MLB 2K9 Going Overboard with Stadium Advertising

by pastapadre
Posted February 14th, 2009 at 11:14 am

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I’ve never had any issues with in-game ads being displayed. This is because they have always been a natural fit, actually helping to increase the immersion factor. Seeing advertisements in places you would see them in real life they’ve makes sense. However with MLB 2K9 they may have finally crossed the line with how they are being inserted.

Thanks to Operation Sports who has provided screenshots of every stadium we can now see how certain ads (specifically Pepsi) are dominant. While it’s possible that some of those will be replaced with others dynamically throughout the year, what is of most concern is that 2K has added areas for ads that don’t actually exist in real life.

The most obvious example of this is Wrigley Field. A sign in center field has been inserted in order to get the State Farm advertisement in. Presumably this is because the ivy on the outfield wall prevents them from using that space to display their ads. Below you can see the State Farm sign in the 2K9 screen (top) and the real Wrigley (bottom).

wrigley2k9

There have also been some more subtle adjustments made to stadiums in order to get ads to fit. There are examples of outfield wall heights that have been made taller than they should be, apparently just to be able to insert a particular ad in that area. The left field at Nationals’ Park has been cited as a blatant example of this.

When asked about the State Farm sign in Wrigley one of the 2K9 developers responded by saying “Statefarm is a sponsor of our game and basically just like in actual stadiums where company’s pay money to advertise, statefarm pays us to advertise for them so we put up some signs for them.”

Again, when advertisements are in the appropriate places there is no reason to complain. However when it begins to affect the games with developers making changes to stadium designs in order to get them to fit or to include additional areas to place them it does become a concern.

Tags: latest news

Ulysses

2k is a joke

http://intensedebate.com/people/pacmanfan21 pacmanfan21

10000000000000000000000000 thumbs up MLB 09 the show all the way

Ulysses

2k is a joke

http://intensedebate.com/people/pacmanfan21 pacmanfan21

10000000000000000000000000 thumbs up MLB 09 the show all the way

Scott

Pasta thats where they make there money…They have to advertise. I am sure pepsi is paying them lot of money. Trust me.

Busty

Well then why are we still paying $60 plus tax? Go ahead and take money from big companies like Pepsi but give the customers a little relief, especially when your product has sucked over the last few years.

Scott

Pasta thats where they make there money…They have to advertise. I am sure pepsi is paying them lot of money. Trust me.

Busty

Well then why are we still paying $60 plus tax? Go ahead and take money from big companies like Pepsi but give the customers a little relief, especially when your product has sucked over the last few years.

Scott

And statefarm my I add…
Scott

And statefarm my I add…
aaron

wow this is pathetic
aaron

wow this is pathetic
J-Claw

Yeah they made the LF wall at Nationals Park much higher than it really is.

http://www.operationsports.com/images/u/media/123…

walter bishop

not to mention the freakin seats in the "Red Porch" are blue!
nyr2k2

Wow…that is A LOT higher than it should be. Jesus.

J-Claw

Yeah they made the LF wall at Nationals Park much higher than it really is.

http://www.operationsports.com/images/u/media/123…

walter bishop

not to mention the freakin seats in the "Red Porch" are blue!
nyr2k2

Wow…that is A LOT higher than it should be. Jesus.

J-Claw

So then you're okay with them altering stadiums for ads? No one cares about ads being there in the first place its that the stadiums have been messed with so they can put more of them.
J-Claw

So then you're okay with them altering stadiums for ads? No one cares about ads being there in the first place its that the stadiums have been messed with so they can put more of them.
Mister Woods

I won't lie, I came in here with my usual "here these MF's go again hating on 2k!!" but that's a little overboard with the pepsi, can't even lie.
Mister Woods

I won't lie, I came in here with my usual "here these MF's go again hating on 2k!!" but that's a little overboard with the pepsi, can't even lie.
t-maz

this is ridiculous, another area where the game is unrealistic
t-maz

this is ridiculous, another area where the game is unrealistic
edwood

Oh goody, something else all the biased fanboys can cry about. "2k sux cuz theirs 2 many adds!!!!11"

matthew

Fraid 2K just sucks now mate. i used to play 2k exclusively, but I bought a Ps3 this year mainly to play MLB 09.

Smokez4Dayz

well you are what we call a FOLLOWER. Now that MLB 2K9 might be a great title, You FOLLOWED YOUR WAY TO THE MASSES. FOLLOWED THE CROWD. AND Couldn't maintain your individuality…sad state of america…so MANY COPIERS AND FOLLOWERS. Here follow me, let me show you how to bang your girl….lmao….stick to your guts, you ALL KNOW 2k is badass! taking on the big boys and winning…I thought everyone likes an underdog? Go Play NCAA BASEBALL, LMAO

edwood

Oh goody, something else all the biased fanboys can cry about. "2k sux cuz theirs 2 many adds!!!!11"

matthew

Fraid 2K just sucks now mate. i used to play 2k exclusively, but I bought a Ps3 this year mainly to play MLB 09.

Smokez4Dayz

well you are what we call a FOLLOWER. Now that MLB 2K9 might be a great title, You FOLLOWED YOUR WAY TO THE MASSES. FOLLOWED THE CROWD. AND Couldn't maintain your individuality…sad state of america…so MANY COPIERS AND FOLLOWERS. Here follow me, let me show you how to bang your girl….lmao….stick to your guts, you ALL KNOW 2k is badass! taking on the big boys and winning…I thought everyone likes an underdog? Go Play NCAA BASEBALL, LMAO

thaSLAB®

Yeah, that is definitely over the top…LOL (and I have State Farm Insurance)
thaSLAB®

Yeah, that is definitely over the top…LOL (and I have State Farm Insurance)
J-Claw

Its not the number of ads. Its that there are too many of one kind, and that they put ads in places that dont exist in real life. It doesnt make the game bad but it does mess with the realistic feel. Though with a flash of light after every pitch that cant be turned off I doubt 2K is going for much realism.

http://www.twins-territory.com/ TwinsTerritory

It isn't even the kind of ads as much as the fact that they've changed the parks to make some extra money.

J-Claw

Its not the number of ads. Its that there are too many of one kind, and that they put ads in places that dont exist in real life. It doesnt make the game bad but it does mess with the realistic feel. Though with a flash of light after every pitch that cant be turned off I doubt 2K is going for much realism.

http://www.twins-territory.com TwinsTerritory

It isn't even the kind of ads as much as the fact that they've changed the parks to make some extra money.

Mister Woods

hey, i was watching the videos yesterday and this reminded me to pay my renters insurance, i was a few weeks late!
Mister Woods

hey, i was watching the videos yesterday and this reminded me to pay my renters insurance, i was a few weeks late!
gnome

wow, notice how there's an extra building with seats on it in Wrigley??? does 2K even look at the real stadiums or just create them out of memory?

ryan

hahaha…it's just so sad. this company is such a joke.

gnome

wow, notice how there's an extra building with seats on it in Wrigley??? does 2K even look at the real stadiums or just create them out of memory?

ryan

hahaha…it's just so sad. this company is such a joke.

cdub326

In-game ads are just ridiculous. Are we not paying enough money to them buy spending $60 on each game? It's sad where we are going with sports games.
cdub326

In-game ads are just ridiculous. Are we not paying enough money to them buy spending $60 on each game? It's sad where we are going with sports games.
Scott

People don't you understand. I am in marketing, 2k gets gets companies on board to promote thier products either being Pepso, Starefarm so forth and so on. 2k gets alot of money from them to promote thier products in thier games. Its all marketing now a days and its all about MONEY. Do I think its over the top you betcha…

Jason

EVERYBODY understands this. Nobody has a problem with the mere existence of advertising. It's there in real life, it should be there in the game.

The problem is 2K are changing stadiums to be less realistic to facilitate more advertising. They'd adjusted wall heights, inserted non-existent buildings, changed scoreboards, etc. and it ruins the feel of the game. And that doesn't even begin to address the problems of only having two sponsors, meaning there are something like 15 giant Pepsi ads in Tropicana Field, and ZERO other ads.

Scott

People don't you understand. I am in marketing, 2k gets gets companies on board to promote thier products either being Pepso, Starefarm so forth and so on. 2k gets alot of money from them to promote thier products in thier games. Its all marketing now a days and its all about MONEY. Do I think its over the top you betcha…

Jason

EVERYBODY understands this. Nobody has a problem with the mere existence of advertising. It's there in real life, it should be there in the game.

The problem is 2K are changing stadiums to be less realistic to facilitate more advertising. They'd adjusted wall heights, inserted non-existent buildings, changed scoreboards, etc. and it ruins the feel of the game. And that doesn't even begin to address the problems of only having two sponsors, meaning there are something like 15 giant Pepsi ads in Tropicana Field, and ZERO other ads.

juanchocolombia

http://www.operationsports.com/images/u/media/123…

notice how they even modified the shape of bottle in the at&t park so it won't have too much resemblance to the original iconic coca-cola bottle, pepsi's main competition

lol

VVV

The shape of the bottle is actually trademarked by Coca-Cola. Even without Pepsi sponsorship, they would have had to change the shape.

juanchocolombia

I don't know man… look at the same bottle on The Show:

http://www.operationsports.com/images/u/media/123…

It has the exact shape of a Coke bottle but it says "Enjoy-Cola" instead of "Coca-Cola".

Steven

No it's not the same.

juanchobossa

what do you mean by "it's not the same"??

Of course it's the same…. they are both the representation the Coca-Cola bottle of the AT&T Park in San Francisco.

juanchocolombia

http://www.operationsports.com/images/u/media/123…

notice how they even modified the shape of bottle in the at&t park so it won't have too much resemblance to the original iconic coca-cola bottle, pepsi's main competition

lol

VVV

The shape of the bottle is actually trademarked by Coca-Cola. Even without Pepsi sponsorship, they would have had to change the shape.

juanchocolombia

I don't know man… look at the same bottle on The Show:

http://www.operationsports.com/images/u/media/123…

It has the exact shape of a Coke bottle but it says "Enjoy-Cola" instead of "Coca-Cola".

Steven

No it's not the same.

juanchobossa

what do you mean by "it's not the same"??

Of course it's the same…. they are both the representation the Coca-Cola bottle of the AT&T Park in San Francisco.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Sidewinder Sidewinder

Someone's gotta pay the bills when nobody buys the game.

Eric

Sidewinder beat me to it.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Sidewinder Sidewinder

Someone's gotta pay the bills when nobody buys the game.

Eric

Sidewinder beat me to it.

Dara

That is awful.
Dara

That is awful.
Sparky

who cares…. they make money off of the ads, and if that's the biggest thing you notice in a game, then I don't know what to say… This game is going to rock compared to mlb 2k8, I could care less where they put the ads
Sparky

who cares…. they make money off of the ads, and if that's the biggest thing you notice in a game, then I don't know what to say… This game is going to rock compared to mlb 2k8, I could care less where they put the ads
nick andrea

aren't we just splitting hairs at this point? let's not bag on a game because it has advertising in it. every developer has to do it for an additional revenue stream. i mean, look at ea, they pimped out their entire catalog to advertisers.

Tron

And look at how the opinion of EA Sports has dropped in the eye of the public as a result

nick andrea

aren't we just splitting hairs at this point? let's not bag on a game because it has advertising in it. every developer has to do it for an additional revenue stream. i mean, look at ea, they pimped out their entire catalog to advertisers.

Tron

And look at how the opinion of EA Sports has dropped in the eye of the public as a result

Moose

I suddenly have a craving for a Pepsi while buying some insurance from State Farm, then I need to go out and buy some Majestic stuff…
Moose

I suddenly have a craving for a Pepsi while buying some insurance from State Farm, then I need to go out and buy some Majestic stuff…
adam

lol
adam

lol
Mark

2k sucks….their whole company is on a free-fall…
Mark

2k sucks….their whole company is on a free-fall…
Bisett

Exactly Good Point

Advertising dominates the whole (Commercial) <——key word market.

Why not get additional $ from Pepsi.

J-Claw

No one minds them having the advertising but they should be placed realistically. It looks like 2K instead has a priority of advertising over having accurate stadiums. That is just wrong.

Bisett

Exactly Good Point

Advertising dominates the whole (Commercial) <——key word market.

Why not get additional $ from Pepsi.

J-Claw

No one minds them having the advertising but they should be placed realistically. It looks like 2K instead has a priority of advertising over having accurate stadiums. That is just wrong.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Skihawks Skihawks

In years past, many sports games were laden with advertisements from fake advertisers. I like the fact that real product placement is present in the current games. Most gamers want that sense of realism and it helps with the immersion.

However, I am not a fan of signage in places in isn't in the actual stadiums. I am not sure if the additional, or larger than normal, signage is part of the agreement that 2K signed with the sponsors which is possible. Altering the actual parks in the game to make ads fit should be a big no-no. I am surprised the MLB hasn't stepped in.

The only other issue I have is that if developers are getting advertising dollars why isn't the consumer getting a break in terms of price? Many companies will pay millions of dollars for a 30 second ad in the Super Bowl, I am sure these same companies understand the number of people who play video games and would pay top dollar to get that advertising….

walter bishop

i agree, having real advertisements are cool, just don't alter the field of play to accommodate them.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Skihawks Skihawks

In years past, many sports games were laden with advertisements from fake advertisers. I like the fact that real product placement is present in the current games. Most gamers want that sense of realism and it helps with the immersion.

However, I am not a fan of signage in places in isn't in the actual stadiums. I am not sure if the additional, or larger than normal, signage is part of the agreement that 2K signed with the sponsors which is possible. Altering the actual parks in the game to make ads fit should be a big no-no. I am surprised the MLB hasn't stepped in.

The only other issue I have is that if developers are getting advertising dollars why isn't the consumer getting a break in terms of price? Many companies will pay millions of dollars for a 30 second ad in the Super Bowl, I am sure these same companies understand the number of people who play video games and would pay top dollar to get that advertising….

walter bishop

i agree, having real advertisements are cool, just don't alter the field of play to accommodate them.