Sony Offers Pizza Feature For Hungry Gamers

[talbotda13 0]

NEW YORK,  Sony has built the ability to order pizza into its latest online multiplayer game. Type the command "/pizza" while playing Everquest II, a fantasy game with 330,000 active players, and get the Pizza Hut Web site, where you can place orders for delivery.
Chris Kramer, spokesman for Sony Online Entertainment, said he believes this is the first time a game accepts orders for real-world items.

Sony plans to integrate the pizza function more tightly into the game, so players can charge pizza to their monthly game subscription bill.

"The goal for the future is to eventually let people do more things like this," Kramer said. "They could type /harry potter and get the new Harry Potter book delivered or /star wars and get the new Star Wars DVD."

Many games incorporate ads and product placements, but such opportunities are limited with fantasy games like Everquest.

Though the new pizza feature might satisfy appetites, caution is required as the game doesn't pause while you're ordering.

"You wouldn't want to order pizza in the thick of combat, but anywhere that's safe is a good place," said Kramer.

I think that is kinda dumb to be able to order pizza while playing games online. But at the same time i suppose its a time saver for gamers that are hungy. My only question is why would you want to place an order while playing games online?

[Caveman 0]

For the sake of convenience, I'd assume...Not a bad idea. Scary, but by no means bad...haha. I don't play the game, but if I did, I'd be quite thrilled to have that feature!

[darkmeca 0]

its a interesting idea, but i dont think its the worth the time to develop... i mean we are not all game addicts who will stay on game 24/7 and try and do everything while playing the game... if that becomes your life, that is pretty sad. but anyways i guess people are getting lazier by the min...

[HmmZ 0]

You'd say it's a convenient feature, but all there is to it is danger. With this feature, a gamer will order a pizza more easily, eventually robbing their wallets. Everquest probably gets a big bunch of sponsor money for this and with a player community of over 330,000, they won't have to be scared to not have any orders each day.This is not an improvement, nor a drawback, it's just something extras to rob the gamers wallets, to my opinion, as you can see, this is an idiotic feature.

[=Savage= 0]

errrrm how lazy do they want gamers to be there is this thing would a phone lol. and btw if you were online kicking *bottom* are whatever...what would make you think "hey i want the new Sar Wars dvd" then type /starwars??its absolutely pointless...its just another way to increase lazyness lol

[spacemonkey 0]

Ordering pizza while playing Everquest II. Go figure. The really scary part of this notion is the fact that it will probably sell. I personally despise RPGs because of the level of commitment needed to enjoy them. Don't get me wrong, I respect people who have the patience to play these games, but I can't see why I would spend all of my free time to build up some character to run around with.At any rate, the reason this is so scary to me is the fact that a lot of people who play Everquest II probably play it non stop for hours and hours. I had a friend who played it for 14 hours straight one time. If you think that sounds really unhealthy, try throwing in the ability to order a pizza in less than 5 minutes without even getting up.And the United States wonders why every other person is obese. All that matters to people is money, not the health of consumers. And if they are concerned about consumer health, it is just to attract attention of those people who are trying to "eat healthy" or something to make... more money.

[eiteljoh 0]

This is quite concerning isn't it. you would think, you'd be proud to offer a product that enriched people's lives ... this just doesn't do it. i'm assuming though, that they've done test market studies to determine if people would actually do it, and apparently it was well recieved enought to actaully go forward. i think it's really sad. is the real world so boring that you can't get up, even to a phone, to order one? like, i like to program, and work on websites, but you can't do it all the time. there's an entire world you will miss out on if you don't.

[Spathi 0]

if only Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Counter-Strike: Source, and Freelancer has the /pizza command..... *sigh*

[matthewbot 0]

wow. Why would i want to visit harry potter while playing Everquest. Sorry, but me thinks quite dumb. The pizza idea, im sry, if you can't get off ur lasy butt to take a 5 min break from the game to order pizza from your local pizza parlor, you have problems.

[Hellmonkeys 0]

I think that is pretty stupid... That is just making the people more and more lazy. Now the people that play these games all day are able to order pizza straight from their computer, so they don't even have to leave their seat to order food! All this does is support them in ruining their lives further. But hey, it's their own choice.

[dropout21 0]

wow its odd that alot of people here believe that it is still necessary to call pizza hut in order to place an order. the ability to order pizza online exists... sony is simply bringing that ability to the ps2. how is some1 who orders a pizza through everquest or online lazier than someone who calls for delivery? if everyone here was soo keen on seeing the world they would possibly suggest walking to a pizza hut rather than getting it delivered or driving there. this is a smart decision by sony to enable people the convience of order online but through their ps2. someone said 'its just another way to rob the consumers of their money' and although the temptation maybe greater if its easier to order pizza, someone who doesnt want to waste their money on pizza wont regardless of how accessible it is.i dont play everquest or other MMORPGs because of the cost involved, both time and money but sony developped a very popular game and i believe the players would rather see edorsement of pizzahut in the form of being able to order a pizzahut through their ps2 rather than having little boxs of pizza lying around etc.its a smart idea by sony to do this

[sean 0]

wow. Why would i want to visit harry potter while playing Everquest. Sorry, but me thinks quite dumb. The pizza idea, im sry, if you can't get off ur lasy butt to take a 5 min break from the game to order pizza from your local pizza parlor, you have problems.

63122[/snapback]

I'm with you, Matthew.

 

Once you get over the novelty of it, it's kind of pathetic.

[viper232b 0]

Honestly, at first I thought it was an in game item they were adding, to you know, heal your char or something like that. But until they are able to charge it to my game account I think I will just pick up my portable phone so I can order even in the heat of battle. Just seems easier to me is all.

[Tidus04 0]

Even though i am not in NY i can not get this but it is a very good idear for hungry gamerz...

[catforum 0]

Sony is kind enough.It provides pizza to those gamers who are hungry.I think other companies should provide some food to those customers who are hungry when they are being sold something by the staff.However,have they thought that pizza is harmful to our bodies???They should not give such a high calories food.They can provide some nutritious food instead.