NBA2K Is Forcing Gamers To Watch Political Commercials Even If They Bought The Game At Full Price
Source - NBA 2K series has been known to offer unskippable ads and after a backlash last year, they were removed only to return again this year. They are unskippable ads and range from advertising products like Oculus to even politics as per a user who was expressing his frustration about it on Twitter.
I'm in a small minority where I generally don't mind watching commercials at all. Sometimes I'll go as far to say as they're informative. You want to know what the world thinks about you? Sit through your commercial breaks with focus and attention. I didn't know I was watching too much HGTV until I started identifying with the tampon commercials in between house showings. That's the world telling a man in his late 20's with no real estate assets that he's turning into a figurative pussy.
Or if you watched 7 hours of football yesterday (without RedZone) then you saw 7 hours of Taco Bell commercials. There's a reason. It's because guys that sit through 7 hours of football are more prone to enjoy Taco Bell. Just like how the PGA Champions Tour Friday round is going to be surrounded by Flomax and John Hancock life insurance commercials. A man in well fitting trousers with salt & pepper hair. A concerned woman with a flattering rack and a warm cup of coffee between her hands. It's instant feedback of what they expect the audience to represent. Like if you're watching Bernhard Langer card a 68 on a Friday afternoon at the TimberTech Championship then good chance you're in the age bracket for some pointed, timely advice about the financial implications of your death. Call it a hunch.
That said, not all advertisements are created equal. The 5 seconds before a "youtube" video is the longest 5 seconds in recorded time. Hearing an unprompted Buying Tickets Can Be Complicated And Confusing before an anticipated podcast interview can trigger an aneurysm. Or try the pop-ups when attempting to stream mid-major college basketball from reddit on a Tuesday night and you've got a disgusting under. Nobody wants to hear a pitch when the blood is flowing and the stakes are high. Is the NBA2K crowd any different?
Unfortunately it doesn't matter when your end product sells you down the river for a dollar. We're talking about the NBA here. You better believe they're cramming a commercial between game pauses and roster substitutions. And you better believe it doesn't matter that you paid full price. If anything NBA2K probably sees it as a sign to further abuse your loyalty. Like how the Cubs continuously shake down local season ticket holders. They're the most likely to deal with the bullshit so let's put it on them.
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On the bright side at least NBA2K knows its audience. You could be rewatching Blake Griffin State Farm commercials but instead you get breaking product knowledge about the 64 GB Oculus Quest 2 crack stick command center.
Invasive product placement, yes. But it sure beats learning about the new FleshLight molds before the Bulls tipoff against the Magic. Always important to keep some perspective.