Massive Expands with Blizzard, Activision Ad Deals

9
Microsoft's in-game ad firm Massive today announced it has signed separate deals with both publisher Activision and developer Blizzard.

The Blizzard end of the deal will encompass only the company's Battle.net and website advertisements.

"Massive understands and respects our stance against advertising that might detract from gameplay or offend our players," said Blizzard COO Paul Sams.

Under the terms of the Activision deal, Massive will provide its in-game ads to the publisher over several years, for up to 18 Xbox 360 and PC titles. Guitar Hero: World Tour, Quantum of Solace, and Tony Hawk were named as specific titles that Massive would be handling.

Massive and Activision have worked together in the past, with the ad firm running over 330 campaigns with more than 225 advertisers in titles such as Guitar Hero III and Tony Hawk's Proving Ground.

"By incorporating dynamic in-game advertising in our titles where it is appropriate, we can increase the realism of our games by presenting consumers with authentic environments in genuine settings, while also expanding a key growth opportunity for the company," said head of Activision business development Dave Anderson.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    December 3, 2008 12:33 PM

    Good to hear blizzard will be keeping these advertisements out their games. Adding it on to battle net isnt too bad of an idea, as long as it doesnt get too out of hand with something like the entire background of battlenet being an advertisement. Or ads with sound.

    • reply
      December 3, 2008 12:40 PM

      ads with sounds are the worst. hopefully this will also keep b.net free, as there was talk about charging for using its servers.

    • reply
      December 3, 2008 12:41 PM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      December 3, 2008 12:50 PM

      Battle.net has had advertising since launch I believe.

      • reply
        December 3, 2008 1:06 PM

        i believe originally it advertised battle.net on the top banner and then recently (last 8 years?) moved into other media propaganda

        • reply
          December 3, 2008 1:12 PM

          Yeah I remember ads for modems and mice all the time.

      • reply
        December 3, 2008 2:40 PM

        I remember there being adds for blizzard products, but not any other stuff, maybe i just wasnt paying attention.

Hello, Meet Lola