Online Game Publisher Introduces ‘advergaming’ Concept
Itmatters.com.ph published a story recently about a new trend in online gaming. The story tells that advertisements are going to be integrated in new games to be played online game aficionados.
Who says a V8 only powers up hefty vehicles? This V8 — version 8 that is — is all powered up to take online gamers and advertising to new heights.
On its 5th anniversary, Level Up! Philippines spreads its wings with the release of “Fly For Fun (Flyff) Version 8: Heroes Rising” and the company’s new media innovation called advergaming.
Marketing Director for Level Up! Jake San Diego described Flyff as more than the “hack-and-slash type of game where you fight monsters on the ground.” Instead, it is the first online game of its kind where players can fulfill childhood dreams of flying.
Flyff is the first Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) in the Philippines that is, as San Diego puts it, “free for life.”
The game runs on G-Commerce, which allows players to access it for free anytime with no subscription fees.
“Players can choose to buy coupons and load up their virtual wallet,” said Mr. San Diego. This would give Level Up! an alternative means of collecting revenue. When a player has more coupons, his or her character’s virtual life gets more exciting. Coupons can be used in the Flyff Item Shop where one can find premium items to enhance the gaming experience.
Instead of exhausting customers’ resources, Level Up! installed advergaming into their interface for further revenue.
Advergaming brings brands and their products into the virtual world. This could prove to be a beneficial option for advertisers because the gaming community is constantly connected to the virtual world.
Players will be exposed to the sponsor’s brand as long as they are in the game. Clients are likewise assured of continued exposure through branded in-game quests, loading screens, environments, character costumes and other premium items that can range from vanity items to special potions.
Jose Carlo Medina, new media director for Level Up! adds that since they have established a loyal following, advertisers will “definitely be looking at a very passionate and captive market.”
For example, Flyff’s world of Roika got “a whiff of caffeine” when an in-game quest was developed for Nescafe 3-in-1. The Nescafe 3-in-1 Perfect Mix Quest allowed players to search for the three ingredients for the coffee drink that would give their character a significant boost as well as rewards such as better accuracy and stronger defense against enemies.
Mr. Medina said that the creation of branded quests gives the gaming company a chance to “fill gaps in the game.” Brands, meanwhile, are given “a venue to fit in the gaming world which is cheaper compared to traditional forms of media.”
Level Up!’s advergaming expertise has attracted other brands like Coca-Cola, PLDT, Jollibee and Boy Bawang. At the moment, they have a total of 13.8 million registered player accounts on all titled games.
Mr. San Diego said that this new way of advertising is “not just about making players aware of the brand but also about making them use the attributes of the product in virtual life and hopefully in real life as well.”
Revenues from advergaming are expected to cover a significant chunk of the company’s current marketing costs for the year.
“In the long term, we plan to transform this into a major source of revenue for the organization,” Mr. Medina said.
Level Up! is credited for localizing MMORPGs such as Ragnarok, Oz World, R.O.S.E. Pangya, Khan and Perfect World.
