- Mike Shields

NEW YORK In response to a rising number of complaints from the gaming universe, Sony has yanked a recently launched series of video ads from the PlayStation 3 game WipEout.

Sony on Monday said in-game ad firm Double Fusion had begun inserting video ads within the popular racing game.

But just as the deal became public, gamers were already out in force on the Web complaining that the video ads -- featuring the brand State Farm -- were actually slowing down load times in the game. Fans vented their displeasure on message boards, and some even made YouTube clips protesting the new ads.

Apparently, the ads were not meant to run during the normal load times; rather, the video spots were supposed to stream only during natural breaks between the game’s various levels. Sony officials said the company's partnership with Double Fusion would continue and eventually the video ads would be restored once a "technical issue” is resolved.

In the meantime, Sony and Double Fusion released a joint statement: “The ads have been removed in order to further investigate the situation and ensure that any in-game advertising does not affect the gameplay experience.”


Nielsen Business Media