Microsoft wants to work with companies that develop advertising technologies, according to two Microsoft employees who spoke to Business Insider, and aims to develop add-ons that enable ad buying, selling, and placing ads in Xbox games. They also report that they are currently in the planning and research phase. For this purpose, it is aimed to add ads only to games that are free to play for now.
What will the ads be like in the games?
According to Insider, Microsoft already sells certain placements on its consoles through third parties that cover the in-game and user interface. Microsoft is expected to integrate the new type of in-game ads it plans to add into the gaming world in the form of digital billboards, not in a way that disturbs the flow of games. In this way, Microsoft hopes to diversify advertising and expand its customer range. Also, unlike websites, blocking attempts in games are thought to be more difficult.
Today, it has become difficult to reach the young cast who are moving away from watching television channels, and therefore classic television commercials. Instead, the focus has been on the next generation of streaming tools like YouTube or Netflix to reach those audiences. In addition, free-to-play games with the same audiences create a very efficient space. Microsoft is expected to attract more free games and developers to the Xbox side to take advantage of this opportunity.