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I can’t understand why these people play racing games with a gamepad.
Nice driving/footage though (seems he’s using no aids?).
About the ingame advertising: they just take the concept from Simbins Race07/GTR Evolution (which had similar adverts that changed when you play online) and exaggerate it (like on the Nürburgring).
Find it pretty offensive, but i guess there’s nothing one could do about.

It’s a bit annoying that they put this kind of advertising in when the game is sold at full price. If it was low price title or free game than I would have nothing against it. As long as the adverts are not too distracting I wont complain much about it though. Maybe the motion blur might make the adverts not readable at all.

It really seems moronic to flood a full price game with advertising. And I’m not saying that because of some hate for adverts.
The revenue it brings would make up such a tiny portion of the profit from a full price game that it just doesn’t seem worth it.

How much advertising revenue do you think a single person contributes to the game? $5 if they play it for 6 months maybe? That’s nothing compared to what you paid for the actual game.
It makes more sense for a game like GTR Evo that is cheap but played over a long time, and even more sense for cheap or free low budget games.

Maddmatt:
It really seems moronic to flood a full price game with advertising. And I’m not saying that because of some hate for adverts.
The revenue it brings would make up such a tiny portion of the profit from a full price game that it just doesn’t seem worth it.
How much advertising revenue do you think a single person contributes to the game? $5 if they play it for 6 months maybe? That’s nothing compared to what you paid for the actual game.
It makes more sense for a game like GTR Evo that is cheap but played over a long time, and even more sense for cheap or free low budget games.

This game will be pirated by Millions of Gamers around the world where the only way to play these games is through piracy so if EA can make money like that why the hell will they not make money that way. Why do u think there are so many Free PC games (MMOs and others), do you think the publishers & developers are so generous. No, the answer is Add revenue even if a $5 is made from each person and a million people play it for free they make $5 Million Dollars from illegal downloads, which is better than nothing so this is basically to make profit from nothing. Hope I answered your question.

I played GRID weeks ago and I saw an ad for Fast and the Furious on DVD and BluRay, does GRID have updated in game advertising? I don’t remember that movie being out on DVD when the game came out.

It was pretty annoying because once I saw it the first time, and realized it was there I couldn’t help but notice it every time I passed by it ;/.

Massive is quite controversial. There has been a lot of talk about the kind of data they collect. It’s enough to worry me a little about buying it on the PC.

MadCat360:
Massive is quite controversial. There has been a lot of talk about the kind of data they collect. It’s enough to worry me a little about buying it on the PC.

How is the data they collect any different to website ads?

Maddmatt:

How is the data they collect any different to website ads?

Well for starters all web ads can do is use a cookie and a few other tricks. When you’re actually running software on your own computer, they claim it’s anonymous, but how do we know? This controversy blew up last year regarding Football Manager. People were defending it etc… My argument against it was that while they claim to not be doing anything nefarious currently, who is to say they won’t in the future? Or be bought by someone who will? There’s absolutely no guarantee or proof that they’re sticking to some sort of moral code and not doing anything bad.

You may trust them. That’s your choice, and the choice all consumers must make. The first post here says “there’s nothing one can do about it”. Yes there is. Take your position the only way you can. With your wallet.

Any chance I had of buying Shift just went out the window. Not down to any privacy issues either. We’ll be expected to pay $70 for the game. Then there will be the inevitable DLC they will also charge for. (EA are notorious for removing stuff from titles to sell later. Spore for example had several items removed so EA could sell them as addons.) On top of that they now have the audacity to shove advertising down our throats.

I begrudgingly tolerate Simbin’s usage of it as they’re a small developer, and do not charge full price.

If EA used the advertising to subsidize the game, that would be one thing, but they don’t. It will be a full price title, with DLC (the bastards had DLC to buy for Madden 10 on bloody release day!), AND they’ll be making money from this malware.

Sorry, but I am done with these greedy bastards.

DeadStar:

This game will be pirated by Millions of Gamers around the world where the only way to play these games is through piracy so if EA can make money like that why the hell will they not make money that way.

Okay, so if it’s pirated by “millions” (we’ll ignore you’re ridiculously overinflated piracy figures for a minute, seriously, you’re either gullible and believe the nonsense the industry spouts about piracy, or work in the industry), then why will the game come with, no doubt, Securom which will causes problems for legitimate customers as always?

They include copy protection, and then whine about piracy. Sorry, you don’t get it both ways. If the protection fails, don’t screw over legit customers by using it. Of course it’s all about control. Securom etc… Has very little to do with piracy.

As for the advertising, it’s nothing to do with that. It’s greed. It’s not some altruistic method to obtain revenue from pirates. It’s another money gouge. Online will be blocked for pirates, guaranteed, the AI will be pathetic as it is in most games, so no online renders the game largely useless.

Piracy will be minimal. Seriously, do not believe all that nonsense. It’s absolute lies. If piracy were REALLY so huge, then games with Starforce that were impossible to pirate like GT Legends SHOULD have sold immense numbers. (It was two years before GTL was cracked.) But they didn’t. Sales figures were normal.

But then the racing sim community has always had a weird perception of piracy that has no basis in any sort of commercial reality.

I am new to this site, but I have a feeling that not many here are objective to this new EA title. I am a simracer for many years and started “my carreer” with EA F1. It was a lot of fun.

When I look to this new title than a lot has changed. Yes even advertising is in it now. But gentlemen is that worth any long discussion?

With every video I watch, I get more sure that this new game will give us a lot of fun. Offline and online. Thanks to EA The sim community wil grow as never before.

And what sounded very good to me, for every player there will be a online profile where you can see the drivingstyle of a player (agrassive or simmer).

In my opinion, that is a big step forward. So you can find fast online your friends that match your own profile.

Can’t wait to hit the pedal to the metal with this new top title.

To UncleChuckle,

You do realize PC Gaming is Massively Huge in Asia (China, India, Indonesia etc) where the popularity of PC Games is so big that it outnumbers that of Europe and America. Problem is that most of the people cannot buy or afford original games but many gamers at least have a decent PC built that can run PC games. So the only way to afford new games is if they use locally pirated cheap copies or to download it from torrent sites. But Publishers are trying to establish a business model that can benefit them while these countries play there games on the cheap. Hence they are starting to adopt the Ad-supported model which offer free games and inbuilt ad systems for those games that are not free but they know will be played by many people either legally or illegally. So all the companies are trying to do is to reduce the impact of piracy, over exaggerated or not, and make some money of it too. Piracy in the West is over exaggerated but in Asian Countries it is the only way to play games because the income of the average gamers in these countries forces them to pirate games. But those who can afford the original games can always buy it of Digital Distribution Services Like Steam, EA Download Manager etc to play these games online multiplayer component.

I have no idea why simracers make such a big deal out of ingame advertising, arent you supposed to be concentrating on driving the damn car and not running into the back of others?
As long as the adverts arent some form of spyware or adware thats going to mess up my computer, I dont see what all the fuss is about really.

Maddmatt:

How is the data they collect any different to website ads?

People found that Rainbow Six Vegas, a game with heavy Massive advertising use, was accessing browser history and possibly other “non identifieble” information, such as age and sex where it could.

In-game advertising is big business, well over 1 billion dollars if 2006 estimates are to be believed. It adds about 2 dollars to the profit per unit, which is already 5 or 6 dollars. Nearly a third increase in pure profit? That’s HUGE. Massive’s own study finds that gamers used to in-game advertising are over 60% more familiar with the brands shown. That’s way more effective than a football commercial.

Although I agree one could be FORCED to steal food, I do not believe someone can be FORCED to steal a goddamn video game, especially with the kind of equipment new games require.
Or is the PC/console stolen too?
As for the Asian markets: they’re a gold mine, a huge, untapped gold mine, the race to get all that cash will be epic, if it isn’t already. One little example: in Codemasters Dirt 2 forums I made a remark about China breaking human rights (a well known, proven fact), and as a result I immediately got IP permabanned from ALL Codies’ forums because of ‘spreading nationality based hatred’ and even called a racist by a moderator. Whoa, what the hell?

Sensekhmet, if I steal your lawn mower, you lose your lawn mower and have to buy another one.

If I on the other hand download a game, I then copy it, and no-one lost a thing.

There’s a slight difference. And I’m not in anyway saying that downloading is legal and/or a good thing. It isn’t. But I can’t stand the MAFIAA and the people who actually belive what they say.
Do you also belive that one downloaded game = one lost sale? Bah.

I’m looking forward to Shift. It looks better then anything else, with our without ads.

@Sensekhmet
Well China has alot of internet censorship and a polemic fact said in a controled environment is a ban (if you were a chinese they would hunt you :P).

@mauricetgol
I totally agree, NFS: Shift is looking pretty good so far and yet ppl cant and dont want to understand this game will be different, for the better, from the previous ones.

@choooops
If you illegally download a pirated copy of NFS: Shift it wont influence their profit but if we’re talking of millions of ppl playing a pirated version of Shift…playing something that took thousands of hours of effort and money and dont pay for it then that will influence their profit… yes one game downloaded = one game not sold.

Regarding the advertisements I dont have any problems with them, they arent literally on the tarmac, and they dont laser attack our eyes so why are they bodering? ^^
I think its a smart move to earn some more cash..

(demo please)

Oh shit, Massive Incorporated is owned by Microsoft
Here’s their privacy statement: http://www.massiveincorporated.com/privacy/serviceprivacy.htm

Each passing day the PS3 version looks like the one to go for, Logitech wheel support, no ad’s (not that it makes a great deal of difference), no need to spend hundreds of pounds upgrading your PC, plug and play etc.

I’ve spent 500 euros with my PC and it runs everything maxed except for gta IV.

PC version will let us tune more things ingame, achieve better graphics, add MODS, etc..

The money you have spent on the PS3 was more than enough to get a good PC ;)

JAGUAR1977:
Each passing day the PS3 version looks like the one to go for, Logitech wheel support, no ad’s (not that it makes a great deal of difference), no need to spend hundreds of pounds upgrading your PC, plug and play etc.

But can you mod the game ? No you can’t on consoles, and probably PC version will have the Secret Sim mode which Ian Bell talked about earlier.

OK, stop it right now. Nobody needs another PC/console fanboy battle.

Just release a demo already!

Bekim:
Just release a demo already!

You are talking about NFS:S ?

no shit sherlock.

LOL

NFS:S post comments here are pure comedy these days.

I’ve decided that I actually rather like Simbin’s changing advertising. For a start it’s actually relevant content, and then because it changes you actually see something change on an otherwise static track. It’d be even better if they got conditions to change with the seasons or added realistic location-specific weather based on the forecast for that day, but at least changing adverts is a start.

As for the preview… I’m really looking forward to the demo. Please stop teasing us and just give us the demo NFS! I need a good week to try them out and decide between PS3 and PC versions!

I’m with “Skazz”. I like the changing atmosphere, don’t care if the developers found another way to make money. That in turn saves me money. (the PC version is only 40$ vs. 60$ for the consoles. To top it off I don’t read the ads. Some one complained about the unreal ads on the “Nord”. I had to watch the video three times. Before I saw the offending ad. Now if they can just change the crowds watching the race. That would be nice.

1 Sept would be a great day to release the Demo

Getting bored with the teasers and the constant winning!!

oeps then the real winning will start lol

I’m still waiting for Prototype C, God knows how long after it was first announced, so don’t talk to me about mods that are now, IMO, too ambitious for the teams. My PS3 has already given me 3 years of cutting edge gaming and Blu-ray, it will be good for NFS Shift, it’s sequals, GT5 etc., no need to upgrade to the latest graphics card every 18 months.

f0xx:
I’ve spent 500 euros with my PC and it runs everything maxed except for gta IV.
PC version will let us tune more things ingame, achieve better graphics, add MODS, etc..
The money you have spent on the PS3 was more than enough to get a good PC ;)

Yeah tomorrow is the d-day!

Jack_NL: oeps then the real winning will start lol

To funny and to true.

f0xx:
Yeah tomorrow is the d-day!

Do you have reliable sources?

I dont unfortunatelly, its only a hint…

PC or ps3 is a no-brainer for me.

PC, better graphics, anti-aliasing, modding, better controller configuration, better online players to race against. (more players use a steering wheel)

f0xx:
Yeah tomorrow is the d-day!

I can’t tell you how much I hope that’s true.

choooops:
Sensekhmet, if I steal your lawn mower, you lose your lawn mower and have to buy another one.
If I on the other hand download a game, I then copy it, and no-one lost a thing.
There’s a slight difference. And I’m not in anyway saying that downloading is legal and/or a good thing. It isn’t. But I can’t stand the MAFIAA and the people who actually belive what they say.
Do you also belive that one downloaded game = one lost sale? Bah.
I’m looking forward to Shift. It looks better then anything else, with our without ads.

choooops:
Sensekhmet, if I steal your lawn mower, you lose your lawn mower and have to buy another one.
If I on the other hand download a game, I then copy it, and no-one lost a thing.
There’s a slight difference. And I’m not in anyway saying that downloading is legal and/or a good thing. It isn’t. But I can’t stand the MAFIAA and the people who actually belive what they say.
Do you also belive that one downloaded game = one lost sale? Bah.
I’m looking forward to Shift. It looks better then anything else, with our without ads.

choooops:
Sensekhmet, if I steal your lawn mower, you lose your lawn mower and have to buy another one.
If I on the other hand download a game, I then copy it, and no-one lost a thing.
There’s a slight difference. And I’m not in anyway saying that downloading is legal and/or a good thing. It isn’t. But I can’t stand the MAFIAA and the people who actually belive what they say.
Do you also belive that one downloaded game = one lost sale? Bah.
I’m looking forward to Shift. It looks better then anything else, with our without ads.

choooops:
Sensekhmet, if I steal your lawn mower, you lose your lawn mower and have to buy another one.
If I on the other hand download a game, I then copy it, and no-one lost a thing.
There’s a slight difference. And I’m not in anyway saying that downloading is legal and/or a good thing. It isn’t. But I can’t stand the MAFIAA and the people who actually belive what they say.
Do you also belive that one downloaded game = one lost sale? Bah.
I’m looking forward to Shift. It looks better then anything else, with our without ads.

The asians are any way not going To Buy the game if they cant get a pirated one bcause they cant afford to buy every game Which comes out So Any way , How many ever game downloaded = doesnt matter. :D