Blizzard makes deal with Massive for Battle.net ads
by Mike Schramm 
Dec 4th 2008 at 3:30PM
The AP is reporting that Microsoft's game advertising division (called Massive, Inc., not to be confused with Massively), has signed a deal with Blizzard to offer advertising on their upcoming Battle.net revamp, presumably to premiere with Starcraft II. This is apparently out-of-game advertising, i.e. the ads you'll see upon login to the service, not necessarily on in-game billboards or other nonsense like that. Battle.net is Blizzard's online service -- they've used it since way back in the Diablo days, and they've always had ads for their own products in it. But now they've contracted with this company Massive, Inc. to put other ads in there, and since they've been planning for a revamp for a while, you can probably expect to see the ads in right away when the new service launches.How will this affect us as WoW players? It might not -- Blizzard may leave WoW on its own launcher, rather than having you go through a Battle.net launcher to sign in. On the other hand, WoW is clearly Blizzard's biggest online game, and we already know that Blizzard plans to include some WoW features (achievements, accounts) in the Battle.net revamp, so it could be that they're going to unify everything under one launcher (WoW, Starcraft II, Diablo III), in which case you'd see these ads when you sign in as well.
Which makes us wonder why exactly we'd be paying $15 a month to see more ads on login, but don't panic yet -- we'll cross that bridge when we actually know it exists (for now, Blizzard hasn't announced any official plans to change the way WoW works with Battle.net, other than the fact that one account will work across all games). We'll keep an eye out for any other new Battle.net news -- there's definitely something big in the works.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Making money
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
offday Dec 4th 2008 3:42PM
"Which makes us wonder why exactly we'd be paying $15 a month to see more ads on login,"
It really really better not. I know nothing is official yet, but this would be a huge a hole move. Anything paid should not have any ads what so ever.
Kinolyen Dec 4th 2008 4:25PM
"Anything paid should not have any ads what so ever."
Really? So, if purchase a magazine, it does not contain any ads? If you go to the cinema, there'll be no ads before the film starts? Or if you bought a ticket to a game of your favorite sports club, you won't see ads from their sponsors if you go to the game?
Seriously, Blizzard has every right to make money from their games. They're not obliged to offer them at minimal costs either. Anyone who'd really be bothered by ads at login could just quit, as they're neither forced to play the game nor is the game an essential good to survive...
offday Dec 4th 2008 5:05PM
I'm getting so sick of the blizzard fanboys who will defend them until the day they die.
I love WoW as much as anyone, but some of you treat blizzard like they are your god. You're just a number to them. And what point will you say, "Ok blizzard, that's out of line?" I'm thinking they could do just about anything, and some of you will still worship the ground they walk on.
Kinolyen Dec 4th 2008 5:23PM
My point does not have anything to do with "fainboism" but rather a view of business practices that's different from yours. How about making some valid points instead of attacking me on a personal level?
offday Dec 4th 2008 6:08PM
I didn't even come close to attacking you on a personal level at all.
Typically stuff online that has ads is free, while the stuff you pay for does not. Even some websites allow you to pay a fee to get more content and remove the ads. Why should WoW be any different?
Joshua Smellie Dec 4th 2008 8:37PM
Blizzard is different because the fanboys do think Blizzard are gods among mortals and they do worship the ground they walk on. It's bloody pathetic but it happens.
So long as Blizzard can make money off of ads they'll keep showing the damn things. I find it bullshit myself because I pay nearly $30 a month for WoW (currency rates), $30 a month? $15 USD.
For other sites that's paying for NO ADS as well as PREMIUM CONTENT. Clearly we get the latter but the ads is just total BS.
John Isman Dec 27th 2008 2:32PM
I heard they use Reedge BT technology in this ad campaign, did anyone notice?
Kalerender Dec 4th 2008 3:45PM
Who cares about what advertising is on the launcher? If blizzard can scam a few mil out of microsoft for something that the majority will never pay attention to, good for them.
I click play before 99% of the launcher news articles even load up, after learning where I need to click for the new launcher (if it changes dramatically at all) I'll be doing exactly the same.
Evelinda Jan 23rd 2009 8:23AM
^ this.
I look at whats in the launcher maybe once a month, just to see if its anything interesting. once a month, AT MOST. almost every time i launch the game, i just hit play instead of waiting, and i bet that most other people do too.
Lephturn Dec 4th 2008 3:49PM
Oh... you mean like the adds you see on the launcher now?
Yeah, that's what they are.
No different.. only different in your mind.
Cookie if you get the reference.
Hank Dec 4th 2008 4:11PM
Give me my cookie, Yoda.
patchadams Dec 4th 2008 3:52PM
They added ads to Armory when it was last upgraded.
Hank Dec 4th 2008 3:54PM
Wait...Massive Dynamic? We in trouble.
Drow Dec 4th 2008 4:26PM
This could look good but end up bad, or we could win/win.
With the new battle.net, which is already great, and has ads, is FREE to use and play any of their games. This means WoW could not have a monthly charge. The problem? No free MMO is good. If you stop paying for it, there is no incentive for them.
BUT, if they throw in a few adds, they could just LOWER the monthly charge, and still have a great product, and we win!
I think, it will be tied to the games you own. You own WC3 or SC2 only? You see ads. You own WoW with or without the others, you see none.
PeeWee Dec 4th 2008 8:09PM
Keep on dreaming. Losing out on millions of USD/month just to lower the fee a buck or two? You don't seriously think they're making that back from ads each month, do you?
Cy Dec 4th 2008 4:37PM
Ad-blocking web proxy FTW.
Kizmar Dec 4th 2008 4:42PM
If I have to install Battle.net to play WoW I'm ganna be pissed. Battle.net is a bloated POS.
Plastic Rat Dec 4th 2008 10:04PM
Ergh, when I see ANYONE getting involved with Micro$oft my hackles rise. This looks innocuous enough, but just about everything M$ gets involved in turns to crap somewhere.
tanek Dec 4th 2008 11:58PM
As long as the ads are not in-game and they don't have annoying features like flashing backgrounds ("You've WON! Click HERE to claim your PRIZE!"), I don't see this going away once they get it going.
Like the Plastic Rat, though, I have to wonder where Microsoft is going to trip up. Because they will. Oh yes. They will.
Strahl Dec 5th 2008 8:10AM
Protip: Stop using the launcher? I open my game by just using the executable, not the launcher. The game opens fine and I don't see any ads, period. I haven't used the launcher since about day two of playing vanilla wow.