Microsoft to retire Massive in-game ads brand by year end

Microsoft has confirmed that it is to close Massive Inc, the in-game ads firm it bought for a rumoured $200-$400 million in 2006.

Following a report by Ad Week a few weeks ago, Microsoft has said it will redeploy Massive's technology into its first-party ads business

"This also means that Microsoft will wind-down Massive's third-party in-game ad business and sunset the Massive brand name at year-end," said advertising community manager Rik van der Kooi.

Xbox Live will now become the "singular Microsoft in-game and around game advertising platform for advertisers," added van der Kooi.

"We are very committed to helping our current Massive customers through this transition. We will retain a small staff of people to service existing clients whose campaigns run through year-end," he concluded.