I'm just surprised the devs don't use the MC billboards to advertise their own stuff - "Now on sale - The Holiday Grab Bag! For a limited time only!"

Actually, the majority of the forum community were for it as long as it fit the environment and had the option to opt-out. The ads were for a cheeseburger, The Burger King Double Whopper, a cell phone, the Tony Hawk edition T-Mobile Sidekick, and a shoe, the Nike Jeter Clutch Jordans. The problem they ran into is that the advertisers didn't see the number of eyes on the ads that they wanted, so the program was killed.

Honestly, if the ads are appropriate to the setting - like on billboards on MC, or even on taxis or on TVs in storefronts or some sort of jumbotron if there were a Timesquare sort of location, then I have no problem with them - heck, don't even allow people to opt out - all you're doing then is reducing the possible number of eyes that can see these ads.

It's when ads become intrusive, such as popups during gameplay or banner son the top/bottom/side, that I become irritated.

Oh you were quite clear in your opinion ;)
Some of us just don't happen to agree with it

Fair enough, I only know what I read and it seems I was mistaken on the players' reactions to it. Nevertheless, the advertisers' reactions kinda tells the story anyway. IGA is big, no doubt about that, but it's big on consoles and in sports games, not in MMOs.

And especially not in niche MMOs like CO.

So how are you all liking the grab bags over this suggestion now? ;)

(I'm teasing a bit here, but with an edge of serious contemplation too as time has passed since I first started this topic. I'm curious to see if opinions have shifted any)

Well the gifts and stockings were technically grab bags right?
They are awesome.

Advertising in games, is a dead end idea.
We could all change our minds, won't change an industry wide accepted fact.

Champions needs to tell the world its here, not tell us whose products we should by outside of the game.

They need compelling and provocative advertising and a good slogan like:
"I heart Champions", or "Champions: Will give you wings"
or "Champions: its whats for breakfast" or "Champions is for lovers"

Help me out here, brainstorm.

The idea is genius. It's innovative it's newsworthy and frankly, Geek Sells.

I doubt you get other superhero licnses (image, Marvel, DC ) to advertise but gaming is a BOOMING industry. People manufacture headphones, microphones, etc SPECIFICALLY for gamers. And I know from first hand exprince (yes I work in marketing) that there are companies right here in SF who would jump at the opportunity if priced reasonably.

In his off-hours, Doctor Destroyer wears a T-shirt with that slogan. ;)

Here's an example of some really awesome advertising that got me to buy insane amounts of Pepsi.

Pepsi was sponsoring the Rock Band game for all three consoles, and the bottlecaps got you 'free songs.' The Wii caps didn't have a system to get you these songs, so they gave you 200 Wii Points instead.

I bought soooo much Pepsi I'm amazed my teeth aren't rotten now. Poor Rock Band didn't see a single Wii point. I spent it all on Virtual Console and Wiiware stuff! Then they changed it so the codes only gave you a chance to give you the points, so bleh.

So... yeah... do something like that for Cryptic games. 1 Coke = 100 CP, woop woop?