Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft May Purchase Massive Ad Network
calzones writes to mention a Gamasutra article, which reports on a WSJ claim that Microsoft will be buying Massive, Inc. at some point in the near future. From the article: "The article indicates that Microsoft is expecting to acquire the entirety of the New York City based company, which currently employees around eighty staff. Microsoft is reported to be keen to control how adverts are placed within a game and to try new business models which could allow the ads to subsidize lower prices or particularly expensive titles, such as massively multiplayer online games. No specific mention was made of the Xbox 360, which already displays advertising-like banners on its dashboard operating system, but has not yet permitted in-game ad companies to stream advertisements into games through Xbox Live. However, it is implied that Microsoft would not be using Massive's technology purely for Windows based games."
Don't we have enough spam as it is? I certainly don't need any "authorized" spam from Microsoft.
Two: Why? Just why? Do consumers need yet another reason to not purchase crap-tacular M$ games? (with the notable exceptions of games that they bought from other companies)
Ads in games: Bad Idea
Ads in utility software: Despised and hated by everyone, even more so than gaming ads.
Does anyone think it's funny that Microsoft will be buying Massive, Inc? I sense a name change in Microsoft's future.
Then != than you morons.
Can you back that up? I've never heard of any sort of ad-filtering program from Microsoft. If MS bought ad companies or made special arrangements with them to get through their own ad-blocking software then that stinks of anti-trust violations to me.
If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
there's no mention of spam. it seems to be related to putting advertisements inside games, in particular the XBOX.
Why are all slashdot stories so literal?
so are we talking about some of the following scenarios in video games?
- In between innings of a baseball game, I get thrown ads
- After I pass a level in a 1st person shooter, I get thrown ads
- When I complete a puzzle in an rpg, I get thrown ads
Sorry...here's the related Slashdot article.
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~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey
No sir, I don't like it.
"Are you sure you want to click there? and while you are clicking, here is a word from our sponsor"
like how you pay to be on the subway, pay to go to a movie etc and then get bombarded the entire time with ads and ad placements..
everywhere ads..
anime+manga together at last.. in real time.
Massive Inc. "employees around 80 staff"? The folks at Microsoft are "reported to be keen to control" in-game ads? Massive's business model "allow(s) the ads to subsidize lower prices or particularly expensive titles"?
Is it asking too much for you guys to clean up these entries? I'm not asking for great writing, but it would be nice if you made sure your posts make sense.
But whilst your here, would you be interested in 300 kilograms of fish?
No, well could I interest you in some top notch perfume, direct from the makers?
Your wife would like it, I would be lying if I said I was making money from this.
But wait, theres more....
liqbase
This is a very smart move by MS. They've jumped on this concept before Google could get its mitts on a similar venture. There's an entire industry to be founded on in-game advertising.
Undoubtedly we'll be seeing ads in full priced games, but I sincerely hope MS uses this leverage to make full versions of free games (like Geometry Wars) profitable.
The free MMORPG has in game ad's... they aren't all that obtrusive, and rollercoaster tycoon 3 has billboards for excel gum, but in that game they bring you ad-revenue, so its sort of interesting.
I think it's an urban legend, but I heard that when "Microsoft" was first translated into Chinese characters, they used the characters for 'small' and 'flacid.'
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
Note to Microsoft: Keep your fucking ads out of my goddamned games.
While the whole Claria & Microsoft deal is pretty sketchy in my book, it doesn't raise the same level of red flags as if IE had an web ad-blocker that distinguished between Microsoft partners and Microsoft rivals.
I think you'd have a harder time winning that antitrust case than if Microsoft were doing the latter. Personally, that's an antitrust case that I don't even want to go to court on the slim possibility that it could be ruled that MS had to let all spyware through.
If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
Makes sense, a little more than a year ago, I heard from a DoubleClick employee the rumor and fear about being bought by Microsoft.
Anyone else heard this rumor too?
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Allways remember, women will always forgive what you did to them, they sure won't forgive what you didn't do to them.
Chäïnÿ
Remember Microsoft Bypasses HOSTS File? Sounds like unblockable ads, at least via the hosts file.... adblock should still work fine.
By reading this, you have given me brief control of your mind.
First, the next gen of MS software will bypass the hosts-file for "certain sites". Of course to make you safe from being kept from updates by malware.
Next, MS nags when you didn't register.
Now they buy an adware spammer.
Is it me or could it be that there's a connection somewhere?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.