Sony is reportedly working to bring advertisements to free-to-play PlayStation games. The ads would appear in games and give game developers a way to monetize their work and encourage them to continue building free-to-play games.
The in-game ads are expected to launch by the end of the year and would appear in inconspicuous places within the game, like billboards. Players could also get rewards for watching advertisements, and the ads would be sold through a private marketplace. Sony hasn’t yet decided if it would take a portion of ad revenue but is considering having developers and publishers pay for consumer data.
Sony’s plans follow the news that Microsoft was reportedly planning on doing something similar with free-to-play Xbox games. Ads in free-to-play Xbox games are expected to roll out later this year, and Microsoft doesn’t plan to take a cut of the revenue.
Advertisers may need some convincing to join the program. Ads that appear next to mature or violent content might be a concern and tracking what users do after seeing an in-game ad could be difficult. The possibility of ads annoying gamers is also a concern for Microsoft.
The core of the trial focuses on whether or not Holmes defrauded investors by making unsubstantiated claims about her revolutionary Edison machine…which didn’t quite exist as it was promised. But other companies are paving the way in the diagnostics world that can do more with smaller volumes of blood.
