SI affiliating with a Computer Supplier

I'm surprised SI haven't struck a partnership or made any relations with laptop/pc manufacturers that are able to play FM.

There are plenty of people on these forums looking for the suitable laptop at the right price, something that a supplier would pay hard cash for no doubt.

I think thats illegal

suggesting a Complementary Product is not illegal

Its illegal to suggest one supplier over another and considered anti-competitive.

Its illegal to suggest one supplier over another and considered anti-competitive.

But not a complementary product that could sponsor FM

Its illegal to suggest one supplier over another and considered anti-competitive.

In that case, half the washing machine makers out there are breaking the law - look at the cross promotion between aerial washing powder and hotpoint washing machines (I think its them)

They ran joint adverts for years.

Its not illegal - its illegal to prevent the sale of one without the other, or to not ship to stores that offer other products (eg intel were sued by AMD because intel made deals with stores to get intel computers for cheaper IF those stores refused to stock AMD products)

Just go to the alienware website - on the front page they currently show laptops with Empire total war and streetfighter...

In previous FMs (or maybe SI produced CM's) they used to advertise Alienware PC's.

I thought of this too. The PC's / laptops could come in a nice FM case.

The drawback would be that the forums would be full of idiots complaining about their PC's being slow / knackered etc...

Its illegal to suggest one supplier over another and considered anti-competitive.

Then why is Nvidia splashed across most game intro screens? Surely the same logic should apply

Fundamentally, i feel a big problem is the willingness of people to spend £100's of pounds on a new laptop/computer just to play a game. I can sort of understand it last year as it was a big jump in specs, but from 09 to 10, the jump wont be any bigger if at all!

Lots of people will upgrade their PC this year, not specifically JUST for the game. But yea - it would make more sense to do a tie in when there is a significant graphical change as baker pointed out.

For me, the problem with this idea is that FM uses rather different parts of the PC to your 'average' game - its processor heavy, not graphics card heavy - thus buying a pc specifically aimed at playing FM would have a rather wierd set of components.

Lots of people will upgrade their PC this year, not specifically JUST for the game. But yea - it would make more sense to do a tie in when there is a significant graphical change as baker pointed out.

For me, the problem with this idea is that FM uses rather different parts of the PC to your 'average' game - its processor heavy, not graphics card heavy - thus buying a pc specifically aimed at playing FM would have a rather wierd set of components.

What i'd suggest:

1/ SI to test FM (or whoever) on various laptop/pc specifications,

2/ Have a choice between low/medium/high spec laptops/pc on offer, at the cheapest prices possible, possibly establishing a commercial deal with a brand

3/ Everyone's happy!

Let's say that si wanted to do this. And they wanted the manufacturer to pay them money.

Now let's say your the manufacturer. Would you pay si? Or would you rather your system was linked to an all singing all dancing game like far cry 2?

Not putting fm down, but it's hardly the game of choice to say 'look guys. Our computer plays it'.

Nothing wrong with having adverts in game though

Personally I think it would make more sense for manufacturers to get their adverts placed on the ad boards around the pitch

with how quick tecno advances to be up to date and have the best machine to play FM you would need to renew your Pc every year at a cost over 1K to have the fastes model.

Its illegal to suggest one supplier over another and considered anti-competitive.

Is it hell.

Valve the makers of the Half Life series, and publishers/makers of Left for Dead, Team Fortress and Counterstrike have a 7 year long partnership with ATI graphics.

Openly stating that their games ran better on the ATI cards, advertising them and recommending them in previews of their games.