Sony is reportedly in the process of bringing ads to free-to-play PlayStation games, according to a report from Insider†The ads are said to appear in games and are intended to provide game developers with a way to monetize their work and encourage them to continue building free-to-play games.
The in-game ads are expected to appear by the end of the year and appear in inconspicuous places in the game, such as billboards†Players can also get rewards for watching ads, and the ads would be sold through a private marketplace, Insider reports. Sources told Insider Sony has not yet decided whether it would cost some of its ad revenue, but is considering charging developers and publishers for consumer data.
Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reports of Sony’s plans follow news last week that Microsoft was reportedly planning to do something similar with free-to-play Xbox games, also reported by Insider†Ads in free-to-play Xbox games are expected to roll out later this year, and Microsoft has no plans to cut revenue, sources said insider.
As noted in the Insider report, advertisers may need some persuasion to participate in the program. Ads running alongside mature or violent content can be a concern, and it can be difficult to track what users do after seeing an in-game ad. The possibility of ads annoying gamers is also a concern, according to Microsoft Insiderâ€