Google psychology profiling in games, why it will fail

By Mike Bantick
Thursday, 17 May 2007 08:08

Opinion and Analysis

Goofy Google has patented plans to create user profiles based on game-play habits within Massively Multiplayer Online Role Play Games (MMORPG).  Using these profiles the plan is to go on to provide in-game advertising targeted towards these players. Who are they kidding?

Concerns are surfacing about the US and European patent filed by Google last month.  In a nutshell the plan is to watch how people play large social online games such as World of Warcraft.  See how they interact, including detail on conversations, as well as actions of the players in-game Avatar.

So if the player is blunt or profane in his/her in-game conversations, or perhaps likes to roam alone around the landscape, these actions will supposedly build a profile that Google will use to turn their vast advertising empire towards.

Unfortunately for Google, these games are Role Play Games, derived from their pen and paper ancestors.  In these games, players are generally taking a role, playing out a character that interests them, but is generally far from the reality of the Avatar controlling human being.

Some players will play more than one character, just to explore a particular game from multiple aspects.  Then there is the scope of the actual game its self; some simulation games may not provide the variety of activities to pose any useful data past the amount of time spent playing the game.

Then there is the back-lash issue, Some MMORPG players, especially those in WOW already find the incessant in-game ads for gold pharmers  (people or automated Avatars that simple sell in-game items or gold for real life currency) without commercial entities also invading their fantasy world.

So Google's patent idea will be dead before it starts.  Inaccurate data giving profiles for adverts that no developer would dare to run within their game for fear of a player revolt.

Players of games such as World of Warcraft pay for their PC, the original game, plus (usually) a monthly subscription to participate in the persistent world of their choice.  If this world is suddenly sullied by real-world intrusions, they will look elsewhere to take their characters.  Perhaps pen and paper role-playing will see a renascence.