Microsoft just filed a patent to fill loading time with ads, and it gets

Microsoft recently filed a patent that would give it ownership of technology that inserts mid-game ads, preventing players from continuing to play until the ad is complete. While this could be nothing but a possibility, it unfortunately aligns with the game companies’ quest to squeeze every dollar out of players.

The patent was filed on September 3 and would allow ads in both PC and Xbox console games. Ads would play during perceived downtime in a game and would automatically pause the game for players. In sports games, this could easily prevent players from going to the next period, quarter, or half without watching an ad.

Imagine playing EA FC with in-game hydration breaks. We all know those weren’t for ads in the World Cup… except, of course, they were, and they could be in EA FC. Madden 27 online players will cherish waiting for their opponent to finish the ad before the 4th quarter can begin. The possibilities, sadly, are endless.

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According to the patent, the system will recognize what it calls “trigger events” in a game. Those events would cause an ad to be shown. This could be the end of a boss battle, the end of a chapter, or the end of entrances in WWE 2K27 before a match begins. If you’re a WWE fan, you know TKO will be all over, getting as many ads into its game as it can.

The good news — if there is any — is that the technology appears to be able to recognize downtime in a game. You won’t have an ad show up on screen just as you’re dropping back to pass in Madden27, but you could easily be pausing for one after scoring a touchdown or completing a quarter. Additionally, the system includes what it calls “credits”. Credits allow players segments of ad-free time in games. When the credit balance is zero,

Xbox has been rumored to be prepping an ad-based tier of Xbox Game Pass. It’s not hard to imagine this technology being tied to that. If it’s only used for ad-supported tiers, it might be more palatable to the overall player base. However, if it’s accompanied by price hikes on ad-free tiers, Xbox should expect significant player pushback.