Filed under: Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising
Barack Obama billboards spotted in Xbox 360's Burnout Paradise
Reports of Barack Obama sightings in Burnout Paradise on the XBox 360 have been pouring in. It seems the Presidential hopeful has purchased virtual billboard space from Electronic Arts, the makers of the game. EA has confirmed the ad buy adding that it takes advertising from any credible source for placement in its video games. The ad itself shows Obama next to a message directing voters to voteforchange.com, a site that gives voters information about how to register and where to vote. Too bad Obama has cited video games as an obstacle to a good education as recently as yesterday, and there's no confirmation yet to the rumor that McCain is looking to buy spots on the Monopoly board.
[Source: Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Torrent 12:35PM (10/14/2008)
"Too bad Obama has cited video games as an obstacle to a good education as recently as yesterday,"
Wha....? Video Games are good for you. Hand and eye coordination... Hand and eye..
Well I don't know about you, but I'm about to play me some Burnout Paradise....
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Mark 12:57PM (10/14/2008)
A lot of up and coming surgeons use video games to raise their hand/eye coordination and making their fingers nimble. Ever see endoscopic surgery, 2 joysticks. Time for me to look into that medical career.
J M C 3 1:17PM (10/14/2008)
Yeah Mark.Better hurry up with that.
Don't forget to put the video game down for a while so You can actually study.
Azael 1:25PM (10/14/2008)
I think Obama was talking about young children to not play as much video games and work on their education. Clearly, this ad is targeted to young adults who are of voting age.
His coolness level just went much higher in my eyes. Coincidentally, I already early voted for him a few days ago.
Obama/Biden 08!
racer01 2:15PM (10/14/2008)
I was thinking of buying this game - not now, not ever - F*ck Obama and F*ck the game company for pushing this crap on me.
Torrent 2:22PM (10/14/2008)
racer01:
maybe you have issues.........
AZZO45b 2:24PM (10/14/2008)
Hey Racer... Just curious do you say F*ck Bridgestone or F*ck Audi...
...you know the "regular" groups that have paid X-box360 $$$ to drop their product placement into your game. What about all those F*ckers who have their names on the racecars???
Torrent 2:40PM (10/14/2008)
AZZO45b: You have a valid point...
Which gets me thinking: Does he curse out commercials for interrupting his TV Shows?
Kotse 5:59PM (10/14/2008)
The scene must be in Sunset Blvd/Hollywood...lotsa billboard blight!
VS McCrady 6:10PM (10/14/2008)
I don't think that reminding parents that we have to turn them off and make sure kids do their homework first is the same as saying the games are the barrier to good education.
I'm a parent. I'm surprised at a lot of other parents who don't limit game time in any way.
We have no Wii on school nights. Chores are done friday before it's used. Computer time is limited to after homework is done. TV and computer time before school is educational use only.
I have heard the Senator say this in person, and I very much took it as NOT blaming the games.(and my husband limits guitar hero time to the same time he spends practicing his real guitar)
Reader 2:23AM (10/15/2008)
Standard advertisements are one thing, politics is another... I would hate to see any candidates billboard in a game.
Donnie 12:41PM (10/14/2008)
Does anyone else feel queasy looking at this new advertising tactic? If ever there was a reason for me NOT to play the game...
I don't mind politics at all, but they need to stay out of the virtual world. We play video games to escape the real world, not get assaulted by it. Irregardless of realistic places or vehicles, I still don't want to see politics invading my video games.
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Frank 12:44PM (10/14/2008)
irregardless? lol .... =)
Torrent 12:47PM (10/14/2008)
Last time I checked, that WAS a word.
Frank 12:53PM (10/14/2008)
its debatable ... its technically not really a word, its redundant ...
Artie Lange 1:08PM (10/14/2008)
If its debatable, then why are you laughing at it? Its in my dictionary. No one likes a grammar troll.
Frank 1:11PM (10/14/2008)
ah you must be using the commonfolk, "i seen it" dictionary....
Artie Lange 1:20PM (10/14/2008)
Yeah, that "common folk" dictionary known as "Merriam -Webster":
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless
You fail at semantics.
letstakeawalk 1:19PM (10/14/2008)
irregardless- a. and adv. regardless: a substandard or humorous redundancy.
Listed right after irrefutable in my copy of Websters Unabridged, 2nd ed.
(oh, and Frank, it's should have an apostrophe in your usage)
Tourian 1:20PM (10/14/2008)
@Donnie
I have this game on the PS3. don't worry, if you can play it with any type of skill, the landscape will be whizzing by way too fast for you to notice most of the billboards. The only ones you'll be looking for are the ones the game gives you a bonus for crashing through. And no, they won't let you crash through his.