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Microsoft will provide more TV-like advertisements through XBox Live

njean777

Member
Looking forward to next gen Xbox games where you have to watch a Tide commercial before you can "press start".

Xbox Next: FEATURING MORE ADS!


Ryan is referring to quick launch, and yes it takes 5-10 seconds to display anything. Doing anything on the system is still easier than trying to do the same thing on PS3 though. I don't there's any denying that or the fact that Netflix went from my most preferred version to least preferred version in a single update.

Please explain how it is easier then a ps3. The XMB is not ad ridden and a whole hell of a lot easier to navigate.
 

lucius

Member
But once you get used to where everything is you want you really don't have to be bothered with those ads, sure accidentally I went over an ad and was like wth they have added sound! But now it is just easily avoided, now things could get much worse but I doubt it.
 

njean777

Member
But once you get used to where everything is you want you really don't have to be bothered with those ads, sure accidentally I went over an ad and was like wth they have added sound! But now it is just easily avoided, now things could get much worse but I doubt it.

Dont doubt MS ever, they will be sure to provide you with more ads.
 

see5harp

Member
And people defend it, thats the even sadder part of all of this.

People shouldn't defend it, but I don't have any issue with the ads for Major Nelson or IGN videos that launch instantly. I'd prefer all game trailers and promotional videos work this way. Obviously if I started to see ads for Geico between matches for Gears, I'd be a lot more upset.
 

KageMaru

Member
Yeah that's what I said.

Well then help me understand why you bothered to quote that thread.

Or, better yet, why is it wrong to defend my choice when other people are acting like a "patronising cunt"?

Please explain how it is easier then a ps3. The XMB is not ad ridden and a whole hell of a lot easier to navigate.

Each OS has it's advantage and you have to be an idiot, or non-gamer, to consider either hard to navigate.
 
Well then help me understand why you bothered to quote that thread.

Or, better yet, why is it wrong to defend my choice when other people are acting like a "patronising cunt"?
Because I agreed that is was ridiculous to dismiss a valid criticism of a service because that person isn't a member, I didn't compare you to anyone.
 

ElFly

Member
Dunno if the content being available through the live store or not makes the ads more or less valid, but them taking way more screen real state, and being at the center of the screen, while your options are on the side on smaller boxes, is bullshit.
 
If you personally use the guide button, why are you going out of the way to defend this shit?

What about my posts has defended them introducing more ads? I simply don't find them intrusive and I certainly don't think their introduction warrants the exaggerated nonsense that's been posted in this thread.

Would I like no ads? Sure, but that's never going to happen. Do I disagree with ads? Nope. I don't consider most of those ads in those pics to actually be ads in the sense that most people talk about ads.
 
Sony, Apple, and Nintendo divide their shops from the rest of the UI. The shop is just another app, and all the ads/banners/billboards/shit are kept inside that app. They don't intrude elsewhere, outside of some small ticker or news feed.

Problem is MS doesn't do it that way. The whole damn console from the moment you turn it on is their giant store that just happens to have some options to play a game, if you're one of those crazy people who like playing.
 

see5harp

Member
Please explain how it is easier then a ps3. The XMB is not ad ridden and a whole hell of a lot easier to navigate.

If you don't know how messaging, checking achievements, accepting invites to games and parties, sending invites, and checking on your friends is better on 360, then you obviously do not use a 360. You don't go through ads on the 360 to check your achievements, messages, or party chat if you do not want to. Basically every action you can or would want to do is accessible from the guide. That is completely separate from the dashboard home screen and I'm not going to defend the ads on the dash, but actual use of the console isn't much worse than it's ever been. You take the good with the bad.
 

pantsmith

Member
The television analogy sure is terrible. I'm okay with television showing ads because:

a) ads support the channel itself, your cable bill just gets you the channel(s) -(like the web)
b) I have DVR, so I can just skip ads on most everything I watch... worst comes to worst I just change the channel.

I don't really even watch tv outside of HBO and Adult Swim, and HBO, a premium channel I pay extra for, only shows me ads relevant to their own service and its programming.

The important thing to take away from the discussion is that people don't even consider the "ads" on PSN, Wii or Steam as such- they feel appropriate to the service. I like signing on and having my console/service tell me about new games or new services/apps, because it helps my own gaming experience. At its absolute worst it at least feels feels relevant to the service.

The problem I have with "TV-like advertisements" is that the average person pays 60 dollars a year, and for what? To get more ads then they'd get on rival platforms? When I sign on to one console and see ads for Jeep, Old Spice and Mountain Dew, while its "rival" is telling me about new games I might want to know about, which one is doing me the greater service? Ironically its the free services that seems to treat my dollar with the most respect.

So what are you paying for? Xbox Live is just P2P gaming, and its not like the ads dont make enough money to cover server maintenance. Really, that money is just being recycled back into a marketing machine that wants to squeeze even more money out of you. They want you to keep paying to do things you already paid for (Netflix, HBO, etc) just on the console instead. It feels cheap, maybe even a little gross, and the only people that win are the people who want new Call of Duty content in a reasonable timeframe. "TV-like advertisements" are an even further abstraction from why I play videogames, and evidence of where I'm sure some people would like to see videogames headed.
 
I still can't fathom that people are ok with paying for something and still being subjected to ads.

(No, before you ask, I don't watch TV)

OMG! I paid $4.99 for this magazine, why are there ads!?
OMG! I paid $0.50 for this newspaper, why are there ads!?
OMG! I paid $15.00 for this movie, why are there ads!?
OMG! I paid $19.99 for this Blu Ray, why are there ads!?
OMG! I paid $14.99 for this book, why is there other books in here for me to buy?!
OMG! I paid $1.50 for a Mountain Dew, what the hell is a Halo?! Why is it on my drink?!
OMG! I paid $4.99 for a Happy Meal, why do they want me to see Cars 2?!


OMG!
 
The dash being so incredibly cluttered and ill-conceived makes the fact the mini-guide is so easy and perfect to use even more baffling. It's like they juxtaposed something remarkably efficient on top of the crazy ass dash. I don't find the ads particularly intrusive but it does seem they've gone out of their way to create even more space for them. I don't spend much time on the dash either so maybe that's why I'm not really outraged (though I'd never be outraged at something like this, but that's me). I just go to the demo/arcade section then quick launch to whatever from guide button.
 

Lime

Member
Me reading this thread:

popcorn_2shx4k.gif


I have no idea why some posters in this thread are so invested in debunking people's criticisms. But it sure provides some great entertainment.
 
I don't like them but as long as they don't mess with my game time they aren't very bothersome. The dashboard ads have always been easy enough to ignore. Not liking the trend though.
 

Jamesways

Member
Yes because me defending my choice to pay a few dollars a month for Gold against others depicting me as some type of sheep that will bend over and accept anything is the same as others defending rape and child porn, clearly.
No kidding. Loved being called "You STUPID FUCKS", awsome. No one should ever use an Xbox. Ok got it. I like the service. Yes, it sucks that you have to pay for it, but with the discounts, $2.50 a month is tolerable. I play online, use netflix, espn3, dailymotion, etc quite a bit.

If I had the money and space I'd get a pc and a nice racing rig. But I don't, and I have a wife who doesn't want that stuff around our place until we get a house with more room. You gotta pick your battles, you know?


We get that Live is better than PSN and Nintendo.
We get that Steam doesn't count.
Don't say "these aren't ads"
What we don't get is people defending even more ads.

Just say it sucks or you don't mind.
It sucks.

And I do personally think the dashboard is a jumbled mess. But as stated, you learn how to move very quickly to where you need to go without having to waste too much time around the adds. It's sure not pleasing to the eye though, that's for sure.


Looking forward to next gen Xbox games where you have to watch a Tide commercial before you can "press start".
Ha! That's what I was going to say. Just wait, want to play online, watch this commercial first. Just like Youtube.
 

Dunlop

Member
b) I have DVR, so I can just skip ads on most everything I watch... worst comes to worst I just change the channel.

uh, you never need to click on any ad (which I would say is easier that FFWD in a show recorded on a DVR) or click the Xbox button to switch to the blade UI and bypass the offensive XBL interface to play games

This whole defense force shit is comical, NOBODY wants ads in anything, they are a fact of life now in everything we do. Not everyone is an internet armchair activist

Stop paying for LIVE and the message might be made, but again nobody seems to like to highlight exactly why LIVE keeps growing in spite of these evil offensive ads
 
What about my posts has defended them introducing more ads? I simply don't find them intrusive and I certainly don't think their introduction warrants the exaggerated nonsense that's been posted in this thread.

Would I like no ads? Sure, but that's never going to happen. Do I disagree with ads? Nope. I don't consider most of those ads in those pics to actually be ads in the sense that most people talk about ads.
You have 25 posts in this thread, try parsing through yourself and seeing how crazy you sound.
 

see5harp

Member
Whatever dude, I'm not the one who doesn't know what isn't and is an ad, trying so hard to change the definition for other people.

They are ads. The purpose is to inform the consumer about a product whether it's through an entertaining video with Jessica Chobot, a free avatar, or points giveaway. Sometimes it's just a harmless video about getting achievements in Fez. I don't see anything wrong with that at all.
 

erpg

GAF parliamentarian
Given the pure rage and hyperbole in the arguments, I honestly wonder how some of you function outdoors. I hope it doesn't bother you too much.
 
Whatever dude, I'm not the one who doesn't know what isn't and is an ad, trying so hard to change the definition for other people.

lol, what?

I'm not trying to change the definition of what ads are for anyone nor am I confused about what an ad is.

In fact, I'd say the majority of people in here are confused by what ads are. There are ads that aren't relevant to what the service provides and then there's promotional materiel/s that are relevant to what's available on the service.

HBO, for example, promote their shows on their premium channel. I don't see those as ads, those who do see those as ads are wrong. The same applies here, promoting a movie that's available on the video tab isn't advertising, it's the service telling me new content is available, just as promoting the latest game release on the main screen isn't advertising.

It's really quite simple, but it seems the majority of people can't process this simple difference and fly into blind rages whenever the word ad is mentioned.
 

pantsmith

Member
Are people going to stop posting at GAF because it has ads?

Its free. The advertisements help subsidize the costs of running the forum/site.

If you paid $40/50/60 dollars a year for every year you wanted to read or post on Gaf, would you feel the same way about advertisements? What if there were other sites that offered a similar experience but didn't charge you and instead only listed video game advertisements?

There is no right or wrong answer, only an individual's perception of value.

(I'm posting this assuming you don't understand, hoping you weren't trying to make a point)
 
lol, what?

I'm not trying to change the definition of what ads are for anyone nor am I confused about what an ad is.

In fact, I'd say the majority of people in here are confused by what ads are. There are ads that aren't relevant to what the service provides and then there's ads that are relevant to what's available on the service.

HBO, for example, promote their shows on their premium channel. I don't see those as ads, those who do see those as ads are wrong. The same applies here, promoting a movie that's available on the video tab isn't advertising, it's the service telling me new content is available, just as promoting the latest game release on the main screen isn't advertising.

It's really quite simple, but it seems the majority of people can't process this simple difference and fly into blind rages whenever the word ad is mentioned.



There is something wrong with you.
 

ToxicAdam

Member
MS has about 10-15 million loyal fans that will accept just about anything they do. No matter how exorbitant or tacky it may be.

All you can do is shrug.
 
Not really, I have clear definitions for what I consider to be actual advertising and what I consider promo material.

Well you can call a fish a giraffe, but you'll still be wrong.

You don't get to make or remake definitions. There is something wrong with you if you think you do.

You can choose how to react to the ads, and think they are fine, but they are still going to be ads.
 
Yes it is.

Yes it is.

Yes it is. All the things you mentioned are advertising.

There's a difference. I consider that to be promo material, not actual advertising. It's not trying to sell me the product, it's merely informing me that it's available.

advertising sells, the majority of what people consider to be ads on XBL don't try to sell you something. They inform you of what's available.

Well you can call a fish a giraffe, but you'll still be wrong.

Not sure what you're point is here.
 
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