Video Games Take Advertising, Still Expensive

Years ago, I wrote a piece for The Online Spin about the ad opportunity in video games.  A couple years later, I wrote another column about it, asking why advertisers weren't capitalizing on the opportunity to underwrite the development of console and PC games as prices continued to increase to $50 and $60 for the more popular titles. Recently, Joystiq asked where the bennies are. There's plenty of in-game placement now, but prices are still climbing, especially for new console titles.  WTF?

Perhaps that's a good question for the game developers.  Are they pocketing the ad revenue as profit and not giving customers a break?  Yep.