PlayStation games could feature in-game ads later this year, and some of them may reward players for watching commercials

It appears that Microsoft is not the only video game giant considering bringing in-game ads to free-to-play titles. A new report claims Sony, the maker of PlayStation, is also planning to introduce an ad program that would help developers find more ways to monetize free-to-play titles.

Just a few days ago, Business Insider reported that Microsoft is working on launching an ad program that would primarily cater to developers of free-to-play games on Xbox. Now, the same publication reports that Sony had also been planning a similar move and that the PlayStation maker has been discussing it for the last 18 months.

There are similarities to the reported approaches of Microsoft and Sony in implementing in-game ads. For one, both companies want these ads to appear as if they were actually part of the game. That means developers of sports games might add virtual billboards where real advertisements can be displayed. The same approach could also be used for racing games.

Both reports mentioned that Microsoft and Sony had already been working with adtech companies in experimenting with how the in-game ads program would be applied. The companies are also expected to establish a private marketplace, which could mean that only a select pool of advertisers or brands can place commercials within games on PlayStation and Xbox systems.

One key difference in the reported plans, though, is that some PlayStation in-game ads might come with rewards should players decide not to skip them. This has been a very common approach in mobile games, where players can receive small amounts of game currencies if they play advertisements that usually run for 30 seconds or longer.

While Insider’s sources seemed certain that Microsoft is not looking to take a revenue cut from the in-game ads, the publication said Sony has yet to decide on the matter. One source of the publication said Sony is “considering” if it will charge game developers and publishers “for data on consumer activity on the PlayStation.”

The earlier report noted that Microsoft is not warming up to the idea of letting advertisers gather Xbox user data for personalized ads. Meanwhile, Sony is also reportedly “bring strict” in choosing adtech companies it will work with for this program and that collection of personal information like email addresses and gamers’ names is out of the question.

Microsoft and Sony have yet to confirm these plans. But the reports suggest that in-game ads on Xbox could go live in the third quarter of the year, while PlayStation ads could arrive in late 2022.

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