Here is some real BS!!!

Microsoft has beaten a rival bid from Internet search giant Google to
provide advertisements inside upcoming Electronic Arts (EA) video
games that run via the LIVE network on the Xbox 360 game console and
Windows-based PCs. EA is the largest maker of games on the planet and
is responsible for such game franchises as Madden Football, Tiger
Woods Golf, NHL Hockey, and NASCAR Racing.

The Microsoft deal is big for two reasons. First, the company was able
to outperform market leader Google, and second, this deal encompasses
the entire line of EA titles, which include many best-selling games
that are updated every year. "It's a network play," says Cory Van
Arsdale, chief executive of Massive, the in-game advertising company
Microsoft purchased in 2006. Google purchased a similar company,
Adscape, in March.

Although in-game advertising has yet to generate significant revenues,
that's expected to change in the coming years as game makers and
advertisers find innovative new ways to put advertisements and other
product placements inside games. Worth more than $30 billion annually,
the game industry is more lucrative even then the movie industry, and
top-tier games now cost an average of $20 million each to create.

EA says that the deal with Microsoft covers only LIVE-enabled games
because Microsoft's online game service is so pervasive and
sophisticated. Console makers Nintendo and Sony offer much more
rudimentary services, and EA says that those companies exert more
control over the services, making a similar deal with them more
difficult. Last week, Microsoft Video Game Chief Peter Moore left
Microsoft to take charge of EA's sports games franchises. This deal is
apparently coincidental to Moore's hiring.

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Interesting. Source of this?

Not a bad deal for Microsoft!

MS is always able to find a way around things -> $$$

Microsoft has destroyed itself

They always seem to find a way and a reason to place advertisements everywhere. MS and EA need to screw their heads on. People already PAID for the game and PAID for the online subscription service... why the heck do the need to sneak new ways of advertising in there. I can just see them eventually pausing a live online game for 20 seconds to interrupt with an advertisement "This game was brought to you by Company. Company slogan here".

What a joke.

nice
and interesting

hahaha mircosoft you use be so good... but thats interesting

nice ^o^

This will result in a drop in sales of EA why are they doing this

I find it funny really. I mean who are they looking to sell to? If I'm playing a game I'm to busy to look at ads or really notice that well rendered software box on a table as I'm blasting monsters or sneaking up to gut a guard. Sure I might see billboards in a racing game or a store front hawking a new game or product, but even if I saw a tv ad playing on an in game tv, am I going to rush out to but the game? Only if it's a crucial part of the game play, otherwise I keep playing and forget it.

I say let them and any other company spend the money on in game ads, as ong as it does not get in the way of playing the game (especially rt games), if it helps lower the price of the games I buy. If it's in the form of CUT SCENE type ads before or between points in the game (ugh) I might be able to put up with it, if it's in the ending credits (where I'd want it) all the better.

If it's like what we have been seeing already, product placement in movies and games, then no big deal. I might even go for an ad supported version of a game vs a non ad supported version. Game with ads, cheaper, game without ads regular price.