EA Allays Adware Fears Over BF 2142

The gamers are greatly annoyed about 'Electronic Arts' (EA) strategy to pack monitoring software with its latest game. The Battlefield 2142 packages carry leaflet explaining that the game has an adware added to it. 'IGA Worldwide', which has developed the software, uses it to launch in-game advertising so that users traveling in virtual environment will view billboards advertising 'real-world brands'.

This is not the first case of in-game advertising.The disclaimer attached to the European edition of Battlefield 2142 states that the software is liable to record the user's IP address as well as other secret information. This wide proclamation aroused fear of privacy intrusion. Gamers wonder what precisely the technology would be intercepting on their PCs.

Electronic Arts assured gamblers that the software does not record any 'personally identifiable information' (PII). However, it is mandatory to install the ad-serving software before gamers play the game online.

Battlefield 2142 has an in-game advertising characteristic that collects data for temporary use by in-game company, 'IGA Worldwide'. The objective is to present and assess in-game advertisements and other in-game objects, which are uploaded on the gamer's PC or game console. This upload is, however, tentative and can be changed while the online game is running.

The advertising software in Battlefield 2142 does not tap any files that do not have any direct relation to the game. It does not seize personal data such as cookies, account login particulars, or surfing history.
The advertising system in BF 2142 uses the player's IP address to determine the location of player, so as to deliver ads according to the region and language. For e.g., ads in French may be presented to a player in Paris.

BF 2142 also traces "impression data" linked to in-game advertisements such as location of the billboard in the game, advertisement brand, duration of advertisement etc. This info is to enable advertisers qualify the destination of a particular advertisement.

Related article: E-Crime Reporting Format To Be Launched in July

» SPAMfighter News - 10/23/2006