Like Microsoft for Xbox, Sony is reportedly preparing an in-game advertising service for PlayStation.
Jim Ryan, the head of Sony Interactive Entertainment // Source: Sony – Lenny Gonzalez
Less than a week ago, we learned from Business Insider columns that Microsoft is working on allowing developers to integrate advertising into their games. This plan is currently aimed at free-to-play game developers and aims to provide an additional source of funding that is easy to set up.
The same media are now telling us that Sony is also working on a similar system for the PlayStation.
Advertising in video games
Business Insider
was able to interview three people involved in Sony’s strategy. The company would be looking for the right technology to help developers integrate advertising into video games.
We’re talking about advertising as found on the web in the form of banners. For example, imagine a billboard in a racing game that displays different ads depending on the player. Another easy-to-imagine example is billboards around the playing field at a sports game.
The goal is to encourage developers to create free-to-play games and help them monetize them through new funding schemes. With a free service, advertising is often the preferred form of funding.
A cell phone-like reward system
Sony also sees advantages for gamers in other advertising formats. If you’ve ever played free-to-play on mobile, you know where Builder wants to go.
The idea would be to offer players video advertisements that would be rewarded for watching. Example: Watch this ad for 20 seconds to get an extra life.
The service is expected to start before the end of 2022. We know that Sony is very interested in gaming services, as the company aims to launch ten in 4 years, and the free-to-play economic model often lends itself to service gaming.
At Sony, the project would now ask two questions. The first, direct monetization for Sony. The company is reluctant to take a commission for ads displayed in video games or not, at the risk of an outcry. Another avenue envisaged is to make this system a paid service for publishers and developers, in particular by marketing access to data and activities of PlayStation players.
Here we touch on the second question Sony faces: that of technical partner for advertising integration. According to Business Insider, the company would be very careful in choosing its partner to maintain control over user data. Allowing the affiliate to create a database of players’ personal information such as their name or email address is out of the question.
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