Ads in video games are not new, and they’re not going anywhere.
But these days, brands have to try harder than just sponsoring overt tie-ins like “M.C. Kids” and “Chex Quest.”
The return of “Grand Theft Auto”
Rockstar Games’ upcoming “Grand Theft Auto VI” could be a seismic event in the world of sponsored content, Digiday suspects.
- Its predecessor, “GTA V,” sold more than 200m copies.
- But it’s also over a decade old.
Streamers and fans love its custom role-play servers, where online players are given strict, “realistic” guidelines about how to play.
- In stark contrast to the regular game, you obey traffic laws, go to work, and avoid killing other players.
- They are essentially their own bespoke worlds, much like the digital sponsorship activations that are common in games like “Fortnite” and “Roblox.”
- Of course, advertisers would see the hypothetical potential of a photorealistic Nike-themed city where 200m players learn about Nike.
But does this actually make sense?
Sorry, brands — it kind of doesn’t.
- The “GTA” series has never gone for sponsored tie-ins, preferring to fill its world with parody versions of famous brands.
- It seems unlikely that it would spoil the joke with real ads.
In-game ads can work, though. Prada reported a 1.8k% increase in web traffic after a “Candy Crush Saga” tie-in.
- But there’s a reason Prada worked with “Candy Crush”: It’s free and it’s on your phone.
- North America has an estimated 285m gamers, and 150m+ of them play on their phones.
It’s also worth noting that “GTA VI” will be a game about violent criminals doing violent crimes, while “Candy Crush” is about having good-natured fun with candy.
One of those seems more obviously palatable to image-conscious brands — at least ones that don’t sell tools for stealing cars.
