Tapping video games’ commercial potential
Traditionally, video games haven’t included anything more commercial than real-life cars or the occasional real-life storefront, both there for realism and ambiance. But those fake billboards and bumper stickers soon may be a thing of the past, as game publishers realize there’s another source of income just waiting to be tapped.
The first-ever trade conference on video games and advertising will occur this April in New York. Organizers of the Advertising in Games Forum say that millions were spent toward the end of last year on in-game advertising and marketing deals, and the field is expected to balloon. Even ratings giant Nielsen is getting into the act.
Topics of the conference include in-game ads, games that are created to advertise a product, interactive online ads-games, product placement, how to get ad agencies and game developers to work together and how to figure out how much money all that is making.
“For the first time, advertisers have the ability to stay with a prospective consumer as they are immersed in a game,” said Christopher Sherman, executive director of the Game Initiative, which is putting on the forum.
More information is at www.advertisingingames.com.
A golden job opportunity
One of the most common questions I get asked is: “How do I break into the video games business?” There’s a good conference to hit to get started in the career – but you’ve got to move fast.
The Seattle Video Game Industry Job Conference and Resume Workshop is happening Feb. 12 there. It’s designed for artists, programmers, writers, musicians, designers and others who want a job in video games, but it also includes opportunities for students and others who want to get into the field to chat with industry folks and the people who do the hiring.
Executives from Konami, Warner Brothers Interactive, Sony Online Entertainment and the team behind the upcoming “Matrix Online” game are among those confirmed to speak.
If you’re serious about finding a job, you’re welcome to bring a “demo reel” of your work on a laptop to show during an event where you can get it critiqued by game company insiders. Sessions include networking time and a resume workshop. It’s not very expensive – $45 in advance or $60 at the door – so if you’re interested, your real cost will be the travel expenses, which still won’t be much coming from here.
Check out www.gameconferences.com/seattle for details. And if you can’t pull it together to go in February, check out www.thegameinitiative.com for a signup page that will send you information about “How to Break Into the Game Industry” conferences as they’re scheduled around the country.
EA pursuing Ubisoft?
Electronic Arts let slip a couple of titillating details about its plans for the future during a conference call to discuss its earnings.
GameDAILY, an industry publication, reported that EA suggested it might pursue control of Ubisoft, the acclaimed publisher whose products include the “Splinter Cell” and “Rainbow Six” series.
The company already owns nearly 20 percent of Ubisoft, but the initial suggestion was that they just wanted to invest in another company doing good work.
Execs during the conference call said they were keeping their options open, but that they could seek a controlling interest – to no one’s surprise.
It would be a blow to the game industry in general, though, as big-name publishers continue to consolidate and combine.
EA already has purchased a controlling interest in DICE, the developers that create its best-selling “Battlefield” series of games.
One other interesting tidbit from the call: EA believes that games for the next-generation consoles, due out as early as this holiday season, could be more expensive than the $49.95 routinely accepted by gamers for current consoles.