In Game Advertising

In-game advertising refers to the use of computer and video games as a medium in which to deliver advertising. In 2005, spending on in-game advertising was USD$56 million, and this figure is estimated to grow to $1.8 billion by 2010 according to Massive Incorporated, although Yankee Group gives a lower estimate at $732 million. In-game advertising is seen by some in the games industry as offering a new revenue stream, allowing developers to offset growing development costs and to take more risks in gameplay.

Advertisers see in-game advertising as a prime way to target the male 18-34 demographic, who are increasingly neglecting television in favour of computer and video games. However, some gamers see these moves as greedy and invasive, dubbing in-game advertising software as spyware. This view was demonstrated by the backlash against Electronic Arts' Battlefield 2142 which contained in-game advertisements from IGA Worldwide. This has not, however, stopped traditional firms such as Nielsen Media Research branching out into the in-game advertising space, by announcing a new video games ratings service (similar to Nielsen ratings) called GamePlay Metrics to serve in-game advertisers.



IGA Worldwide, Inc. is the independent leader in the expanding in-game advertising market, helping brands to understand and exploit the rich and diverse opportunities available now and in the future.Its proprietary ad serving network, Radial™, enables advertisers to target millions of engaged consumers across a wide range of platforms and genres while they play.

Source:
IGA Worldwide