Are you ready for billboards in games or in-game rewards for watching ads? Sony and Microsoft are both planning to put ads in free-to-play console games, reports Business Insider.

In two separate reports, Business Insider details Sony and Microsoft's – the two major console makers – plans to let advertisers place ads inside free-to-play PlayStation and Xbox console games.

- "Microsoft wants to let advertisers place ads inside free-to-play Xbox games, and it is currently identifying adtech companies who can create the in-game inventory and work with ad agencies to place the ads, said two people who are involved in the talks," reported Business Insider. "Those sources said those ads would show up as, for instance, digitally rendered billboards in a car racing game."


 Microsoft currently lets advertisers buy ads on the Xbox dashboard. Photo: Microsoft

Coming this year
Microsoft has not commented publicly on the matter but the company is planning to have the ads online by the third quarter of this year, according to the report.

Sony could launch its initiative by the end of 2022.

- "The new effort, expected to launch by end of 2022, would put ads inside PlayStation games themselves, to be sold via a private marketplace, the sources said. The goal is for the ads to appear like they're part of the game, like digital billboards in sports stadiums. Formats could include ads that give viewers rewards for watching ads and promotions for in-game items like avatar skins."

While Microsoft is not planning to take a cut of ad sales, Sony has yet to reach a decision, according to unnamed sources.

Both companies are apparently trying to encourage game developers to build more free-to-play console games as opposed to premium games where you pay for the full game upfront.

- Source: Business Insider (2)