Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

Microsoft Patent Shows Ad Breaks During Loading Screens and After Boss Fights

techpowerup.com · 2hShare

Microsoft has filed a patent application for a system that would show ads in PC and console games during natural breaks, such as after a boss fight, at the end of a cutscene, or on a loading screen. Titled "Contextually Aware Management of Interactive Software Application Access" ( US 2026/0260258 A1 ), the filing describes an initial ad-free window, either time-based (30 minutes, say) or tied to progress, like finishing a level. As that window runs out, the game would signal a content management system once it reaches a suitable pause, and the ad would play. Watching it earns a "credit" that delays the next interruption. Some have pointed out that this patent describes something very similar to what free mobile games are doing. Of course, this is only a patent application. Companies file these all the time, and many never become products. The filing does not name a specific Xbox game, service, or rollout. Microsoft recently began testing free, ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming for Inside

First report: Microsoft patent describes in-game advertising triggered by boss fights, loading screens, and cutscenes — techspot.com, 1d