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Developers for MSN Games to be given a small piece of the pie

Microsoft today unveiled plans to share a percentage of in-game advertising revenue from MSN Games with its casual game developers. Funds will accrue monthly, with developers sharing a percentage of the gross revenue received from the advertisements shown during online gameplay for their titles, including ads served during the loading screens at the start of a game or in between levels, as well as ads placed in or around the game window during gameplay.

Microsoft estimates that the developers of the five most popular titles on MSN Games participating in the Ad-Share Program are likely to share nearly $250,000 annually, based on current in-game advertising revenue rates.

“Casual game developers traditionally operate on a limited revenue model, typically receiving a set fee from downloadable titles or a small royalty associated with game subscriptions,” said Chris Early, studio manager for Microsoft Casual Games at Microsoft. “Now, by sharing in-game advertising revenue, we’re allowing a more diversified business model that gives our partners more resources to create new, innovative titles for the 13 million people we see every month on MSN Games.”

The newly launched program offers casual game developers advertising revenue incentives at two levels. The first level requires little to no change in the development and submission process and offers developers 10 percent of the total in-game advertising revenue generated by their titles. The second level offers developers an increased advertising revenue incentive of 20 percent and requires a few additions to the game development process, such as localization, ESRB ratings and the creation of a “deluxe” game experience that offers players at least 10 hours of free Web-based gameplay.

The additional criteria for the second tier aim to encourage the creation of better games that offer a longer gameplay experience. Longevity of visits and engrossing content are attractive factors to online advertisers looking for innovating new methods of reaching their target audiences.

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wow.
By Samus on 2/8/2007 8:43:51 PM , Rating: 2
In tradition south park fashion... "Nice!"




By DrDisconnect on 2/9/2007 11:06:31 AM , Rating: 2
I play my casual games on POGO myself but would be intereseted in knowing what the top 5 games on MSN.com are. Anyone have any idea?




Am I the only one...
By MarkHark on 2/9/2007 9:16:44 PM , Rating: 1
... to consider this an (unexpectedly) nice move from Microsoft?

I understand they are eyeing on the future increase on revenues, not just selflessly worried about giving their customers greater and better options. That's not the question, they are a profit-driven business, after all.

What gets my attention is that, for once, they chose to make money the right way, not the easy way.




Dell Starts Selling Sony Bravia HDTVs
By SunAngel on 2/9/07, Rating: -1
RE: Dell Starts Selling Sony Bravia HDTVs
By SunAngel on 2/9/2007 10:06:27 AM , Rating: 1
Sorry, posted to the wrong forum.


RE: Dell Starts Selling Sony Bravia HDTVs
By Spivonious on 2/9/2007 12:42:13 PM , Rating: 2
I'm always astonished when this happens. Do you not look at the site you're posting at?


RE: Dell Starts Selling Sony Bravia HDTVs
By FITCamaro on 2/9/2007 3:59:42 PM , Rating: 1
Well you know....lots of people type and manage to click on links with their eyes closed.....probably a Sony and/or Dell troll.


By Cincybeck on 2/10/2007 10:43:20 PM , Rating: 1
I would say Sony, considering his other "OOPS!" post on other news topics here at Dailytech also involve Sony.


RE: Dell Starts Selling Sony Bravia HDTVs
By semo on 2/10/2007 7:47:17 AM , Rating: 2
who do you report this nuisance to?

i think this member deserves to be suspended.


By Oobu on 2/14/2007 5:34:50 AM , Rating: 2
I would definitely have to agree.

"SunAngel has posted a total of 276 comments at DailyTech, the average comment rating was 0.53."

.53!


opposed
By Uncle C on 2/8/07, Rating: -1
RE: opposed
By Scorpion on 2/8/2007 9:16:09 PM , Rating: 1
I concur. But I always knew it was inevitable...


RE: opposed
By milomnderbnder21 on 2/8/2007 9:20:09 PM , Rating: 5
Errr, did you read the article or were you just talking about all the games that this doesn't happen to refer to?

This is about (generally) free games that you find and play at msn.com.....Not the games you buy at best buy or compUSA. Games that you play in your browser. You see an add when the game loads, and maybe a banner. I see nothing wrong with that.


RE: opposed
By Yawgm0th on 2/8/2007 9:47:13 PM , Rating: 2
This is for web-based games, which have always been ad-supported. Pay attention or don't post.


RE: opposed
By mezrah on 2/9/2007 8:21:10 AM , Rating: 2
I'm actually not opposed to in game advertising. I enjoy driving down the street and seeing a burger king, or an advertisement for Axe or something. I think it brings you into the game even more.


RE: opposed
By darkpaw on 2/9/2007 9:43:16 AM , Rating: 2
I have no problems with in game advertising under a few conditions. Obviously for web based games advertising is pretty much acceptable in all cases (with exception of condition 3 below) as you're not paying for the game itself. For commercial games, theres definately some stipulations that need to be met imo:

1) Ads need to be appropriate to the game being played. Billboard adds in a modern day battlefield type game? Fine. I don't want to start seeing Nike endorsements on my druid's giant bear ass in WoW though.

2) No ads in any game that either costs full price retail or has a monthly subscription fee to boot. If you're going to charge full price for a non subscription game, or any monthly fees don't even think about putting ads in my face as well. I already paid to play.

3) Limited ad monitoring. If the program tracks how long I am going to look at the billboard thats fine, but if it even thinks of digging through my web cache or anywhere else outside the game to try and target adds it's not going anywhere near my computer.


RE: opposed
By mezrah on 2/9/2007 10:01:55 AM , Rating: 3
Agreed...it has to be appropriate

...definitely no "Nike endorsements on my druid's giant bear ass"


RE: opposed
By OrSin on 2/9/2007 9:37:09 AM , Rating: 2
I really wish people would read and comprehend before posting. Than guys for getting in his ass before me so I look like the bad guy again. If its free ad when every you want. I see it this way. If its too many ads then people will just skip the whole site or game. BUt a ad in the start and between level is fine as long as they keep it free.

This will help the small guys alot. I many people that have have made decent short games. But no why to market them. NOw they can give them to msn ( yahoo iwll be next) and jsut whait for the ad money. Then their next game will be even better, since they got a little funding.


RE: opposed
By ted61 on 2/9/2007 10:11:14 AM , Rating: 2
I am all for it. I don't mind seeing adds in games that I play online for free. If the adds miss the target audience, that is on the advertisers and I don't think the advertisers want to throw money away.


"There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to brighten it everywhere." -- Isaac Asimov









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