Gamertell

Soon after acquiring advertising company Adscape Media, Google filed a patent for in-game advertising. The process specified is, roughly, the same Google uses on its web site. They take players in-game choices and serves in-game ads according to those choices. Pick a yellow Hummer to drive in a race and you can expect to see an ad featuring a sponsor’s yellow truck later in the game.

From Google’s press release:

“As more and more people spend time playing video games, we think we can create opportunities for advertisers to reach their target audiences while maintaining a high quality, engaging user experience.”

In addition to the basic visual annoyance of ads - and that it often does not help reduce the retail price of a game - are potential privacy issues regarding information gathered about gamers and given to advertisers.

From Tech Guardians article:

“Publishers are becoming more like media companies,” said Justin Townsend, the chief executive of IGA, an in-game advertising company. “More games are being optimized for advertising.” But he said that privacy concerns should be paramount. “Both consumers, publishers and the advertising industry are very aware of privacy issues,” he said. “You cannot afford to be vague in these areas.”

Posted on Adscape media’s home page is this line:

“In-game advertising is an area where we believe Google could add a lot of value to users, advertisers and publishers.”

I’m not certain how it will help users but so far is sure is helping other companies. Google’s deal with Adscape is rumored to have been around $23 million and previously purchased Massive, Inc, another video game ad company, for $200 million.

I also didn’t think getting patent on in-game ads was possible if it’s already become common practice for several companies. I guess it’s simply a matter of who - or which company - files first. What’s next, patents on product placement in video games (and movies and music videos and…)

Read [Tech Guardian] via [Daily Tech] Site [Adscape Media] Also Read [Shack News] Read [Patent]