Advertising is everywhere these days – even on the infotainment system in a $60,000 BMW. It seems it’s only a matter of time before it starts seriously encroaches on gaming, particularly as entertainment giants predict growth in cloud gaming due to the rising cost of consoles.
Now Microsoft has provided evidence that tech companies are thinking about how they could deliver ads in games – and it sounds like a bit of a nightmare for players. ‘ The company behind Xbox has filed a patent for an ad-supported gaming concept that would see players forced to watch adverts before they can continue playing a game (perhaps it’s more than ever time to opt for one of the best retro handheld game consoles).
Entitled Contextually Aware Management of Interactive Software Application Access, Microsoft’s patent filing describes a model in which players would be granted access to games only on a temporary basis. Credits would allow play for a give length of time or up until a certain point in the game.
After that, players would have to sit through an advert to earn more credits to be able to continue the game. In-game events would determine when the ads are served. The system would seek to identify natural breaks that could serve to divide the game into playable blocks.
Ads could appear after boss fights, cutscenes, quests and multiplayer rounds. Microsoft describes a model that could identify menus, animations, sounds and player inputs to determine when the ad would would be less disruptive. That would be less infuriating than if the ad appeared at a crucial moment, but it still sounds like a killer for immersion.
Spotted by TechSpot, the filing was uploaded by the US Patent and Trademark Office on 3 September. The document suggests that the system could work both on locally installed games and streamed games across PC, consoles, smartphones, smart TVs and headsets.
The ads themselves could be video, audio or static, while credits might last 15, 30 or 60 minutes or up until a certain point of progress in a game, such as the end of a level or after three multiplayer matches. Players could also be shown a notification or countdown to alert them to an upcoming ad and allowing them to watch it early if they choose.
It’s important to remember that tech companies file lots of patents, including for concepts they have no intention of developing. Sometimes that’s to prevent other companies from using the idea. If we’re going to be charitable, perhaps Microsoft is patenting this abomination to keep it locked up so nobody else can subject us to it? I’ll let you decide its most likely intention.
Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.
