Apparently Microsoft Missed the Memo

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**LordofHats**

Microsoft is planning to launch interactive ads on its Xbox 360 streaming services that will rival television networks. The software giant has signed on Toyota, Unilever and Samsung Mobile to offer its new “NUads,” The Los Angeles Times reported. The advertisements will debut this fall and will be found on Microsoft’s Xbox video apps, including those offered by ESPN, TMZ, NBC News and UFC. The first iteration of NUads will let users vote in response to different questions. For instance, Toyota will ask users what other devices they would like to see “reinvented” the way the company has “reinvented” some of its auto models. Users will be able to respond through the Xbox controller or voice and hand gestures with the Kinect. Toyota will then have access to the data and demographic information. Microsoft’s general manager of entertainment and advertising for the Xbox Live online service, Ross Honey, said the company plans to charge a “premium” compared with typical commercial rates. “There have been interactive ads on the Web before, but the beauty of it is that we’re bringing that to the TV,” he said. “It’s a substantially more valuable ad product.”

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=ArHDOZEtVzAtRB7Gd8.FbdWbvZx4?p=Microsoft+xbox+ads+&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701

The ads will be unskippable, cannot be answered with "do not wish to respond", and will appear when games start up or you begin a video on netflix. The Youtube video talking about the feature has been up less than a day and already has its comments disable. Apparently, Microsoft missed the memo. No one likes ads. Paying $60 for XBL suddenly seems less worthwhile.

**Lynata**

LordofHats wrote:Paying $250 for an xbox suddenly seems less worthwhile.

There, all fixed.

Although I wonder if crafty people might not also come up with some sort of "hack" for the console, similar to how you can block ads on the PC. It's certainly somewhat more difficult, but should still be doable, no?

**LordofHats**

Microsoft actively searches for modded 360 hardware/software and then they perma ban you, so its not really advisable

Really this is just a case where I look at corporate executives and ask "You guys are trying to make money, right?" Granted, I doubt they'll lose that much business. Most people are more tolerant of this sort of thing than I

**Lynata**

Hoo boy.

I've swallowed Steam and Origin. I've swallowed post-launch DLCs and microtransactions. But this is something where I'd personally draw a line. Good thing these next-gen consoles never really convinced me in the first place (even though I acknowledge their value as a perfect party toy).

**MrDwhitey**

Awesome, I love Microsoft!

Time to buy a years sub on Xbox live!

**johnscott10**

Lynata wrote:
LordofHats wrote:Paying $250 for an xbox suddenly seems less worthwhile.
There, all fixed.

Buying an xbox is still worthwhile(unless your one of the countless PS3 fanboys) Not directly aimed at Lynata btw. But more a case of is connecting it to the internet.

As mentioned in the thread when Sony patented this kind of "technology", there will most likely be a buyout option, most likely a slightly more expensive gold account.

Could be they are trying this to get back at the silver members as they, myself included, use the features of it for free. Granted we don't get much to begin with but still. As long as it doesnt interfere with day to day gaming then bring it on. If so then ill happily remove the Ethernet cable from the xbox and only connect it when required. Problem solved.

**LordofHats**

johnscott10 wrote:As mentioned in the thread when Sony patented this kind of "technology", there will most likely be a buyout option, most likely a slightly more expensive gold account.

This is no where near as bad as what Sony wanted in their patent. This is more of a minor annoyance that gets more irritating over time because, hell like I said. What person in their right mind likes ads interrupting their entertainment? More importantly, who is going to buy a Toyota because of an XBox ad? Smart phones and games I get. Cars and the like, not so much.

**Testify**

I actually feel like my entire life is being smothered in adverts. Maybe it's all these England flags with SPORTS DIRECT plastered on them. Maybe it's everything else.
Someone needs to be told that people are willing to pay for something, and then receive it. We don't need this bs.

**Lynata**

Testify wrote:I actually feel like my entire life is being smothered in adverts. Maybe it's all these England flags with SPORTS DIRECT plastered on them. Maybe it's everything else.
Someone needs to be told that people are willing to pay for something, and then receive it. We don't need this bs.

I'm actually somewhat confused by this development as well. Is the general populace truly this gullible/manipulable? Or do the companies do this solely because they receive millions upon millions in taxpayer money in promotional subventions (at least in Germany) making their ads cost next to no actual investment from the company itself?

(and this is supposed to be free enterprise, ha!

)

... or are we all victims of subliminal messaging?

**johnscott10**

LordofHats wrote:
johnscott10 wrote:As mentioned in the thread when Sony patented this kind of "technology", there will most likely be a buyout option, most likely a slightly more expensive gold account.

This is no where near as bad as what Sony wanted in their patent. This is more of a minor annoyance that gets more irritating over time because, hell like I said.

Yea I understand that its gonna be an annoyance.

What person in their right mind likes ads interrupting their entertainment?

All I can say to this is, If they do then they need to be mentally examined. Nobody should.

More importantly, who is going to buy a Toyota because of an XBox ad?

It would surprise you, its the same scenario as a TV ad although with the Xbox ad you have to answer questions where as on the TV you dont.

**Perkustin**

Just as well i dont watch videos on my xbox.

Its not really surprising or particularly intrusive, it's not like you have an unskippable advert in the middle of a game. I dont use the video on demand side of xbox live because my internet connection cant sustain it's bandwidth hogging. I still think i get decent utility from my dodgy cut-price live subscription.

**MrDwhitey**

Perkustin wrote:Just as well i dont watch videos on my xbox.

Its not really surprising or particularly intrusive, it's not like you have an unskippable advert in the middle of a game. I dont use the video on demand side of xbox live because my internet connection cant sustain it's bandwidth hogging. I still think i get decent utility from my dodgy cut-price live subscription.

Point, wasn't the unskippable advert midgame a feature of the sony patented one?

That's just insanity.

**Perkustin**

Wait, someone thought that would work?

Not even Free to Play(pay to win) has stooped that low.

**Melissia**

Well, my policy of only having one microsoft gaming computer (my PC) in the house is paying off ti seems.

**Absolutionis**

Microsoft had the advantage this generation because it came out with the 360 early and carried with it the droves of former Halo players that just recently discovered that multiplayer FPSs existed.

I wonder if this betrayal of trust will hurt Microsoft in the long run. I guess even the RROD controversy didn't hurt them much.

Somewhere in the world, Gabe Newell is shrugging in his Scrooge McDuck-sized pool of money.

**Pacific**

Wow, this is appalling. I can only hope this goes the way of that supposed traffic-monitoring scheme in the UK, where they were planning to monitor your speed by GPS - the moment you strayed above the limit, a week later a fine would come through in the post.

Although to be honest, will it even work? People will just click on whichever option to get through it as quickly as possible, and the data will be meaningless.

Microsoft has already destroyed my opinion of them by having produced the worst-made console of all time, which decided to discharge an acid-filled vial inside my machine just outside of warranty. So to be honest this kind of behaviour doesn't surprise me.

Really, in such circumstances the only thing you can do is vote with your wallet - anyone who produces a machine which doesn't have this kind of BS will be that much more popular because of it.

**LordofHats**

Its called a PC, but publishers don't like PC gamers anymore cause we're all pirates (apparently).

**SagesStone**

MrDwhitey wrote:
Perkustin wrote:Just as well i dont watch videos on my xbox.

Its not really surprising or particularly intrusive, it's not like you have an unskippable advert in the middle of a game. I dont use the video on demand side of xbox live because my internet connection cant sustain it's bandwidth hogging. I still think i get decent utility from my dodgy cut-price live subscription.

Point, wasn't the unskippable advert midgame a feature of the sony patented one?

That's just insanity.

They grabbed the patent, did no implementation nor hints of it. Guess they did it in time if it means this will send royalties their way.

**Tibbsy**

Adverts make me rage

I fething hate adverts.

**SilverMK2**

Will not be impressed at all if this comes to pass. There are already more than enough ads on the xbox interface - I pay for gold so that I can play online, not take part in unskippable 'surveys' or adverts.

Not sure I would stop buying gold as I have a lot invested in games, but I would certainly not get the next xbox if it had the same tech.

Also would not be willing to pay more to get rid of it. I already pay enough thanks.

**Perkustin**

SilverMK2I wrote: i pay for gold so that I can play online

Then you won't be affected

Its only for Netflix ('Video-apps') and whatnot.

**SilverMK2**

Perkustin wrote:
SilverMK2I wrote: i pay for gold so that I can play online

Then you won't be affected

Its only for Netflix ('Video-apps') and whatnot.

And if I paid for those services I would be pissed too

Hell, if I was downloading a vid from live for a game I liked the look of and I got an advert for something else before the trailer I would be annoyed

**Lynata**

SilverMK2 wrote:And if I paid for those services I would be pissed too

I imagine Netflix might be pissed, too, assuming Microsoft doesn't pay them for abusing their service to plant ads that only MS will receive money for. Basically, they have Netflix paying Microsoft, so that Netflix can bring in people that MS can bombard with ads.

Clever.

LordofHats wrote:Its called a PC, but publishers don't like PC gamers anymore cause we're all pirates (apparently).

**Perkustin**

If they offer a handful of MS points per survey like they sometimes do i'd happily 'farm' them for a bit.

**KamikazeCanuck**

This is so stupid I'm having a hard time believing its true.

**Goliath**

LordofHats wrote:
johnscott10 wrote:As mentioned in the thread when Sony patented this kind of "technology", there will most likely be a buyout option, most likely a slightly more expensive gold account.

This is no where near as bad as what Sony wanted in their patent. This is more of a minor annoyance that gets more irritating over time because, hell like I said. What person in their right mind likes ads interrupting their entertainment? More importantly, who is going to buy a Toyota because of an XBox ad? Smart phones and games I get. Cars and the like, not so much.

In what way is what Sony wanted worse?
And are you arguing that because sony's patent was worse, the Xbox is better? Because that's a really really stupid thing to try and argue.

**RatBot**

If I'm not mistaken, Sony's was worse because it would play the ads in the middle of the game, not just when you started, or quit, or between levels.

And technically speaking, this would mean that the XBox one IS better, in the sense that, perhaps, getting stabbed in the leg is better than getting a shotgun blast to the head.

**LordofHats**

Goliath wrote:In what way is what Sony wanted worse?

The Sony one would interrupt you in the MIDDLE of your game and force you to watch an ad. The XBL system is not quite that annoying.

And are you arguing that because sony's patent was worse, the Xbox is better? Because that's a really really stupid thing to try and argue.

Sony's is worse, and well duh, the XBL one is better, but stupid ideas can only be so good. Stupid is stupid no matter what the magnitude of the stupidity. Of course, Sony thus far seems to have no plans to actually implement their system.

**Goliath**

You know why it's a stupid thing to argue?
Because Microsoft has companies signed on, and has announced that they are going to do it. Sony has a patent for it.
At this point in time, of the two of them, microsoft's advert system is worse, because it's definitely going to be implemented, whereas Sony's may not be.

**LordofHats**

Sony wouldn't bother patenting it if they weren't interested. If we're talking about which one is more annoying, Sony wins. If we're talking about which one is about to happen, well obviously. These are somewhat separate issues. No need to enter a fanboi frenzy about it.