sony Sony patents method to interrupt your gaming with an ad

[Daedroth]

Sony has patented an application that interrupts game playing to display an advertisement.

The patent, spotted by a user on NeoGAF, was filed in July 2011 by Sony Computer Entertainment America. It's called "Advertisement Scheme for use with interactive content".

Here's how it works: interactive content is suspended, an advertisement is displayed, then interactive content is resumed. Sony's patent images go into better detail, and are below.

First, game playing gradually slows down. You then get a warning that the game is about to stop. You then get the ad. Sony's example is: "BEST BRAND SODA. You've got to try it!" You then get a warning that the game is about to resume. The game resumes. There's mention of rewinding the game after the ad has run its course, too.

This latest patent is actually a continuation of a patent filed back in 2006, which shows Sony is at least still interested in the tech. But, as with all these patents, it remains to be seen whether ads interrupting gameplay will ever come to fruition.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-05-25-sony-patents-method-to-interrupt-your-gaming-with-an-ad

That will be a whole new level of annoying if that was introduced into gaming!

[Detection]

Best way to kill the gaming industry.

Unless they are giving the ad supported games away for free, I can't see anyone buying them

[The Teej]

I wouldn't mind this if it was during loading times to be quite honest - as long as loading times weren't artificially extended or anything like that.

Although, only if it was during Multiplayer online games. Like, if I'm waiting for the next MP map to load up in, say, Killzone, I'm perfectly content if they do a 5-10 second promotion for Mountain Dew. However, if I'm on the final boss on Darksiders 2 and then during the loading screen to load the boss level I get an ad sprayed across my screen like "BUY THIS TOTALLY RADICAL SKATEBOARD BRO" I'm going to be ****ing ****ed, as it it totally kills the mood.

I'm going to be even more ****ed if I'm mid combat in God of War and all of a sudden it slows down and it comes up with an ad for Durex, as it totally disrupts the flow of my ass-kickery. I'd rage quit fully if I'm in the middle of a intricate platforming sequence (like, during a Mario game for example) and it comes up, as it'd throw me off completely and probably make me fail through no fault of my own.

[MightyJordan]

I wouldn't mind this if it was during loading times to be quite honest - as long as loading times weren't artificially extended or anything like that.

I think that has probably already been patented. I've seen it before on Fight Night Round 4 after one of the later patches.

Like Detection said, unless these ad-supported games get given away for free, this application could seriously damage the gaming industry. It'll probably be on the next-generation consoles, but if it appears in full-priced AAA titles and actually disrupts your gameplay (not just shows it to give you something to look at on the loading screens), then I'm definitely not buying one. I'm almost certain this will be the last generation of consoles I buy, anyway; I'll move over to PC gaming full-time.

I'm starting to remember an episode of "Black Mirror" now because of it. This one, in fact. I won't be surprised if the world "evolves" into a society flooded by ads that you can't get rid of unless you've got the money.