A new patent has surfaced online in which Microsoft could push ads on the XBOX during breaks in gaming.
Microsoft appears to be exploring additional monetization opportunities for Xbox, which may include advertisements. The company has already introduced an ad-supported cloud gaming tier for insiders. Now, a recent patent suggests the company is looking to inject ads even while players are gaming on their consoles or PCs.
Microsoft Exploring Ad-Credits in New Patent
Spotted by Respawn First, a new ad-related patent has been published by Microsoft earlier this month, called ‘Contextually Aware Management of Interactive Software Application Access’. The patent describes a system in which players receive ‘ad-credits’ based on the context of the situation. Which means that the game will understand the natural breaks during gameplay and only then provide players with an ad.
The ads operate on a system where, initially, you are given a certain amount of ad-free gameplay. This could be for the first level or a specific time period, depending on the game. Once you reach that limit, you will be shown an advertisement. Advertisements will appear in situations such as after defeating a boss, completing a quest, loading screens, or when a cutscene ends, among others, so as not to hinder the gameplay experience. After watching the ad, the player earns another ad credit, which provides a new time frame before the next advertisement occurs. Ads can be either a video or a static image.
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Like other patents, Microsoft’s new ad injection system is not a confirmed feature and may change or not be used at all. Interestingly, the patent is very similar to Insider Gaming’s April Fool’s story, where we discussed Game Pass Flex, where players are shown full-screen ads every time there’s a loading screen and can earn ‘Ad-tokens’ for the same.
What are your thoughts on the new Microsoft ad patent? Leave your thoughts down in the comments, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
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