Activision signs 18-game ad deal with Massive
In-game ads firm also ties up exclusive deal for Blizzard's Battle.net
Activision has signed with Microsoft's Massive Inc for an in-game advertising deal for 18 of the publisher's titles including Guitar Hero: World Tour and James Bond: Quantum of Solace.
In addition, Massive has also secured an exclusive advertising deal for Blizzard's Battle.net online game service in the US, Europe, Canada, Australia and South Korea.
"Our decision to partner with Massive was based on several important factors, including their technical expertise, global sales presence, and willingness to work with us to ensure advertisements appear only in contexts and environments that make sense," said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment.
"This partnership does not include in-game advertising, as Massive understands and respects our stance against advertising that might detract from gameplay or offend our players," he added.
The deal with Activision is primarily focused is on in-game ads however, and covers Xbox 360 and PC titles, including Tony Hawk games, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and AMAX Racing.
"This long-term partnership allows us to continue to deliver dynamic in-game advertising to the immensely popular Xbox 360 platform as well as the PC," said Dave Anderson, head of business development at Activision Publishing.
"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."