Apologies if this isn't the right forum, but remember when DTG started to include rolling adverts on the PC version of the game as well as the bizarre team up with Pringles, there were hints of it eventually being rolled out to Console in the future. Is that still the plan? Or has the whole thing been quietly dropped?
I believe Bidstack is still in the options menu, which is the advertising partner, guessing no one has signed up to advertise or Bidstack aren't pushing advertising assets to the billboards etc.
Would make it a more immersive experience when going through Watford Junction that's for sure! Those massive boards on the Down Fast would look good with some real adverts on them. If you don't want to see them, just turn off Bidstack in your options menu and you'll get the default DTG posters.
That's okay then, although on console it's not an option (yet, apparently...). If they want to advertise to me (ie get money from the advertisers) there's got to be an incentive for me, otherwise no way Jose! (Probably not even then.)
Hey, look I found an two years old thread with exactly the same issue (Bidstack not working), nothing has changed. Oh wait, a photo mode got introduced. I just can hope DTG doesen't pay them money
We have pulled back from using it. It very rarely showed any adverts and was requiring extra work to keep their library updated all the time, for zero benefit anywhere. At some point it'll disappear from the menus etc as well. Matt.
It's still present in some routes yes, but won't be going into any more, and at some point will come out of those
Dutch ads on a non-Dutch routes are such an immersion breaker. Wouldn't mind realistic ads appropiate for the route, but not this.
Iam surprised advertising companies don't use games as an advertising platform ,in the right context of course, such as simulator games as TSW, Tv and radio are saturated with it ,yes I know its a different platform but still surprising none the less given how popular games are today,would Make it more real and emersive if it was included
They used to. Skate 3 has a ****-ton of adverts ranging from Adidas to Dr. Pepper to T-Mobile. Older FIFA Games used to allow players to select a variety of brands to sponsor their Custom teams, and all FIFA/EAFC games (sports games in general) all feature brands from league/team sponsors to sportswear brands - even if inadvertently. Not just an EA thing, it happens across gaming.
At that point please make sure that it isn't required anymore to consent with Bidstacks Privacy Regulations/Terms of service, or however that is called. Quite disturbing to me that you have to consent in the first place, even when having it disabled.
Car games have tons of adverts, just not in a way most people notice, the whole reason real car companies even bother with these deals is because it gets their name out and about more. Same has been true with train and aircraft simulators, or even real life merchandise like model trains and Lego's. Even something like the UP Steam Program or the Blue Angels are a form of advertising, just in ways that it isn't as blatant as 30 second commercial or billboards are. Non-vehicle games do it as well to be clear though, a interesting one I know of is Sonic Adventure 2's. Sonic in that game notably gained a new pair of grinding shoes that have since became rather iconic. Interestingly the whole reason that happened is that the shoe company Soap ended up paying to be advertised in the game due to grinding being such a big mechanic in that game. And alongside Sonic wearing the shoes they actually straight up had Soap billboards in original releases of the game. Pikmin 2's another example, which famously has various product placements with its various tressures you find. For context in international versions of the game pre-Nintendo Switch version this is literally the very first item you grab. Yes, your eyes aren't playing tricks, that's a Duracell battery. Interestingly that game's also a case study as to why these can cause issues. As notably the Wii re-release of Pikmin 2 got delayed for two or three years supposedly because Nintendo of America couldn't be bother to renew the licensing deals t2012. And when the game got re-released on Switch they notably completely rebranded everything (sans the Nintendo themed items obviously) presumably so that they don't need to sort out those deals ever again. There's other examples, I vividly remember hearing about Final Fantasy XV having tie ins with actual fashion companies. Notably having actual fashion designers design the cloths for the main characters of that game. Metal Gear Solid has also had multiple tie-ins, most famously with a Japanese energy bar brand called Calorie Mate. But I think I've made the point, it's not super common, but it's not the untapped market some here think it is. And that's ignoring tie-ins to movies, shows, and other video games, which are much more common than the odd shoe and battery company.
Don't forget Spider-Man 2 and it's Adidas advertising that was responsible for one of the biggest misjudgements in gaming history by giving Miles Morales a new suit in the final mission and upsetting a load of players
Sorry that didn't work out, but it WAS a good idea. You can't get more "immersive" than real life ads on billboards. That's literally as "realistic" as it gets...and it helps keep costs lower. So in theory that was a neat idea. Too bad it didn't work out.
