoff
    danielrbischoff

    Joined: Nov 2009
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 10:04 am
    *Kills Self*

    Suicide, not spam.
  • daverabbit
    daverabbit

    Joined: Oct 2008
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 10:08 am
    If this happens in any game I ever play I promise to never buy the product that is presented as I will be too annoyed at said product for interrupting my fun.
  • BedIntruder
    BedIntruder

    Joined: Jun 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 10:17 am
    I already pay $65 a game you greedy ****s.
  • danielrbischoff
    danielrbischoff

    Joined: Nov 2009
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 10:56 am
    They'll try to get you to pay $70 and show you ads.
  • wildmario
    wildmario

    Joined: Jan 2007
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 12:55 pm
    I thought the point of shoving ads everywhere was to reduce cost to the product the ad is being shoehorned into?
  • danielrbischoff
    danielrbischoff

    Joined: Nov 2009
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 3:53 pm
    That used to be the point, but look at how Xbox Live is making money. I wouldn't be surprised if what I said is pretty close to our future.
  • Fieperskaivu
    Fieperskaivu

    Joined: May 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 10:43 am
    Brb getting a best brand cola
  • Mrbdls
    Mrbdls

    Joined: Sep 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 10:56 am
    Wow i cant enjoy a video game with out having advertisement creamed in my face. Screw sony screw xbox. Long live torrents, F@#k The man.
  • thedarkstar
    thedarkstar

    Joined: Feb 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 11:26 am
    Wow. I thought I had my choice narrowed down on what next gen console I was going to buy (I am sticking to one this gen, and both handhelds. No time for more) But now, if this comes to pass, I may just get a gaming rig and go back to being primarily a PC gamer. That is the most idiotic idea ever. I pay for cable, and have to have commercials. I pay insane amounts for tickets and popcorn at movies and still have to watch commercials and then 20 friggin minutes of previews. I WILL NOT allow them to interrupt the small amount of serenity I get from gaming for MORE ads. It is ludicrous that they even THINK this is a good idea.
  • OdiousLupous
    OdiousLupous

    Joined: Jul 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 11:32 am
    Wolf mad, wolf smash! :hugs pc:
  • tinymhg
    tinymhg

    Joined: Jun 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 11:57 am
    God that would suck. "...and now a word from our sponsor."
  • MikeyVengeance
    MikeyVengeance

    Joined: Nov 2007
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
    Lol, I can see it now. "I am commander Shepard and Abercrombie is my favourite store on the Citadel"
  • OdiousLupous
    OdiousLupous

    Joined: Jul 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
    Laura Croft fashions a slingshot from her Hanes white cotton sports bra.
  • LawnGnome
    LawnGnome

    Joined: Apr 2007
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
    Even if this is just Sony's way of keeping PSN free, they can kiss their whole company's ass goodbye.
  • OdiousLupous
    OdiousLupous

    Joined: Jul 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 2:11 pm
    It waits until you die 5 times in a row at the same part, then pops up a screen ad "speaking of sucking, the new Dyson bagless vacuums are out now."
  • Jobin_Wendy
    Jobin_Wendy

    Joined: Mar 2012
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 2:49 pm
    Would developers have any way of preventing this from happening in their games?
  • danielrbischoff
    danielrbischoff

    Joined: Nov 2009
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 3:53 pm
    If they don't code for it, then the publisher might force it in somehow.
  • Jobin_Wendy
    Jobin_Wendy

    Joined: Mar 2012
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
    I meant from more of a legal standpoint. I can definitely see this being challenged if it gets pushed through. Imagine how much this would throw you off if it popped up in the middle of Journey.
  • Andy578
    Andy578

    Joined: May 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
    yep if they do this my ps3 will be out the window and they will be down 1 more loyal customer
  • TheJx4
    TheJx4

    Joined: Jun 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 3:57 pm
    I wouldn't be surprised if this was for the rumored streaming service. It makes sense there, and I'd be okay with it as long as the ads are infrequent.
  • Lenin17301
    Lenin17301

    Joined: Jan 2007
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
    Sport games already have a lot of advertising (NBA2K, Madden, etc) but at least there it makes some sense, but I can't imagine a game like, let's say, Journey, or Shadow Of The Colossus with ads.
  • Pandoronium
    Pandoronium

    Joined: Jan 2007
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 6:25 pm
    When Kaz Hirai took over as the company CEO, I knew that he'd have to do something drastic - if you've read lately, Sony has been literally bleeding money for YEARS in all of their divisions, with the Playstation/gaming division included. Reading this makes me more certain that Sony is going to adopt some of MS's policies of being very ad-friendly; when a company is losing so much money year after year, they're going to have to make some drastic changes in order to survive in the long run. I don't agree that this is what they should do, but I'm a bit more saddened at knowing what the near future holds for our consoles. If this comes to fruition, I'll stick with Xbox provided they don't get crazier with ad placements.
  • drathbone
    drathbone

    Joined: May 2011
    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 9:26 pm
    So long as the game is free, I'm ok with it. Otherwise, I might just turn to literature for entertainment.

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