Product placement in games: Metal Gear Solid 4

Snake as a commercial star
Inserito originariamente da Abriael

The Metal Gear Solid press event in Roppongi Hills revealed something that some already knew or at least guessed, and that is bound to cause quite an uproar on the net:

Yes, there's product placement in Metal Gear Solid 4.

What is product placement? It's a viral marketing technique derived from movies, and involves placing real life commercial products (but theorically it can include services, or even people) into games so that their image is relayed to the players in the form of a possibly non-intrusive commercial message.
A clear example of that are the commercial billboards on the sides of the tracks in racing games.

In Metal Gear Solid 4 (at least considering what we know at the moment) you'll see a cellphone from Sony Ericsson and an energy drink called Regain. I can already see raging antifans and competing consoles' fanboys stirring up a lot of trouble about this, while trying to find excuses to criticize the game (which, much to their dismay, got it's first 10 in it's first official review by the UK Official Playstation Magazine).
But is it really a bad thing?
I personally don't think so, if it's done in a tasteful way. If Solid Snake (or any other videogame character) drinks from an absolutely anonimous bottle to refill his stress bar, does it add to your gaming experience? Do you feel happier if Raiden talks on a generic cellphone?

On the other hand, do you feel tricked if Snake gets his fit from the Regain drink instead? Or if a logo-ed cellphone is used?

I think the answer is quite simple, a realistic answer devoid of bias of course. As long as the situation is realistic (IE, you don't see Snake slapping the drink in your face telling you to buy it, but he just drinks it realistically), product placement in games does not affect your gaming experience at all. It's absolutely harmless. And if Konami or other software houses make an extra penny from it, and can use such penny to make good games, all the better, more power to them.

So if you're about to post on a forum on how absolutely outrageous you feel product placement to be, know this. I'm laughing in your face. I really am.