Google tests in-game ad platform

If you had any questions about in-game advertising being truly viable, a new offering being tested by Google will likely ease those fears. The search and advertising giant is test-launching an in-game advertising platform: AdSense for Games.

by Kristina Knight

According to reports\, Google is testing an ad platform that allows them to insert video ads into online games. Reportedly, an actual game character will introduce the ad, it will play, and then game play will resume.

So far Google has been remarkably quiet about in-game ads but then entry into the area would give serious competition to the companies already focused on in-game advertising. IGA Worldwide, Double Fusion and Microsoft Massive are three of the leading in-game advertising platforms.

According to a recent report from Yankee Group, in game advertising will reach more than $970 million by 2011. Research has shown that online gamers and console gamers are open to advertising within or just before their games for two reasons. First, because the ad usually takes the place of a playing fee and second because gamers see in-game ads as adding another dose of realism to their games.

So far, Google has not announced when or if their in-game ad platform will go live for all advertisers but the liklihood that it will be soon continues to grow with each day that the test phase continues.