Games and Politics Collide Some More: Obama Buys In-Game Advertisements

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Hot on the heels of the news that the games industry likes presidential candidate Barack Obama comes confirmation that the feeling's mutual: Obama is running in-game ads in Criterion's Burnout Paradise.

"I can confirm that the Obama campaign has paid for in-game advertising in Burnout," said publisher EA's corporate communications director Holly Rockwood to GigaOM.

"Like most television, radio and print outlets, we accept advertising from credible political candidates," added Rockwood. "Like political spots on the television networks, these ads do not reflect the political policies of EA or the opinions of its development teams."

The first images of an Obama billboard appearing in the racing game surfaced on Friday, when a user in the Rooster Teeth community took and posted pictures of the billboard, which GamePolitics noticed. The board advises readers that "Early voting has begun" and advertises Voteforchange.com, a site run by the Obama campaign that assists users in registering to vote. The in-game ad also carries the usual small print: "Paid for by Obama for President."

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