Confirmed: Obama Is Campaigning on Xbox 360!
Last week we noted unconfirmed sightings of an “Obama for President” billboard in the Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise. Today we’re able to report that it is, in fact, an official advertisement placed by the senator’s campaign team.
“I can confirm that the Obama campaign has paid for in-game advertising in Burnout,” Holly Rockwood, director of corporate communications at Electronic Arts, the game’s publisher, told me via email, noting that EA regularly allows ad placements in their online games. “Like most television, radio and print outlets, we accept advertising from credible political candidates,” she continued. “Like political spots on the television networks, these ads do not reflect the political policies of EA or the opinions of its development teams.”
To my knowledge, this Burnout ad is far and away the most prominent use of a major online game to promote a presidential candidate’s campaign. There have been near-misses, of course: In 2006, for example, when he was seriously considering a run for the Democratic nomination, ex-Virginia Gov. Mark Warner made an avatar-based appearance at a press conference in Second Life.
Of course, detractors could accuse Sen. Obama of sending out mixed messages; earlier this year he was telling audiences that parents need to “turn off the television set, and put the video games away.” Then again, since the Burnout billboard specifically advises gamers to vote early, maybe it’s his subtle way of trying to get them off the couch.
Image credit: 360 gamer “Jeffson”, from his Rooster Teeth journal.
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Despite what some may say – you have to admit Obama has been running a pretty impressive campaign. It’s been progressive – in your face, and uses unconventional means to get the word out.
Nick, I’m no spring chicken (in fact, I’m getting pretty long in the beak these days) but Obama has easily run the most flawless presidential campaign in my lifetime, which covers 9 elected presidents so far.
Props to Obama for knowing where the media is going.
Is that Obama’s pimped out ride with the dual pipes?
The Obama campaign is just incredible… Who would have thought of this? I am a registered Republican BUT what the heck… I’ll vote for Obama. If he runs the country the way he’s run his campaign, things will only get better.
The campaign was actually sold and served by a company called Massive Incorporated, a subsidiary of Microsoft, and the leader in dynamic video game advertising.
From a commercial perspective in-game advertising is a neat revenue trick. As the parent of a new video gamer I’m negatively disposed to having McDonald’s appearing in his game of Wii Tennis.
Perhaps in the future we’ll see ad-supported games heavily discounted and ad-free versions at the regular price.
Obamababy!
awesome…maybe ACORN can sign up a bunch of 13 year olds to vote for him.
“Of course, detractors could accuse Sen. Obama of sending out mixed messages; earlier this year he was telling audiences that parents need to ‘turn off the television set, and put the video games away.’”
Couldn’t detractors use the same “logic” against the idea of running television ads?
I think it’s a brilliant move — especially the call for early voting. Remind young people that they can still have their vote be heard without standing in line on election day.