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Obama Ads Only Appear In "Early Voting" States

Escaping the real world just got a little harder for those of you in the states that "matter" this November.

When reached for comment about his opponent's new ads, Baraka was quoted as saying
When reached for comment about his opponent's new ads, Baraka was quoted as saying "WARRRAHHAGHAHAHAHGHLUGHLUGLUHLGG."
I spent like an hour driving around Burnout Paradise yesterday, hoping to find some actual proof that ads for Barack Obama's presidential campaign were showing up in some EA games. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Zip. Nothing. I couldn't find them. Goose-Eggs. And so on.

Turns out the ads are only pointed at players in ten states--ten states that allow voters to vote early. So according to the Boston Globe, if you're in Iowa, Ohio, Montana, Indiana, Wisconsin, Nevada, North Carolina, New Mexico, Florida, or Colorado, you can turn on Burnout Paradise, Madden NFL 09, and a handful of other games with in-game ad support and see what has to be the first example of election ads appearing in video games.

Well, I guess it's nice that a big presidential campaign sees the game-playing audience as important enough to reach by any means necessary. But we probably shouldn't assume this means that Obama (or any candidate, really) is actually in favor of games. Dude may have owned up to playing Pong at one point, but I believe his last on-the-record statement about games involved something like "kids should go outside." Oh well, at least it's not the usual--like an embarrassing "appearance" in Second Life.

Whichever candidate hops onto a DDR mat first has my vote.

On a similar note, College OTR put a copy of Photoshop to good use today by dropping fake Obama ads into GTA IV, Halo, and so on. Check it out.
Jeff Gerstmann on Google+

31 Comments

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Mox007

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Edited By Mox007

Keep the politics out of games, unless it is a game about politics.

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Powerpatat

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Edited By Powerpatat

It is true;

we should go outside and play with our balls...

They should put that as an ad in the games; 'go outside'.

After I finish this game, thank you ;)
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mcdrew77

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Edited By mcdrew77

Put away video games and yet advertising on them- This is why politicans drive me crazy and both our choices are not good

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ManMadeGod

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Edited By ManMadeGod

I wonder how much it would to put my face in Burnout.

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RHCPfan24

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Edited By RHCPfan24

Well, I don't want to get to indepth, but for those who have the ads in those states, understand the message and vote for him.  

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breton

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Edited By breton

@GalvanizedNails - That quote was directed at the parent's responsibility in education.
Edit: BBC - "parents also must show more responsibility, turn off TV and put away video games."

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darkjester74

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Edited By darkjester74

Please get your politics out of my games, thanks.

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ddensel

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Edited By ddensel
I love the picture from Call of Duty 4 with "Barack Obama" spelled out in Hebrew.  It's ironic, considering what Obama's policies would do to the State of Israel....

I don't know, negotiate a Free Palestine? The one that should have existed 60 years ago?If the U.S. government put in as much support for the Palestinians as they do for the Israelis, the people of the Middle East would surely feel more positive about us, and would give the Islamic Extremists in the region much less weight.Negotiations are surely more powerful than military might.

But relating to games, Giant Bombers, don't confuse other misguided Democrats like Clinton and Lieberman with Obama. Democratic administrations generally preside over more liberal (in an anti-censorship sense, not political) FCC boards and Supreme Courts.
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ferrarimanf355

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Edited By ferrarimanf355
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ahoodedfigure

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Edited By ahoodedfigure

At least he heard of Pong.

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SentientMoustache

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and now that jerk is advetising on every gaming site as well

no such thing as bad publicity

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rogrees

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Edited By rogrees

I love the picture from Call of Duty 4 with "Barack Obama" spelled out in Hebrew.  It's ironic, considering what Obama's policies would do to the State of Israel....

//McPalin '08

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hatking

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Edited By hatking

I'm in Illinois and through a program in town here I have the opportunity to vote early, not sure if I want to though, you never know something could always happen.

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kennybaese

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Edited By kennybaese

Political debates are so much fun! At least you guys are staying civilized about the whole thing. Some other forums online... man. Name calling and all sorts of stuff go down there. Those people really are racist and sexist, among other things.

Anyway, somehow this really doesn't surprise me. Although, only targeting certain states seems kinda strange. I wonder how much this in game advertising costs anyway.

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DrVanNostren

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Edited By DrVanNostren

They can put whatever ads they want in my Burnout Paradise if they keep giving me huge updates for free.

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natetodamax

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Edited By natetodamax

Why don't we stop arguing over politics and talk about something else. I know! We should talk about kittens and how cute and cuddly they are. That's a better topic. What do you guys say?

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JoshuaN

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Edited By JoshuaN

YOU ARE ALL RACIST!



Nah im just kidding.

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nZeD_SkunK

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Edited By nZeD_SkunK

@ GalvanizedNails

Because there is more important stuff in the world than video games. Is that honestly your greatest concern.

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breton

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Edited By breton

@MadExponent - I can't find the direct quote, but from the BBC - "parents also must show more responsibility, turn off TV and put away video games." He's not asking for a country wide ban on video games and digital entertainment, he's saying parent's have to play a larger role in their child's lives and crack down on their leisure time. As it is, parents expect school to take care of everything. He's not speaking on a games/no games matter, he's talking about education.

And this isn't about supporting one or the other, it's about correcting a horribly misleading and out of context quote.

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Soulglove

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Edited By Soulglove

I think some are you are only hearing what you want to hear by listening to only half of Obama's quotes. He wants children to not use games as the only entertainment and educational tool. He even said  the other week that he didn't want kids to ONLY play games, but to also learn how to make games, by going to school and learning the necessary applications to do so. I, for one, was happy to hear a candidate acknowledge the fact of going to school for game development and the industry as being a good business.

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artofwar420

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Edited By artofwar420

That whole "turn off the video games" thing, is just misunderstood, he's obviously not against video games, or television, he's stating something that some parents need to hear and practice more, that is be more responsible with their kids. Help them to study and other such things that I don't know.

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daniel_beck_90

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Edited By daniel_beck_90

Obama is too naive to lead in this dangerous world . some of his policies may work but he essentially wants to make things worse . in our current problematic financial situation we need instance Energy supplies and that is Nuclear Energy along side with offshore drilling . John McCain wants to build 12 New nuclear plant whereas Obama wants to focus on solar a replaceable Energy . Now that is a good plan but it is too soon right now . we need to escape the current situation first .
John McCain got the most reasonable plans . also The final presidential debate is just ahead and we should wait to see what will happens .   

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chililili

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Edited By chililili

@MadExponent, Obama ahs a clear head in the majority of the polls so I don't think its gonna be dead heat, I would bet 60% to 40% end result this election. Although I am not sure how that translate into the bullshit american electoral vote weirdass calculator, and I don't have to since I don't live in the US. Really how hard is to count the votes (of the people not the electoral ones)  and jsut say he won cause he had more people vote for him?

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MadExponent

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Edited By MadExponent

That was funny...I just heard him say that about video games.  And to "breton", it still is contradictory to advertise to gamers and talk about putting away the video games.  I'm sure you are an Obama supporter...so I understand.  Regardless of support, it's smart for him to do, I give him that.  He's got bags of money to spend getting his head into every TV possible.  Based on ads alone, you would think he would double McCain in the polls.  I think it's gonna be a dead heat.  And personally I think Obama is full of shit.  But thats my opinion which I'm entitled to.

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Superchris129

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Edited By Superchris129

Dirty bastard, these are the real issues, for or against video games? Stop flip-floping!  Should we go outside or should we be looking at your stupid burnout posters?!

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OdoLives

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Edited By OdoLives

Way to bait the hook Mr. Gerstmann.  Hope you have your Dreamcast fishing controller in hand as you read the comments that are going to come in on this thread.

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GalvanizedNails

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Edited By GalvanizedNails

obama just said it two seconds ago on the debate "put away the video games" direct quote there

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KillerFly

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Edited By KillerFly

My support of democrats has nothing to do with video games.  It's because of other issues.  But if you ask me, both sides are anti-games.

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GalvanizedNails

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Edited By GalvanizedNails

i dont see why so many gamers seem to be supporting obama since democrats are usually the ones pushing these anti-game stuff in congress and crap. it just doesnt make sense to me. On a side note im going to laugh when theres a equal coverage law on electoral ads in video games

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KillerFly

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Edited By KillerFly

I love the NBA Live one. Clever...

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Edited By jeff
When reached for comment about his opponent's new ads, Baraka was quoted as saying
When reached for comment about his opponent's new ads, Baraka was quoted as saying "WARRRAHHAGHAHAHAHGHLUGHLUGLUHLGG."
I spent like an hour driving around Burnout Paradise yesterday, hoping to find some actual proof that ads for Barack Obama's presidential campaign were showing up in some EA games. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Zip. Nothing. I couldn't find them. Goose-Eggs. And so on.

Turns out the ads are only pointed at players in ten states--ten states that allow voters to vote early. So according to the Boston Globe, if you're in Iowa, Ohio, Montana, Indiana, Wisconsin, Nevada, North Carolina, New Mexico, Florida, or Colorado, you can turn on Burnout Paradise, Madden NFL 09, and a handful of other games with in-game ad support and see what has to be the first example of election ads appearing in video games.

Well, I guess it's nice that a big presidential campaign sees the game-playing audience as important enough to reach by any means necessary. But we probably shouldn't assume this means that Obama (or any candidate, really) is actually in favor of games. Dude may have owned up to playing Pong at one point, but I believe his last on-the-record statement about games involved something like "kids should go outside." Oh well, at least it's not the usual--like an embarrassing "appearance" in Second Life.

Whichever candidate hops onto a DDR mat first has my vote.

On a similar note, College OTR put a copy of Photoshop to good use today by dropping fake Obama ads into GTA IV, Halo, and so on. Check it out.