In a recent video, a former BioWare dev and Dragon Age boss discussed ‘product placement’ as a way for video games to raise/recover development funds.
The new video posted by former BioWare veteran Mark Darrah comes with a boatload of information and insights. Most recently, we covered Darrah’s point that AAA gaming has become too dependent on live-service titles. Now, he has suggested alternative ways game devs can recover costs.
Product Placement Could Be a Way for Games to Make Money, Says Dragon Age Boss
During a recent video posted on the ‘Mark Darrah on Games’ YouTube channel, spotted by IGN, Darrah discussed how video games should steal the business models of movies. Darrah began by explaining how the live-action Smurfs movie was able to fund itself through product placement. According to the former BioWare veteran, this allowed the movie to be made at no cost, as revenue from product placements covered all expenses.
He then discusses the issue of excessive reliance on microtransactions, suggesting that games should explore new opportunities and alternative revenue streams. Darrah mentioned, “Product placement is a very small part of video games right now compared to movies and television. Maybe it could be a larger part of development. Maybe there are relationships there to be formed.”
Product placement is present in video games; however, Darrah recommends a deeper integration of these elements into game development. This approach would enhance their relevance within the property and likely make advertisers more willing to invest money. However, not all games might agree with this approach.
In other news, PlayStation has caught the neck of a major shovelware publisher, leading to the delisting of over 1,000 games. Additionally, the California Assembly has passed the Protect Our Games Act by a vote of 43-16, meaning that the bill will move to the California State Senate. What are your thoughts on increasing product placement in video games to bring more money? Leave your thoughts down in the comments, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
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