290°

Microsoft is experimenting with ad views for access to hundreds of Xbox games

Free games? In THIS economy? Well, in exchange for your eyeballs at least. (Figuratively, not literally... although don't give them ideas.)

What you need to know

• Microsoft Gaming CFO Tim Stuart recently described how in the future, you may be able to view ads to gain access to Xbox Game Pass.

•Recent Xbox Series X|S code strings we've seen seem to corroborate this, with the ability to earn 15 minute blocks of Xbox Game Pass access in exchange for watching ads.

•Game Pass across PC, Xbox, and Cloud features hundreds of games in exchange for a low monthly fee.

Read Full Story >>
windowscentral.com
darthv72137d ago

Hmm..... I used to earn GP by way of searching with Bing but I hear the rewards program is being revamped. I still earn points but it seems they did change the amount you get per search. I dont know how i feel about this. It sounds like they are going the Youtube route where right in the middle of something you are enjoying, an ad pops up and you have to sit through it (if it does not have a skip option after 5 seconds).

I pay for my GP access, so this wouldnt really bother me but I can see it affecting plenty of others. It reminds me of the rumor about how some game companies (EA, Ubisoft) were toying with the idea of running ads before you ever get into the game. Like the old days of renting movies from Blockbuster and not being able to skip the previews (yes, some DVD had a non skip option for previews). I pay for stuff so i wouldnt have to deal with ads, but even now they are encroaching the very things i pay a premium for.

This whole thing is just..... a bad idea.

purple101137d ago

I remember those dvds with non-skippable adds! Wow that takes me back.

Plague-Doctor27137d ago

@babadivad

Yup. You'd have to pop in the DVD before going to the bathroom, grabbing a snack, etc

137d ago
shinoff2183137d ago

Such a shame cause even if you don't think this is a big deal what's next they put ads on ultimate gamepass and the free one gets more. This is disgusting. Yes even if Sony goes this route I'll feel the same. We got enough ads in this world ffs

purple101137d ago

Some recent studies show the average person sees 4000 adverts a day

ChasterMies137d ago

The average person should start using ad blockers.

ChasterMies137d ago (Edited 137d ago )

“even if Sony goes this route I'll feel the same”

This isn’t a “both sides” issue. Sony has never had ads on the PlayStation Home Screen but Microsoft has laden Xbox’s Home Screen with ads since the Xbox 360. Microsoft has put ads on Windows 11 OS! Microsoft is basically the bad guy from “Ready Player One”.

shinoff2183137d ago

I know that hence the key word If. Sonys never given an indication of this where as ms definitely has.

Christopher136d ago

I mean, it's not never, but it's not like Xbox. Sony has promoted things with icons on the XMB, it's just really rare.

EvertonFC137d ago

They could do GP free with ads, GP £20 per month without ads, which one would the casual/hardcore choose ?

Christopher136d ago

"Hi, we've received your comment submission. Please watch this 30s ad to finalize and publish your comment to N4G.com. Thank you."

We're just having our eyelids forced open more and more every day it feels like.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 136d ago
ApocalypseShadow137d ago

You don't say?/S

You mean the company that puts ads on the dashboard, tried to force a camera on Xbox One to push ads is experimenting with ads for game pass access? No. You must be joshing. Lol

Wouldn't put it past them.

crazyCoconuts137d ago

Getting people locked into subs and advertising to them is what passes as innovation at Microsoft.
At least they're keeping Sony on their toes with the threat of competition

Show all comments (58)
90°

The Epic Games Store Has Two More Freebies this Week

It's time to add two more games to your library for free from the Epic Games Store.

Read Full Story >>
terminalgamer.com
70°

F1 24 Career Mode Finally Lets You Play as a Current Superstar

Codemasters has unveiled a series of massive changes to the Career Mode in F1 24. Players will finally be able to play as a current superstar.

Read Full Story >>
wccftech.com
290°

Microsoft’s Surface and Xbox hardware revenues take a big hit in Q3

Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $61.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 17 percent, and net income has increased by 20 percent.

Read Full Story >>
theverge.com
darthv721d 20h ago

Xbox content + services up 62% while hardware down 31%... seems about right with the way they tout you don't need the hardware to play. People can play on their phones or smart tv or other means. I don't hardly play on my consoles directly since getting devices like the logitech g-cloud and ps portal. Which is to also say I have been playing more digital than physical because of these devices.

solideagle1d 7h ago

you should apply in MS PR team buddy, I think you will do a great job in my humble opinion :)

Sonic18811d 4h ago

I thought darthv72 and Obscure_Observer already work for Microsoft 🤔

dveio1d 4h ago

MS: "Xbox services and content without AB up 1%, with AB up 62%. Hardware down 31%. In total a loss of 350 mill."

darthv72: "Seems about right."

MS: "Excuse m ..."

darthv72: "I don't hardly play on my consoles directly."

MS:

Lightning7723h ago

What he said was facts. How he plays games is no concern of you. Don't get too mad about it.

Cacabunga1d 6h ago

I can tell people like you are an absolute minority..

If service is up means their fans and fanboys accepted this model and subscribed to it. The near future you will see a big decline because the service is saturated.

darthv7217h ago

to you it may seem like the minority... but your bubble is shrinking because more and more are following suit. convenience is a hell of a drug and its also why physical sales only amount to 30% of overall game sales. times are changing, you either get with them or you get left behind.

neutralgamer199212h ago

Darth

30% physical sales: yet Phil and xbox division are in a rush go give up on that 30%. they don't have any right to give up any piece of the pie since the control such a little of the pie to begin with

also, the market is clearly speaking that the model Xbox is pushing isn't working right now the keyword being right now. you are right about freedom to play anywhere so i hope they put their games on steam

shinoff21831d 6h ago

But that's been ms for years. When things aren't going their way they try to change the way things are said. For instance console sales are down, they stop telling how many sold instead telling us how many hours spent in halo or headshots. So it makes sense console sales down just say people are playing on more devices then previous. What they won't say is how many xbox players jumped ship to ps5.

Cacabunga1d 4h ago

Hardware sales are so bad that Sony and Nintendo are blowing the sales off the water with their hardware.

If Xbox are losers, others aren’t..
Xbox already tried everything with Xbox live then subscriptions went down so much that they had to find something else. Their fans subscribed then reached saturation rather quickly.

Hardware and exclusive games is where it’s at! Keep gamers excited, announce decent software and people will support you

itsmebryan1d ago

@shin
Well keep it simple Sony 's operating income is down 26% and Microsoft's is up 32%. No MS spin there, just facts. 😉
Cheers

S2Killinit17h ago

MS is after diminishing consoles as a medium. They want to destroy this market because they couldnt win. MS’s vision is to dissolve console gaming.

romulus2323h ago

Odd that a company that touts you dont need the hardware to play is already touting another console in the works.

darthv7223h ago

They are not reliant on the HW but still want to maintain a presence (no matter how small) is a good thing. It shows commitment to the craft. It reminds me of SNK and how they made games for their own hardware (Neo Geo) while also making them for others because they knew there was a market to do so. They knew they would sell more to others but also sell to their own niche fan base.

TheEroica17h ago(Edited 17h ago)

Perfectly reasonable post down voted by insecure corporation friendly folk.... But not gamers. Real gamer want accessibility and ease of acquisition for all.... Company shills are the only ones still telling us that hardware locking people from games is good for us.

Chevalier12h ago

@Darth

You should stop parroting metrics like an idiot without context.

"Xbox content and services revenue grew 62% in Q3 from a year earlier, “driven by 61 points of net impact” from the purchase of the third-party video game giant, Microsoft said."

61 of the 62% was from their merger so net increase is ONLY 1%

https://www.mesaonline.org/...

itsmebryan3h ago

@chevalier

It looks like made a great purchase. Much better then Sony buying Bungie. 😉
Cheers

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3h ago
purple1011d 9h ago

Xbox hardware revenue tanks to lowest point of Xbox Series generation

Profchaos1d 9h ago

I'm not surprised surface is struggling they aren't relevant anymore

DOMination-22h ago

In the last two years they've started exiting the consumer market altogether. All of the newest Surface products are business models only. They can't seem to work out what they want to do with it.

XBManiac1d 8h ago

Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.

SimpleDad1d 8h ago (Edited 1d 8h ago )

"Despite some early successes for Xbox games on rival platforms, Xbox hardware is down by a massive 31 percent this quarter."
"Without Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s overall gaming revenue would have actually declined this quarter."
"Xbox content and services would have only been up a single percent without Activision Blizzard..."
"It looks like next quarter is going to be a similar story for gaming at Microsoft, too."

That is crazy... so A/B/K is carrying the whole Xbox gaming.
Oh and Microsoft will be fine. Windows, Office and Cloud are growing with each pc purchase.

purple1011d 7h ago

Activision: "we gonna need a bigger rucksack/backpack please"

Microsoft: "why's that"

Activision: "to carry yo' weak ass'

Profchaos1d 7h ago (Edited 1d 7h ago )

Top brass have also wanted to start seeing returns on the 100 billion they have put into various Xbox related moves so seeing more multiplatform games is highly likely especially from abk

It's basically saying that PlayStation is the reason Xbox is afloat right now thinks to Ps5 versions of COD

Kornholic1d 6h ago

So basically PS and PC gamers' money is keeping Xbox on life support.

MrDead23h ago

The only growth MS will get out of the console industry is if it supports it's rivals platforms. Xbox is a pointless machine now. I can see them on a big push for live next, and they won't give up on trying to buy Steam.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 23h ago
Show all comments (46)