Frankly I don't really see why the article focused on mobile games. The argument against in-game ads being distractions can be applied to advertising in general: billboards on the highway, commercials during tv shows, newspapers filled with page long ads, etc.
however kipp does sound like a good idea - but it might require heavy changes from developers to their game mechanics.
I don't mind the subversive TV advertisements - the can of coke in the bedroom, or the kid playing Xbox while their parents try to talk to them. What's really irritating is when the show comes to a complete halt for what amounts to a product demo (my wife watches Bones and the WP7 bits really bugged me).
Ubisoft has tried in-game advertisements with several of their Tom Clancy games, and its just about as bad. Yes, I'm going through a casino, turn a corner and there's 5 posters on the wall for Prince of Persia. Riiiiiight.
On the flip-side, I wonder if gun makers have any sort of deals with developers - any teenage boy can probably rattle off the names of 10 different machine guns. The same goes for car brands and Gran Turismo/Forza.
"On the flip-side, I wonder if gun makers have any sort of deals with developers - any teenage boy can probably rattle off the names of 10 different machine guns." haha oh wow, that's an eye-opening comment. Could be on to something
I remember at some point, Counter-Strike changed the name of most of the weapons, making them more generic/fictional. Apparently they were worried about trademark issues?
however kipp does sound like a good idea - but it might require heavy changes from developers to their game mechanics.