Any counterstrike player will be familiar with the experience of joining a server, loading up the map, and seeing a few changes. Like seeing a massive floating banner for whatever clan it is that runs the server. Normally these are just a minor irritation.
But Engage has taken it one step further, selling in-game advertising to major companies.
Now, these are a positive distraction, and are sure to annoy players on their servers. It annoyed Valve too. Doug Lombardi said:
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“At no time did Valve grant permission nor discuss these advertisements with Engage. As such, this is now a legal matter. Advertising or any other commercial use of our games requires our written permission.”
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Busted.
It seems Engage put themselves in a lose-lose situation. They alienated people playing on their servers, so now won’t get any more ad revenue; and they pissed off Valve, who aren’t exactly known ot be forgive-and-forget (lest we forget the 30,000 accounts banned just before Christmas 2004).
Still, its nice to see a company shoot itself in both feet when they try and make a quick buck through advertising.
As good a story as this is, I think its bogus. It just seems far too far-fetched for anyone to do this, and noone is that stupid. Also, the changes looks pretty sketchy (roll for a gun?), I just think it is some guy playing a joke. Do you have the original site you got it from?
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