A report has revealed that Microsoft is working on a program that will allow brands to display ads within free Xbox games, according to a report from Insider.
Sources familiar with the situation told Insider that the ads won’t disrupt gameplay and may appear on a billboard in a racing game, for example.
It’s not immediately clear how Microsoft plans to implement the ads, such as making them appear token or as in-game videos, but as Insider points out, Microsoft is concerned that the ads could “irritate” players, and plans to build a “private market” to allow brands Only selected in the program.
The sources also told Insider that Microsoft does not intend to deduct a portion of the revenue, and will instead allow the game developer and the ad company to share the money, The verege reported.
And it’s possible that Microsoft might just want to use this as a way to get more free game developers onto the platform, as this would open up another stream of revenue outside of microtransactions.
According to Insider, Microsoft will not use the data it collects from Bing and other services for targeted on Xbox. .
“We’re always looking for ways to improve the experience for players and developers but we don’t have anything else to share,” a spokesperson for Maiketh said in a statement to Insider.
In-game on console games isn’t a new concept — game companies experimented with it in slightly paid games in the mid to late 2000s.
Around this time, EA Games partnered with Microsoft-owned company Massive (which is now defunct), allowing companies to place ads in Madden NFL, Skate, NHL, and NASCAR franchises, as well as in Burnout Paradise.