Like every other form of mass media entertainment, video games are becoming increasingly reliant on advertising dollars to supplement their development. It’s simply a fact of life, and gamers have reluctantly become accustomed to it, so long as the advertising doesn’t start to overshadow the game itself.

But sports games have it easy; sports fans are already used to seeing ads plastered almost everywhere in real-life stadiums and arenas, and some sports gamers will even go so far as to tell you that seeing real-life ads in their games make them seem more realistic.

This isn’t like clumsily wedging body spray or cable TV provider ads into taut, anti-terrorism adventures like the Rainbow Six series did recently; stuffing a soda ad into a sports game generally won’t even cause a single eyebrow to raise.

But this will.

My old haunt, Operation Sports, recently posted photos of all the baseball stadiums in MLB 2K9, the latest hardball title by 2K Sports, which is set to release in early March. Many observers, including our brother-in-arms Bryan “Pastapadre” Wiedey, noticed that the game had far more ads crammed into the stadiums than they already have in real-life.

To wit: Here’s a photo of Chicago’s Wrigley Field (image from Pastapadre.com). MLB 2K9’s version of the stadium is on top, and the real McCoy’s on the bottom. See if you can spot a little - make that a big - difference between the two.

In 2K’s world, a 30-foot tall insurance company’s banner arrived in left-center field, just above the batter’s eye. Enjoy looking at that eyesore during every at-bat in every home game, Cubs fans.

Most of MLB 2K9’s stadiums are slathered in soda and insurance ads, which, while distinctly less-than-pleasant, is at least reasonably acceptable given that they’re filling real-life ad space with the ones purchased by 2K’s sponsors. But adding ad space… well, to turn a phrase, that’s a whole new ballgame.

Perhaps one could argue that since the preposterously-sized ad isn’t in play, it’s not worth complaining about; after all, 2K needs to make money any way they can, right? It’s not like it alters the game? First, I’d disagree with that assessment, and second, take a gander at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. (images from OperationSports.com and Kotaku.com). Again, the upper photo is 2K’s version of the stadium and the lower photo is the real deal.

There appears to be a downward “swoop” from left to right on the left-field wall, and the wall itself appears to have been raised to better accommodate the insurance ad plastered upon it. A clearer look at the real left-field wall in Nationals Park can be found here.

The dimensions of the stadium itself appear to have been altered in order to fit another insurance ad directly below the larger one looming above the crowd. Hope new National Adam Dunn doesn’t get robbed of too many virtual home runs by the new “Long Green” Monster in left. Why Major League Baseball would approve of this kind of thing is beyond me. Maybe they don’t know yet. Maybe they don’t care either.

But we should.

As gamers, how much is too much? How much farther must we go before realizing that we’re not playing a game, we’re playing a commercial like so many Saturday morning cartoons?

While some may argue that it’s no different, and that it doesn’t matter because 2K Sports needs to make a buck like everyone else, here’s the difference: When network television runs ads, that’s where their revenue comes from. Television networks get paid by the advertisers in the hopes that viewers will watch the shows and buy their products. Otherwise, network broadcasts are free.

In this case, 2K makes its money from the advertisers - and compromises the integrity of their game in order to do so - and then charges you for it, as well. It’s called double-dipping, and let’s not beat around the bush: it stinks.

As gamers, it’s time to stand our ground. We realize that certain levels of advertisements are acceptable, and we’re not opposed to game developers finding new ways to earn money. But if you watched a version of “Casablanca” that had Humphrey Bogart knocking back a Mountain Dew at Rick’s Café, you’d know you’re being taken advantage of. That’s what’s happening here with MLB 2K9. If a publisher insists on selling out their game, on compromising their customers’ experience, then the least they could do is have the decency not to charge full price for it.

And if not, the least we could do is respect ourselves enough to pass.