PS3 WipEout HD ads causing problems?

By Robert Purchese Published 4 August, 2009

Load times seen doubling before races.

Brand new WipEout HD in-game advertising may be causing load times to double before races begin.

A comparison video on YouTube (spotted by IndustryGamers) shows a clear difference of around 10 seconds between loading a level with no adverts and one with.

In-game ad agency Double Fusion announced the WipEout HD deal yesterday. The video adverts, we were told, will be restricted to loading screens. One obvious conclusion is that load-times are being prolonged so the adverts more exposure and a better chance at being absorbed.

So far this is unconfirmed, although we have approached both Sony and Double Fusion for comment. Eurogamer's resident blacksmith of the future, Digital Foundry, is having a look at the performance allegation as well.

Meanwhile, Double Fusion plans similar adverts for a further "handful" of premium PS3 games by the end of the year.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (27) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • LiveForever #1 3 years ago

    If true this is really gona help the PS3 sales.

  • TTP #2 3 years ago

    It's not true. EG should check facts before reporting.

  • woodnotes #3 3 years ago

    TTP makes an impressive rush from GAF with his Sony defence.

  • Weebleboy #4 3 years ago

    Yet more quality 'journalism' from EG. Why not check the facts before posting the news item? (Not saying it's not true, but how long would it take to test, 30mins?)
    Edited by 1 at 04/08/09 @ 10:03

  • schnide #5 3 years ago

    BOYCOTT. With the 360 dashboard ads as well, this thing is clearly trying to become a trend. We may not be able to hold it off forever, but we can hold it off for now.

  • Miths #6 3 years ago

    There's a 21 pages thread about it on the WipEout Zone forum (started July 30) so you would sort of think there might be something to it.
    I haven't dived into online yet - nor bothered to read said thread - so I can't say what is or isn't true.

  • septimus #7 3 years ago

    If true, utterly disgusting. I paid for Wipeout HD, I don't want adverts shoved down my throat. Either free updates with adverts or paid with no adverts. FFS.

    /moving house so don't have time to check for myself...
    Edited by 1 at 04/08/09 @ 10:09

  • Dizzy #8 3 years ago

    Great! I hope this is not a sign of thing to come. Pay for something and get long loading times? It doesn't make sense. Only turn on ads in demo ffs.

  • mr_bez #9 3 years ago

    I don't know how they justify adding adverts in the first place. Fair enough having ads in a product to begin with, but if you've already bought an ad-free product, it should stay that way. Are they going to start adding commercial breaks to Sony Blurays next via BD-Live?

  • Widge #10 3 years ago

    I remember a mate saying he saw ads come into gaming with Splinter Cell on PC many years back. I forget which one.

    Still, OUTRAGE ra ra ra.

  • Dizzy #11 3 years ago

    "I remember a mate saying he saw ads come into gaming with Splinter Cell on PC many years back"

    Yeah that was Gilette I think. Was a bit annoying.

  • Steroyd #12 3 years ago

    Youtube clip is dodgy, I don't ever remember the loading bar not filling up to the other end like that.

  • skillian #13 3 years ago

    "In 2005, spending on in-game advertising was US $56 million, and this figure is estimated to grow to $1.8 billion by 2010 according to Massive Incorporated,[1] although Yankee Group gives a lower estimate at $732 million."

    [link url=http ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-game_advertising
    ]http://en .wikipedia.org/wiki/In-game_adv...[/link]

    Yes, this is a sign of things to come.

  • photoboy #14 3 years ago

    @Dizzy

    Don't forget Splinter Cell Chaos Theory which had close-ups on packets of Airwaves chewing gum in every cut-scene! :)

    Given that in the UK many broadband providers provide fixed download limits a month e.g. 3GB, it seems a bit poor to me that Sony would use up people's bandwidth with video adverts. Still, if the adverts are being streamed the answer is to get yourself a good router that lets you block specific IPs and IP ranges and block the game from being able to download its adverts! ;)

  • kangarootoo #15 3 years ago

    @TTP

    You will have seen the other article by now of course. Good work Watson.

  • kangarootoo #16 3 years ago

    "Don't forget Splinter Cell Chaos Theory which had close-ups on packets of Airwaves chewing gum in every cut-scene! :)"

    Did anyone really genuinely care about those packets of gum? I can't believe anyone was really bothered except those that set out to be bothered.

  • skillian #17 3 years ago

    Did anyone really genuinely care about those packets of gum?

    Yes! It was the most jarring advert I have ever seen in a game, and utterly ridiculous in context.

    I'd say that if you're not bothered about that example then you're simply not bothered by advertising in games in general, because that was about as bad as it gets.

  • SL33PY #18 3 years ago

    It's already handled

  • Vistrix #19 3 years ago

    Sony fixed this before this article was posted... TTP was right guys.

  • Schiraman #20 3 years ago

    Regardless of the ads causing problems, there shouldn't be any ads in the first place. Having ads in a game you've paid for is bad enough, but sneakily adding them in an update so you don't even have a chance to vote with your wallet is really low.

  • Vistrix #21 3 years ago

    @MilkybKid1985 Its not true hough. The article is wrong... Sony fixed this problem last night, very promptly.

    It may of been true yesterday, so the article was false to begin with.

    EG should update the original article.

  • brof #22 3 years ago

    loading times is the most sensible thing ... if you prolong them just to show the ads longer, then this is a very, very bad decission...

  • sarcasmoidosis #23 3 years ago

    "But to put advertising in a game You Paid For is just plain dumb."

    Um.. don't you pay for TV? Or magazines?

  • ZenithPuzzle #24 3 years ago

    "Yes! It was the most jarring advert I have ever seen in a game, and utterly ridiculous in context. "

    I got that experience when playing Mercenaries 2 and all the billboards in the game were advertising the new Wolverine movie. Looked really silly.

  • Zebula77 #25 3 years ago

    Umm, haven't seen ads, and I got the update when it came out. Am I blind?!?

  • sarcasmoidosis #26 3 years ago

    "slightly bad example i know as some of the licence fee money does go to the other chans but you get the point!"

    That was my point too. There are things that pride themselves on not having adverts (HBO and such), but paying for something does not guarantee that it's advert free. The Super Bowl is pay-per-view and it has really expensive ads. But increasing loading times for ads IS wrong :)

  • el_pollo_diablo #27 3 years ago

    Not unlike splitting articles up on a website over 3 pages to triple impressions then.

    :-D