Ads in games or any form of media are a touchy subject. Some detest it while some won’t mind, but whatever the case, it seems more and more likely to be an inevitability because companies like Sony and Microsoft are reportedly planning to integrate some form of ads into free-to-play games.

According to a report by Business Insider, Sony has started building a “program” as far back as 18 months ago that will let advertisers buy ads in certain games and is something that’s expected to launch by the end of 2022. Three people familiar with the plans have said that the “idea is to encourage developers to keep building free-to-play games, which have soared in the pandemic, by giving them a way to monetize them.”

In case you’re thinking of how intrusive they’re going to be, the report further clarifies that these ads will appear “like they’re part of the game, like digital billboards in sports stadiums.” Additionally, other forms could include watching ads in exchange for in-game items, similar to mobile games.

These sources point out that Sony is still unsure whether they will take a cut from the revenue, while one source says that Sony may charge devs and publishers for consumer activity data.

Related – Sony invests $1 Billion into Epic Games

Microsoft seems to be in the same boat, as reports have pointed out that the company is “taking a cautious approach to the idea and is planning to create a private marketplace where only select brands would be able to buy ad space and display ads in ways that don’t disrupt gameplay.”

Are you ok with the idea of ads in free-to-play games or do you want games to stay ad-free?