We’ve seen some really interesting developments around Xbox this year as Microsoft has been working to restore gamers’ faith in the brand. However, the latest news could push the company in the other direction as far as users are concerned. Not only have we seen Xbox cutting tons of jobs this year, but now it seems that Microsoft could be one step closer to injecting advertisements directly into games.
The idea of ads directly inside of games has been floating around for a couple of years now, with reports that PlayStation was also looking for ways to inject ads into video games back in 2022. However, we haven’t actually seen anything concrete happening yet. But, with Microsoft working to turn Xbox around, it seems the company could be close to making a big move toward such ads, as a new patent has popped up that points to a new type of tech that would detect specific triggers and then show off ads directly in games (via RespawnFirst).
According to the patent, which is called “Contextually Aware Management of Interactive Software Application Access,” Xbox would rely on specific triggers like loading screens and places that users might stop playing where it makes sense to force them to watch an ad. Whether the ads would play for everyone or just users on an ad-supported plan is unclear. However, Xbox has also floated the idea of introducing an ad-supported tier for its cloud gaming platform. That news has seen some mixed responses from users, but this patent could give us some idea of how it might work.
Ads might not come for all games
There’s a very high chance that this kind of tech could be used to create more sustainable ad-supported programs for gaming. We’re already seeing other entertainment companies embracing ad-supported tiers, with <a href="https://comicvibe.com/sweet-magnolias-and-4-best-netflix-shows-that-didnt-get-a-final-season/” title=”Sweet Magnolias and 4 best Netflix shows that didn't get a final season”>Netflix and several other streaming services launching their own versions of the system over the past few years. Considering the rising prices of games, and the fact that some companies such as PlayStation are pushing for all-digital while still keeping game prices high, bringing ads into premium-priced games isn’t something that’s likely going to hit well with consumers.
However, users may be more open to receiving ads when playing free-to-play games. It also adds the potential for another microtransaction to fill these games by offering some kind of ad-free subscription. Because the system appears to be built on triggers, it also looks like it follows hard logic specs, which means it should only trigger during non-important events. So, even if the ads are set to trigger during pause sequences, you may not see them during intense moments like boss fights or even in multiplayer games where you open the pause or settings menu.
Of course, until Microsoft makes an official announcement, all that we or anyone else can do is speculate. But for the moment, it seems most likely that ad-supported games and free-to-play titles are the ones that will be affected by a system like this. Still, even with the patent in place, there’s no guarantee it will hit Xbox anytime soon.
