Google is reportedly “In Talks” to acquire Adscape Media, a video game ad placement software company. This is the first time Google has expressed interest in in-game advertising, and further example of how Google is re-applying their AdWords methodology to new ad formats. As Motley Fools writes,
“The move itself makes sense. Google has already branched out beyond online advertising. It has experimented with print magazine ads. It acquired radio advertising specialist dMarc Broadcasting last year in a move to matter in audio pitches. Why wouldn’t it want to get into the booming potential of video game sponsorships? More importantly, how could it not make a play in this niche, after rival Microsoft acquired in-game marketing pioneer Massive?”
Though in-game advertising is still a young market, Microsoft and now Google’s attention to it undoubtedly indicates the market’s burgeoning development.
Discussion:
- Google May Buy Video Game Ad Firm (CNN)
- WSJ: Google Looking to Join In-Game Ad Arena (Game Daily)
- Google Eyeing Video Game Ad Acquisition (Ars Technica)
- Google To Spend Half a Billion Dollars On In-Game Advertising’s Adscape (alarm:clock)
