XBox 360 News

Xbox 360 adverts warn against drink driving

By Stevie Smith Dec 24, 2007, 7:58 GMT

Authorities in Scotland are diverting funds to introduce in-game drink-driving commercials into various online Xbox 360 games following concerns regarding the amount of young people in the UK found to be consuming alcohol before getting behind the wheel of a car. The Scottish government prepares to introduce road safety adverts into Xbox Live racing titles. Credit: EA.

The Scottish government prepares to introduce road safety adverts into Xbox Live racing titles. Credit: EA.As part of a seasonal anti drink-driving campaign, the Scottish Government is this week allocating some £10,000 GBP to the integration of advisory public information adverts onto videogame billboards found in the likes of Project Gotham Racing 4, Need for Speed: Carbon, and Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.While presently only viewable to Xbox Live players based in Scotland, the BBC news Web site reports that the initial in-game trial could well expand to see a wide variety of similarly important road safety messages introduced into commercial-friendly videogame franchises."With statistics showing that road deaths, particularly among young people, are continuing to rise, it is clear we must look at new ways of getting road safety messages across," commented Transport Minister Steward Stevenson regarding the in-game adverts. "This is exactly the kind of initiative we should be trying."With figures indicating that in excess of 70 percent of 15 to 24 year olds in the United Kingdom own or have access to a videogame console, the government’s fresh approach could see it make an impression on a market that worryingly continues to ignore road safety warnings. And, with a considerable amount of racing-based software titles already available and always hugely popular (Need for Speed ProStreet is currently one of the top five selling games in the country), the message may well be absorbed – if only fleetingly glimpsed.The Scottish Government has said that its in-game adverts will arrive as non-intrusive and subtle but will still send a "loud and clear" message to their target audience.

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Julian HainsworthDec 24th, 2007 - 08:50:32

Being an animator, and avid gamer, I think this is one of the best things I have heard in quite a while, very clever and very positive. I hope initiatives like this continue well after the holiday period; they will help the player and put a good light on the games industry.

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JimiDec 24th, 2007 - 19:46:31

I play Xbox 360 online a lot - pretty much all the time I am home and not asleep. I think these ads are a good idea and other governments should fund such things. I live in Canada and wonder why the Canadian government doesn't put some money on Xbox Live ads instead of TV ads. I don't want to stereotype, but the prime people playing video games are close to the prime range of people drinking and driving. Even just an ad on the dashboard, or a free safe driving theme (for people who know what themes are).

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Xbox 360 adverts warn against drink driving

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