The use of advertising in video games : unlocking the potential for marketers

Abstract

The rise of intricate developments in video games enabled the marketer to seek new opportunities in utilizing ludic communication as part of their advertising strategy. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the impact of in-game advertisements (IGA) on the players’ decision to purchase a product through a preliminary conceptualised model containing different factors derived from literature. A qualitative approach was implemented into this study, and it was carried out by one-to-one in depth interviews with fourteen participants who were playing pre-selected sequences from Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Death Stranding. Moreover, these sequences constructed a path towards the exposure of product placements found within both games. Through in-depth interviews, data about the participants’ cognitive and affective processes towards the in-game advertisements were gathered and processed by the researcher. Consequently, the results indicate that in-game advertisements are conducive to the players’ decision to purchase the product, especially with congruent products framed within intertextual means. Furthermore, the results also indicate that the incorporation of in-game advertisements simulate further the game world and the gameplay experience.