Nolan Bushnell says typical in-game ads do not work

Ask any person about in-game advertising, and chances are you'll get a variety of responses. Certain people like Jon Epstein of Double Fusion are understandably supportive of it, while others, like Nolan Bushnell, don't think it'll work.

According to Bushnell, it's the nature of the in-game ads that works against them:

In-game advertising is much, much more [in your face] advertising and is more like a billboard. I don t believe those kinds of ads are very effective. In a game, if you re not riveted on the objectives, you re going to lose.

Nevertheless, Bushnell has admitted that there s opportunity in the casual games business. In fact, he currently serves as an advisor to NeoEdge, a Silicon Valley company that focuses on incorporating ads in casual games.

The difference is that NeoEdge's ads may come before, during or after a gaming session - much like TV ads. The ads are reportedly not hidden in the environment, unlike most cases today.