The latest patch for Madden NFL 11 returns the scorebar pop-up ads last seen Madden NFL 10, but they don't display at the every-down frequency that annoyed so many when they rolled out midway through last year.
Pasta Padre (the source of the screengrab) reports that their frequency seems to be greatly reduced. The last title update rolled out earlier this week, and only today was one spied. "I didn't see another over the several minutes I continued playing." Neither did I, in my own futile attempts to get an original grab.
Last year, the Madden 10 scorebar ads for Bing, Madden NFL Arcade and other products and sponsors shot up nearly every time the offense broke the huddle. Gamers fulminated over the aggressive advertising, especially considering the branded segments elsewhere within the game.
Though no one claps for in-game ads, Madden's design philosophy has been that if it's found in an NFL broadcast, it's justifiable in the video game. NFL games do feature this sort of popup advertising, just not at the frequency we saw last year.
One other note, as today is Oct. 1, the beginning of the NFL's Breast Cancer Awareness campaign. In earlier coverage I neglected to mention that all games played from the Play Now menu in October will carry the Breast Cancer Awareness presentation by default (provided your console's clock is set accurately.)
Pop-Up Ads Return to Madden [Pasta Padre]