As the technology and approach of gaming evolves one thing has stayed the same, advertisements suck. Sure ads aren't as ... uh ... flashy as they once were, but they still take up the pages our favorite magazines and disturb our search for news on our favorite websites.Next-Gen.biz has taken a look at the evolution of game ads from the last three decades, including: the simplistic approach of the 80s, the radical colors of the 90s and the boring screenshot montages of the current generation.
While not Xbox specific, the feature teaches us a little about the evolution of marketing for games and how the new generation is breaking the mold wit Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) while still phoning in traditional advertisements. A worthy read for those looking for some gaming business knowledge.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-02-2008 @ 3:43PM
emirabal said...
I remember this ad like it was yesterday in my issues of gamepro and EGM
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6-02-2008 @ 3:44PM
baby sea tuna said...
I used to have a Garbage Pail Kid sticker that looked just like that guy!
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6-02-2008 @ 3:52PM
Tony said...
Articles like that one always complain about the ribbon screenshot process, but they never make any attempt to figure out how effective it is... nor do they ever even attempt to recommend any alternatives.
We're in a generation of marketing where they back up every other thing with surveys and usability tests. I have to imagine there is a reason for this layout and it's probably that it's the most effective and least jarring.
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6-02-2008 @ 4:21PM
Dick said...
Shut up and revel in the nostalgia.
Jesus.
Not everything needs to be all smart and high fallutin. No one cares about your empiricism or your ad investigation techniques or experimental design.
6-02-2008 @ 4:29PM
Tony said...
Had you even read the article you would know that half of the text on Next-Generation does nothing but complain about this design concept. Even their conclusion talks about this and wonders why it's still around.
I can't talk about that?
6-02-2008 @ 4:38PM
Magic Whiskey said...
I loved this ad...it always reminded me of Kid Chameleon for some reason.
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6-02-2008 @ 5:40PM
Mr.ESC said...
Not nearly as funny as 1up best worst ads and I feel the guy who wrote it kept using the word condescend as if it was the word of the day.
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6-02-2008 @ 6:03PM
SABCA said...
They didn't mention this one:
http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/features/images/53238-2.jpg
I was rather surprised to see something that "Risque" at the time. I also remember magazines getting letters by outraged parents after the ad appeared.
Given the beauty of modern graphics, I'd like to see the occasional ad use in-game assets, for full-page spreads. If an epic ad for a game can be made using the games models and world, and it STILL holds up, even in print, that might be more provocative than any static artistic experience could ever hope to be.
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6-03-2008 @ 8:28AM
xenocidic said...
what the hell is going on with that kid's face?!
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