Blizzard's next MMO may feature product placement

A new job listing is looking for someone to "work with major consumer brands to facilitate product placement and licensing within the world of Blizzard Entertainment's next-gen MMO."

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Very little is known about Blizzard's next MMO, currently codenamed "Titan." Will it be free-to-play? Subscription-based?

While the world continues to speculate, it appears the World of Warcraft developer may include in-game advertising and product placement in its next MMO. A new job listing is looking for someone to "work with major consumer brands to facilitate product placement and licensing within the world of Blizzard Entertainment's next-gen MMO."

The "Franchise Development Producer" will be responsible for promoting Titan "outside of the gaming industry," and will help create merchandise for the brand, including books, action figures, comics, movies, and more.

This isn't the first time Blizzard has considered in-game marketing partnerships for one of its online games. However, the last time was an April Fool's joke (pictured above), parodying EverQuest 2's /pizza command, which allowed players to order delivery without leaving their computer.

Some, like Eurogamer, postulate that the ability to include advertising without breaking the in-game fiction suggests Titan "is not a fantasy game, but is set in the present day or the future - potentially a near future." We think Blizzard may just be exploring new revenue opportunities.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    January 23, 2012 12:30 PM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Blizzard's next MMO may feature product placement.

    A new job listing is looking for someone to "work with major consumer brands to facilitate product placement and licensing within the world of Blizzard Entertainment's next-gen MMO."

    • reply
      January 23, 2012 12:33 PM

      Product placement is a rather funny thing - could be rather fun with a scifi MMO.

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        January 23, 2012 12:43 PM

        Yeah, I have no problem with this if it's in a setting that makes sense. But seeing Pepsi ads in a fantasy setting would annoy the fuck out of me.

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        January 23, 2012 12:45 PM

        I would play World of Starcrafthammer 40k

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          January 23, 2012 12:50 PM

          I probably would too but to be honest I would love it more if they did a new IP.

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        January 23, 2012 1:48 PM

        I liked it in City of Heroes. It was hilarious in the destroyed mission instances (copies of the regular zones, but with buildings destroyed after epic battles).

        It was kind of lame, though, because the only ones I ever remember seeing was for a shoe and a cell phone. They should have gotten McDonald's or Coca-Cola or Taco Bell to pay for ads.

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      January 23, 2012 12:44 PM

      Unless it removes a monthly fee then fuck that.

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        January 23, 2012 12:54 PM

        [deleted]

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          January 23, 2012 1:15 PM

          whaaaat

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          January 23, 2012 1:27 PM

          There's a difference between "free to play" and "no subscription fee". I haven't heard anything substantial suggesting either for Titan.

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            January 23, 2012 1:28 PM

            What does free to play mean if not no subscription fee?

            • Zek legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
              reply
              January 23, 2012 1:30 PM

              It means no initial fee.

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                January 23, 2012 1:32 PM

                Is there a game that is free to play and requires a subscription fee?

                • Zek legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
                  reply
                  January 23, 2012 1:34 PM

                  I think there have been MMOs like that, but F2P implies both no initial fee and no subscription fee.

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                    January 23, 2012 1:38 PM

                    Fair enough. Never thought about it that way but it makes sense.

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              January 23, 2012 1:32 PM

              Guild Wars has no subscription fee, but is not considered "free to play" because you have to buy the game

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                January 23, 2012 1:57 PM

                Silly. I disagree with this terrible naming policy.

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                  January 23, 2012 2:21 PM

                  it would make even less sense to call games that cost money "free to play". a game that you have to pay for but doesn't have a subscription fee is just a regular game

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                    January 23, 2012 2:23 PM

                    Well when DLC was less common I used to associate free to play with MMOs that monetize ongoing development with microtransactions.

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                      January 23, 2012 2:49 PM

                      yeah i think at this point "has microtransactions" is no longer a distinguishing trait since all games do it now

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          January 23, 2012 2:56 PM

          [deleted]

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        January 23, 2012 12:56 PM

        Meh, so many of their games have such obvious placements anyway with just a small change in name that it's practically already there. If it makes sense, it likely won't bother me.

        More to the point, if they want real references like this, then is the game going to be set in modern day Earth?

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      January 23, 2012 12:54 PM

      I can't wait to see SWTOR adds in the new MMO

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      January 23, 2012 1:04 PM

      Product place seriously! Get rid of who ever thought and promoted that idea. It isn't like we are bombarded every second of everyday with advertisements in practically every form to the point we no longer want it in something we are paying a premium to play. I absolutely loath that you are forced to sit through ads before you watch a dvd or bluray. Thanks but no thanks I'll move along to something else.

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        January 23, 2012 1:50 PM

        You have absolutely no idea what they are planning. They haven't even said what the game is about yet, or even given its real name. From what I remember, Titan is a code name.

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          January 23, 2012 2:54 PM

          Your right I have no idea what they are planning. That said I have no interest in playing an MMO with product placement its really that simple. Advertisements really have no place in anything you pay a premium for.

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      January 23, 2012 1:57 PM

      Nike Pumps of Air +3

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      January 23, 2012 2:03 PM

      They totally stole my idea from way back in the WoW days. I always said Ragnaros should have dropped a coupon for a free pizza. This raid brought to you by PEPSI!

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        January 23, 2012 2:26 PM

        Too soon Executus! You delivered the pizza too soon and I burned my mouth!

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      January 23, 2012 2:11 PM

      It'll be F2P within a year.

      /SWTOR troll

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      January 23, 2012 2:46 PM

      F2p games end up being so expensove

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      January 23, 2012 3:12 PM

      lol this is the biggest non-story ever

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        January 23, 2012 3:41 PM

        I wouldn't say "non-story", but "sigh, roll eyes, then walk away story".

        Then again, it's better than a "shout 'OH, FUCK OFF!!', then rage on forums for 30 straight minutes" story.

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      January 23, 2012 4:35 PM

      [deleted]

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      January 24, 2012 2:18 PM

      Note that this already exists in Wow. Existed. Whatever.

      Mountain Dew had a promotion with Horde (terrible) and Alliance (worse) flavors, and in-game there was an opportunity to use redeemable Dew points to buy companion pets and red or blue colored fuel for those pets, and they would fight each other of the opposite color.

Hello, Meet Lola