Obama ads arrive in Burnout Paradise
by Richard Mitchell 
{ Oct 14th 2008 at 4:30PM }
Holly Rockwood, director of corporate communications at Electronic Arts, told GigaOM, "I can confirm that the Obama campaign has paid for in-game advertising in Burnout," adding that the company accepts advertisements from "credible political candidates" and that, just like ads on TV and radio, they don't necessarily reflect the opinions of EA or its employees. Our suggestion for the next candidate to buy some in-game ads: Ed Hermes.
[Via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dadidito @ Oct 14th 2008 4:50PM
Seriously this pisses me off. I am surrounded by politics all day. NOT in my games.
Benjamin09 @ Oct 14th 2008 4:52PM
Oh no! Your politics got in my game!
Selling goods are fine but putting ads for politics in games is horrible.
Zoot Suit Jedi @ Oct 14th 2008 4:57PM
You got politics in my goatmilk. (Kenny Rogers)
Van Faulk @ Oct 14th 2008 9:54PM
I was raised on the dairy, bitch!
ZEBRA NINER @ Oct 14th 2008 5:10PM
Oh jeez, here we go. I saw a McCain ad in Battlefield: BC, near a tiger cage. ZING!
Just kidding. McCain FTW!
Cr4sh Dummy @ Oct 14th 2008 5:23PM
Lol!
Ryan @ Oct 14th 2008 5:16PM
Maybe there will be McCain ads in Saints Row 2 in each of your eight houses you get.
yolarrydabomb @ Oct 15th 2008 12:22AM
If its ture....McCain FTW.
bill m @ Oct 14th 2008 5:29PM
Not sure how it works in gaming, but in radio and television ( and I assume this is for all forms of advertising even gaming) if you give one party air time you have to offer the other party the same air time. So it's possible we will see McCain ads as well, though at this point McCain has probably already conceded the "young" vote.
RAD Moose @ Oct 14th 2008 6:41PM
Equal airtime doesn't include advertising... so if one candidate wanted to buy ads, the other one doesn't have to, nor do they need to give them ads.
AoE @ Oct 14th 2008 6:41PM
the equal time rule comes from the FCC and applies to radio and television only (as the FCC has no hand in regulating the internet, print magazines/newspapers, etc.) however, I am certain EA would be just as happy to take McCain's money as they are to take Obama's!
AoE @ Oct 14th 2008 6:46PM
@RAD Moose,
Actually, the equal airtime DOES include advertising.
However, just because one candidate chooses to buy, say, 30 hrs of ads on a network doesn't mean another candidate will do the same, or even have the budget to do so. It just means that the channel that sold the first candidate 30 hrs of ad-time must also make 30 hrs of ad-time available for the second candidate, should the want it. The rule also prohibits stations from censoring campaign ads.
Regardless though, internet advertising isn't regulated by the FCC and thus the equal time rule doesn't apply.
Quote the Raven @ Oct 14th 2008 5:32PM
Hey thanks! I get to boycott this game now! Save me some cash!
AoE @ Oct 14th 2008 6:49PM
um... this game came out in January 2008. What were you boycotting it for from January through now? Or was it a preemptive boycott because you just knew EA was going to one day sell some in-game advertising to an advertiser who was political in nature?
DBoyFlex @ Oct 14th 2008 10:52PM
Hell yeah! I am gonna boycot now too. They won't get a cent out of me for their DLC! Suckas!
Quote the Raven @ Oct 24th 2008 5:52PM
Not preemptive, just hadn't picked it up yet. So glad I didn't, and now I won't! But nice trying to catch that, nice assumption. You know what the say when you assume...
"When AoE assumes, it makes him look like a dick that was just trying to heckle"
Delirium @ Oct 14th 2008 5:36PM
I remember seeing this in Madden yesterday. Kinda sucks, honestly.
SammyDKat @ Oct 14th 2008 5:40PM
Don't vote. Most of you people are morons anyway.
Matt @ Oct 14th 2008 9:06PM
Yeah, you're right.
Clearly, anything having to do with politics doesn't belong on 360 Fanboy anyways.
Not because video games and politics are unrelated topics, but because clearly nobody here has any idea what the they're talking about.
Stop bickering about who Obama and McCain 'know' and who's running their campaigns.
Stop posting youtube videos made by people who have absolutely no requirement to be honest in any way.
Stop parroting what partisan pundits tell you to parrot and do the research and find out what Obama and McCain intend to do when they become president, not what other people tell you they're going to do, but what Obama and McCain actually plan to do.
I guarantee you Obama and McCain have detailed exactly what they're going to do on the real issues like the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the economy, taxes, etc.
If all someone is doing is listening to what people who agree with them say about what both candidates are going to do and automatically disagree with what someone who disagrees with you says both candidates are going to do then they're an intellectually dishonest person and they're disgracing your country by voting without taking the time to come to an honest, informed opinion about who is best fit to run this country.
And finally, who cares if there's political advertisements on a video game? How can anybody whine about something like that? Cry me a river!
Mike @ Oct 14th 2008 5:41PM
Hey! These politics are ruining my game!
No! these game are ruining my politcs!
lol
TBDave @ Oct 14th 2008 6:15PM
This is really annoying. I can't listen to the radio, watch TV, and now play a friggin' video game, without getting flooded by Barack Obama ads.
I supported the guy in the Primaries, but he's really getting on my nerves in this last month.
And shame on you EA. You want to sell ads, that's ok. But leave politics out of the games.
I'm not going to buy or play an EA game until the election's over. And I hope others do the same.
ChuckJ @ Oct 14th 2008 6:22PM
This is absolutely ridiculous. Isnt Obama getting enough help from ACORN, Mickey Mouse, dead people, and 7 year olds? Now he is going after gamers?!
Sorry but this guy is too radical, too much of a liar, and too much of a liberal to ever get my vote or my support should he become President. This guy is a wolf in sheeps clothing and it is just too bad that people are too blind to see it.
RAD Moose @ Oct 14th 2008 6:43PM
Why is it "absolutely ridiculous"?
Gamers vote.. or at least they should.
Don't like Obama? Then register and vote.
BTW, McCain has surrounded himself with people that have really poor judgement. C'mon... Palin? WTF? (We can see and hear her...unfortunately... he lost all credibility when he went with her... I was looking for a much better VP candidate.)
AoE @ Oct 14th 2008 6:51PM
Better a wolf in sheep's clothing than a senile warmonger and a bible-thumping looney.
Also, unless you're a congressman, I highly doubt the next president, regardless of who it is, gives a shit about having your support AFTER they are in office ChuckJ ;)
ChuckJ @ Oct 14th 2008 6:58PM
Are you seriously going to compare Palin to people/groups like Ayers, Wright, Rezko, Odinga, Flager, ACORN?
Last I checked McCain nor Palin ever willingly worked with an unrepentant terrorist, sat in a church filled with racism and commitment solely to one race and Africa (dont believe me look at the Mission statement on that church website).... I could go on and on. But if people are going to elect someone with those affiliations and someone who has tried very hard to conceal his past (not releasing school records, not releasing a VALID birth certificate) then you deserve what you get if he is elected.
AoE @ Oct 14th 2008 7:10PM
@ChuckJ,
After the last 8 years of religious right-winger nutjob in the office... yes i'll try a left-winger nutjob for a change. Last time we had one in office the country was doing pretty good. Whereas in the past 8 years? Let's see... biggest deficit in the country's history (greater than the deficits of all previous republican presidents COMBINED), the whole world hates us, the dollar is quickly becoming worthless, our financial market is currently imploding (thanks to deregulation Bush signed into law in 2001), and we had a fundamental shift in American foreign policy when, for the first time in our history, we invaded a sovereign nation.
Now please understand, I am a libertarian, so I think that both your party and the other are completely fucked and only make serve to make this country worse... however, the other side has been in the past 3-4 decades one hell of a lot less destructive than yours (who i respected before all the religious bs got wrapped up in it).
Philip (Fernando Rocker Defence Force) @ Oct 14th 2008 7:55PM
@Aoe
You really think Bush is to blame for what is happening with our economy? Watch this, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RZVw3no2A4
Besides more taxes is not going to help us at all, neither will trying to talk to terrorists who want nothing but to see the western world in flames.
You won't give the republics power because of Bush, what about the democrat controlled congress that has a lower approval rating then him. If Obama is elected, America is screwed
AoE @ Oct 14th 2008 9:01PM
@Philip,
Wait, you honestly think McCain = lower taxes?! Is this what Fox news tells you? Because... wow, I hate to be the one to break it to you... but guess what? The Obama/McCain tax plans are both essentially a wash. But you'd know that if you'd bothered to do a bit of reading for yourself. The tax issue is the dumbest thing to bring up; do some research and get back to me. You'll find out that regardless of which of the big two parties holds the office, taxes go up (and this has been the case for the past 20 years or so).
So to answer your question, no I don't think higher taxes will help, but we also don't have any choice in that, if McCain wins we get higher taxes, if Obama wins, also higher taxes.
As for "the terrorists" who want to see the western world in flames? Maybe that has something to do with our poor behavior overseas and the way we treat other countries. Maybe instead of the warmongering policies that have gotten us into such a despised position, we can try another tactic. Also you'll note that Obama has never said he's willing to talk to terrorists, but rather to legitimate leaders of sovereign nations. Of course the GOP doesn't spin it that way in their jingoistic rhetoric, but just because they/you put words into the man's mouth doesn't make it true, sorry.
As for that last paragraph? Man you got to worked up! Translate that into english and I'll attempt to respond.
Philip (Fernando Rocker Defence Force) @ Oct 14th 2008 9:56PM
@Aoe
Your right McCain is not the best candidate, but he sure is a lot better the Obama. He might not raise taxes but it would be nothing compared to what Obama will do. Obama him self has said he will raise taxes on the rich which is wealth redistribution which leads to communism.
When I said "terriost" I should have said Muslim extremist. There are some actually countries ruled by people that belive the western world needs to be killed off, these are the people that are Obama is going to "talk to."
If you think the reason why countries in the middle east hate us is because of our foreign policy you are mistaken. The reason is because
of what is written in the Koran. They are taught from birth that any one who rejects their faith is an infidel and that they should "cut the heads off of the infidels."
As for that last paragraph, I meant to ask you why you would trust the democrats who have had control of the congress and have a lower approval rating then George Bush who is a republican.
AoE @ Oct 14th 2008 11:03PM
@Philip,
Again, please take a look at the tax plans before you speak further on them. Read them BOTH. look at the breakdowns of them both. BOTH involve shuffling taxes and around. And yes, Obama's plans do involve taxing the rich heavier than they are being taxed now, but that doesn't lead to communism as you might like to believe... on the other hand, nationalizing banks like Bush and company are doing? That my friend is a straight-up socialist act, no other way to look at it. So your beloved party is already socializing things... why are you scared of Obama's tax plan, whose structure btw has been historically proven to be much more energizing for our economy than McCain's plan?
As for your Muslim extremists? Good job speaking in generalities! I hate to tell you this, but the majority of Muslims aren't actually extremist. It's kind of like with the Christians, a few bad eggs make the whole lot seem rotten. I don't think the majority of Christians are close-minded murderous fools even though if you look at the extremists there is plenty of evidence of that; the same is true of Muslims. And again, no, Obama is talking about talking to world leaders/leaders of sovereign nations. Please get your facts straight.
Also, have you read the Quaran (oh wait sorry let me translate that into GOP for you... the KO-Ran)? Because honestly, I have (along with the bible and the torah, the i ching and lots of other religious and philosophical texts) and I'll tell you it's no darker or more murderous than any other religious text, and it certainly doesn't have anything that suggests that killing westerners is the way to go.
As for why would I trust the democrats? Simple, I don't base my decisions on fox news and public opinion polls. I base my choices for this country when I vote solely on the economy... and guess what? In my lifetime it was strongest, by far, under Clinton than under any of other president. A strong economy = a strong nation.
lorddshadow @ Oct 14th 2008 11:17PM
@ChuckJ
you do realize that obama has said that videogames are one of the causes for underachievement? so this is ironic.
Philip (Fernando Rocker Defence Force) @ Oct 15th 2008 12:08AM
I don't think that we should be taking over banks. I have never said I agree with everything Bush has done and I sure as hell won't agree with everything McCain might do. The thing is I trust McCain a lot more then I trust Obama.
I never said all Muslims are extremists, hence why I used that term and not just "Muslims" What I said is that some of the leaders of foreign countries that YOU said Obama said he will talk to are Muslim extremists.
And yes I have read the Koran. Especialy the part where it says, (notice the qoutes)"Any one who rejects me(Allah) is an infildel" and then later it says "cut the heads off of the infidels."
Google "fitna" for more. Also could you show me a part in the Bible that is as "dark" or "murderous" as that. As for the spelling of Koran, I got it from Wikipedia.
Why do people always attack Fox news for being bias? They are just as bias as all the other news networks, just on the other side.
Did you watch the "Burning Down The House" video? It explains how where we are today is partially Clinton's fault, along with Obama.
What it all boils down to is this. We have two choices for president, and I believe that between them McCain will do the least amount of damage to the nation.
P.S. If we keep this up, we should start a new comment thread so that we won't fill up ChuckJ's email.
Zac LaCombe @ Oct 14th 2008 7:00PM
On the flipside, I noticed Tron Guy in an I'm A PC ad in Madden yesterday. Can anyone confirm that was there at launch because I'm pretty sure that ad campaign came out out later?
AoE @ Oct 14th 2008 7:00PM
A couple of questions for all of the whiners:
1 - Why do you spend so much time looking at billboards in a racing game that having an ad you object to displayed actually ruins the game experience for you?
2 - Or am I confused, is Burnout Paradise actually a billboard-gazing game?
I am no expert, but when I play racing games, generally I am too far down the track to give a shit about whatever was displayed on that last billboard... I'm pretty amazed that you all are driving slow enough to gaze at them.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 14th 2008 7:46PM
Wisdom.
spin @ Oct 14th 2008 7:25PM
AoE, all of your posts, well said :)
Diamondxp @ Oct 14th 2008 9:17PM
Come on guys this is the ultimate compliment. Gamers are a desired demographic no longer the geeks who do not see the sun.
Mechanical @ Oct 14th 2008 10:27PM
If it's a compliment, it seems a rather backhanded one.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 14th 2008 7:45PM
What!? A billboard used for advertising!? What sort of madness is that!
Precise Reasoning @ Oct 14th 2008 7:54PM
I wouldn't be surprised if jack thompson appeared.
chillwill @ Oct 14th 2008 8:45PM
I think it's cool and this is an example Obama understanding what it takes to succeed in a 21st century global economy.
I wish more people would get off their assess and research the facts. Fox news is NOT the best source of unbiased information.
The possibility of Sarah Palin being the next President of the United States--The leader of the free world should scare you more than an Obama ad in a video game.
Cr4sh Dummy @ Oct 14th 2008 9:24PM
Because Barry is so much more experienced, right?
Rawnzilla @ Oct 14th 2008 9:13PM
If you are going slow enough to enough NOTICE a billboard in Burnout Paradise, YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.
bugatti23007 @ Oct 15th 2008 1:14AM
Is there going to be ads of John McCain and Sarah Palin and if there is I'd like to write scribble and put graffiti on their faces.
Philip (Fernando Rocker Defence Force) @ Oct 15th 2008 1:28AM
Wow, nothing like being open minded and respecting the other side.
Shogan @ Oct 15th 2008 1:47AM
There's such a thing as too much exposure and too much hype. Obama passed that limit months ago. This... this is absolutely ridiculous.
mafafu @ Oct 15th 2008 6:00AM
I wish they were destructible billboards. :)
Barbara @ Oct 15th 2008 10:09AM
What's backhanded about that compliment. Companies whose products don't matter have been advertising in games for years. Now when someone who does matter (based on whether you vote for him or not) buys ad space fair and square its backhanded?
psychohog @ Oct 15th 2008 11:33AM
I told you EA was ruining the game industry. I swear, if I'm blasting through shit in deadspace and see a campaign ad, that may be it for me.
XlockstockX @ Oct 19th 2008 3:46PM
In game ads are awesome, i think, especially in burnout, that it ads realism to games. Why the fuck is everyone whining so much? And obviously people are going to have different opinions about whos going to be president, but Obama payed for the exposure so he gets it, how is that so hard to grasp. If Mccain cared enough to market to another audience, then he'd be doing it too. You guys are too damn picky, you only want the "cool" shit in ur ads huh? You want Axe body spray and beef jerky instead right? Well FUCKIN TOUGH! go play ur god damned wii sports if youre gunna complain about companies doin things the way they want...You want to boycott EA games? Youre ignorant as hell. I hope EA stops making games all together because of all the unintelligent fuckjobs out there bashing what they do, then watch them come crawling back because EA makes some DAMN good games.
i need to get outa here, before i hurt myself