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Battlefield 2142 is coming bundled with spyware. It scans you IP adress and surfing habits to generate adds in the game. The spoilers under the links are my copy and pastes.
Some articels about the company responsible for this new addware in games, IGA.
IGA gets 17 million to shove at at you.
Codemasters gets some of that 17 mil to put spyware in their games
IGA CEO defends looting your personal information to shove adds at you.
source
Some articels about the company responsible for this new addware in games, IGA.
IGA gets 17 million to shove at at you.
In-game ad firm IGA Worldwide announced a combined $5 million investment from Intel Capital and IGA's existing investor group to complete a Series A funding round that totals $17 million. A group of investors co-led by New York-based Easton Capital, Morgenthaler Ventures and including existing investor DN Capital had earlier subscribed to the Series A funding round initially announced at $12 million.
IGA Worldwide's proprietary ad serving network, Radial, enables advertisers to target game players across a wide range of platforms and genres while they play. It also provides strategic consulting services including integrated product placement and co-promotion through its wholly-owned communications consultancy, IGA Hive. IGA's major competitors in the in-game ad serving space include the now Microsoft-owned Massive Inc., Double Fusion, and Adscape Media.
IGA Worldwide confirmed that the company will use the funding to expand its relationships with publishers and continue to extend its global operations in support of a growing base of customers in North America, Europe and Asia.
"Intel Capital's investment in IGA Worldwide will be used to further accelerate our strategic relationship building program with the leading game publishers around the world," said IGA Worldwide CEO Justin Townsend. "As we see the in-game advertising market mature, the revenue from all forms of brand placements in games will be an important source of income for game publishers."
"The explosive growth of digital gaming is attracting millions of new users and is a key element of Intel's vision for the Digital Home," said Damien Callaghan, Strategic Investment Manager, Intel Capital. "IGA's products enhance this opportunity by enabling game developers and publishers to earn additional revenue ensuring the continuation of a vibrant industry - an issue of importance to Intel and its customers."
IGA Worldwide's proprietary ad serving network, Radial, enables advertisers to target game players across a wide range of platforms and genres while they play. It also provides strategic consulting services including integrated product placement and co-promotion through its wholly-owned communications consultancy, IGA Hive. IGA's major competitors in the in-game ad serving space include the now Microsoft-owned Massive Inc., Double Fusion, and Adscape Media.
IGA Worldwide confirmed that the company will use the funding to expand its relationships with publishers and continue to extend its global operations in support of a growing base of customers in North America, Europe and Asia.
"Intel Capital's investment in IGA Worldwide will be used to further accelerate our strategic relationship building program with the leading game publishers around the world," said IGA Worldwide CEO Justin Townsend. "As we see the in-game advertising market mature, the revenue from all forms of brand placements in games will be an important source of income for game publishers."
"The explosive growth of digital gaming is attracting millions of new users and is a key element of Intel's vision for the Digital Home," said Damien Callaghan, Strategic Investment Manager, Intel Capital. "IGA's products enhance this opportunity by enabling game developers and publishers to earn additional revenue ensuring the continuation of a vibrant industry - an issue of importance to Intel and its customers."
Codemasters gets some of that 17 mil to put spyware in their games
In-game ad firm IGA Worldwide has announced that it has signed an exclusive multi-title, multi-platform agreement with developer and publisher Codemasters in order to deliver audio, video and billboard advertising content into and around several of the company's upcoming titles, including Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 and the next-generation version of Colin McRae Rally.
Advertisements will be delivered via IGA Worldwide's proprietary Radial in-game ad serving technology. The firm will exclusively manage dynamic ad sales into the range of titles, while its wholly-owned creative communications consultancy, IGA Hive, will be responsible for static ads, interactive product placement integrations and co-promotion activities.
"Advertising in games generates additional revenue that publishers can offset against product development costs," said Rod Cousens, CEO at Codemasters. "However, it's critical for the ad placements to complement the highly immersive gaming experience of our games across current and future platforms. Following significant due diligence on the market we believe that IGA is ideally placed to deliver on all of these key points."
"The fact that another of the world's leading videogame publishers has made the transition to IGA as a one-stop solution for their in-game advertising further demonstrates the strength and business value of our offering and our position as the leading independent company in the industry," said Justin Townsend, CEO of IGA Worldwide. "Codemasters' proven ability to deliver globally successful franchises will open up a whole new range of possibilities for the world's leading brands and agencies, enabling advertisers to reach their target demographics across an exciting range of game genres and platforms."
Advertisements will be delivered via IGA Worldwide's proprietary Radial in-game ad serving technology. The firm will exclusively manage dynamic ad sales into the range of titles, while its wholly-owned creative communications consultancy, IGA Hive, will be responsible for static ads, interactive product placement integrations and co-promotion activities.
"Advertising in games generates additional revenue that publishers can offset against product development costs," said Rod Cousens, CEO at Codemasters. "However, it's critical for the ad placements to complement the highly immersive gaming experience of our games across current and future platforms. Following significant due diligence on the market we believe that IGA is ideally placed to deliver on all of these key points."
"The fact that another of the world's leading videogame publishers has made the transition to IGA as a one-stop solution for their in-game advertising further demonstrates the strength and business value of our offering and our position as the leading independent company in the industry," said Justin Townsend, CEO of IGA Worldwide. "Codemasters' proven ability to deliver globally successful franchises will open up a whole new range of possibilities for the world's leading brands and agencies, enabling advertisers to reach their target demographics across an exciting range of game genres and platforms."
IGA CEO defends looting your personal information to shove adds at you.
Talking to Gamasutra, IGA Worldwide CEO Justin Townsend has explained his company's work with EA on Battlefield 2142's in-game ads, following earlier controversy over a disclaimer shipped with the European version of the game.
The disclaimer had some users concerned over what they termed 'spyware' related to the dynamic in-game advertising supplied by IGA. But Townsend made it clear that IGA "does not capture any personally identifiable information" for those playing BF2142, going on to explain exactly what details the game's users are supplying when they play.
IGA's In-Game Ad Capture Specifics
Specifically, IGA's software uses the IP address for geotargeting of in-game ads (so that European ads are not shown to those in the U.S., for example). It also creates a unique user number that's generated locally, and is able to re-identify the gamer when he next appears online.
In addition, IGA's in-game ad solution does capture the time of day that the user started to play each gaming session - Townsend mentioned, as an example, that "if the brief says 'Males 18 to 34'", the ads may only be served between 6pm and 9pm on a weekday evening or similar, to replicate 'primetime' viewing.
The time that each ad impression takes place is also recorded by IGA, alongside what type of ad content it was (billboard, megaboard, or video stream), the duration (how long was the ad seen for), the size of the ad relative to the player, and the angle of deflection (what angle the ad is viewed at).
Anonymity, The Need For Ads
IGA's Townsend went on to explain exactly why identifying specific consumers is not part of his company's goal, explaining: "In the advertising sector, generally you have two very distinct forms of advertising - above the line and below the line."
The company's advertising is 'above the line', which is to say that it's communicating the brand image, much like TV, and it's not 'below the line' advertising like the Internet & direct mail which seeks to get into a dialogue or a transaction with the consumer. Thus, Townsend explained that there's no need to know who exactly customers are. He clarified: "For us, all we need to do is to make sure we are serving the right ads to the right IP."
Regarding today's online controversy, Townsend noted that "you are always going have that hardcore vocal minority" who don't want in-game ads. But he suggested that if those same people "knew the kind of painful transition that most publishers are going through right now", they might approve of in-game ads as an important financial support function for next-gen titles.
He particularly commented: "If gamers still want to have a high amount of good quality titles year in and year out, there needs to be alternate revenue streams" for next-gen gaming - IGA clearly sees in-game advertising as a notable example of this.
IGA's In-Game Ad Capture Specifics
Finally, when asked about the suitability of the in-game ad creative for Battlefield 2142, which is somewhat of a futuristic title, Townsend explained that the company is "actually getting brands to do specific creative for games" to enable those brands to blend in better in the game.
Addressing BF2142 itself, Townsend, who noted that he is a fan of the series and is currently playing Battlefield 2, explained that "it's near future", in the sense that "...there are no laser beams being shot around." Thus, "because it's predominantly set in urban environemnts", a lot of the creative for the ads in the game "is generic, or will be adapted to suit the near-future element."
The disclaimer had some users concerned over what they termed 'spyware' related to the dynamic in-game advertising supplied by IGA. But Townsend made it clear that IGA "does not capture any personally identifiable information" for those playing BF2142, going on to explain exactly what details the game's users are supplying when they play.
IGA's In-Game Ad Capture Specifics
Specifically, IGA's software uses the IP address for geotargeting of in-game ads (so that European ads are not shown to those in the U.S., for example). It also creates a unique user number that's generated locally, and is able to re-identify the gamer when he next appears online.
In addition, IGA's in-game ad solution does capture the time of day that the user started to play each gaming session - Townsend mentioned, as an example, that "if the brief says 'Males 18 to 34'", the ads may only be served between 6pm and 9pm on a weekday evening or similar, to replicate 'primetime' viewing.
The time that each ad impression takes place is also recorded by IGA, alongside what type of ad content it was (billboard, megaboard, or video stream), the duration (how long was the ad seen for), the size of the ad relative to the player, and the angle of deflection (what angle the ad is viewed at).
Anonymity, The Need For Ads
IGA's Townsend went on to explain exactly why identifying specific consumers is not part of his company's goal, explaining: "In the advertising sector, generally you have two very distinct forms of advertising - above the line and below the line."
The company's advertising is 'above the line', which is to say that it's communicating the brand image, much like TV, and it's not 'below the line' advertising like the Internet & direct mail which seeks to get into a dialogue or a transaction with the consumer. Thus, Townsend explained that there's no need to know who exactly customers are. He clarified: "For us, all we need to do is to make sure we are serving the right ads to the right IP."
Regarding today's online controversy, Townsend noted that "you are always going have that hardcore vocal minority" who don't want in-game ads. But he suggested that if those same people "knew the kind of painful transition that most publishers are going through right now", they might approve of in-game ads as an important financial support function for next-gen titles.
He particularly commented: "If gamers still want to have a high amount of good quality titles year in and year out, there needs to be alternate revenue streams" for next-gen gaming - IGA clearly sees in-game advertising as a notable example of this.
IGA's In-Game Ad Capture Specifics
Finally, when asked about the suitability of the in-game ad creative for Battlefield 2142, which is somewhat of a futuristic title, Townsend explained that the company is "actually getting brands to do specific creative for games" to enable those brands to blend in better in the game.
Addressing BF2142 itself, Townsend, who noted that he is a fan of the series and is currently playing Battlefield 2, explained that "it's near future", in the sense that "...there are no laser beams being shot around." Thus, "because it's predominantly set in urban environemnts", a lot of the creative for the ads in the game "is generic, or will be adapted to suit the near-future element."
t: Still I wonder what will happen if you play BF2142 offline.
