Microsoft’s Massive in-game ad business takes hits among 3,000 overall layoffs

Microsoft’s Massive in-game ad business takes hits among 3,000 overall layoffs

[updated with new Microsoft comment] Microsoft announced a new round of layoffs today as it struggles to right itself after reporting tepid results last month. We’ve learned that Massive, the company’s in-game advertising business, suffered 28 percent like 75 percent layoffs.

Microsoft declined to comment yesterday… Continue Reading

GamesBeat 09: More great speakers lined up

GamesBeat 09: More great speakers lined up

As the March 24 GamesBeat 2009 games conference draws near, we’re unveiling a new list of speakers. We’re proud to say that some of the biggest names in the gaming world are joining us for the program. Tickets are still available.

Chris Taylor (right), founder of Gas… Continue Reading

NeoEdge Networks launches NeoMOM to measure product tastes

NeoEdge Networks launches NeoMOM to measure product tastes

Among the major brand advertisers, relatively few grocery product advertisers have moved online to target female audiences. One reason is that there hasn’t been good data collected that tracks the tastes of women online.

That’s why NeoEdge Networks, which operates an ad network for in-game advertising… Continue Reading

NeoEdge Networks introduces way to splice ads into the middle of the action

NeoEdge Networks introduces way to splice ads into the middle of the action

Most casual game ads are predictable. They run a 30-second video in between levels in a game, or roll the video after you’ve finished. But NeoEdge Networks has introduced a way to make those the placement of ads much more flexible — and possibly quite… Continue Reading

Google launches in-game advertising for Flash web games

Google launches in-game advertising for Flash web games

After months of testing, Google is publicly launching the beta version of its AdSense for Games software. The product represents the company’s first push into a fast-growing new market — the ability to insert ads into games, either as they are being played or just… Continue Reading

Google testing “AdSense for Games” in bid to shake up in-game advertising

Google testing “AdSense for Games” in bid to shake up in-game advertising

Google is the sleeping giant when it comes to advertising in video games. While the company dominates search advertising, it has yet to make a big splash in video games. That could change soon, as the company has been quietly testing its “AdSense for Games”… Continue Reading

Yahoo Games shifts to free games in alliance with two game ad start-ups

Yahoo Games shifts to free games in alliance with two game ad start-ups

Yahoo Games is the giant of online game portals with 18 million unique visitors a month. But the company is shaking things up as it announces today that it is shifting to a new business model based on free ad-supported games for many of its… Continue Reading

Mochi Media raises $10 million for Flash-based game ad and analytics platform

Mochi Media raises $10 million for Flash-based game ad and analytics platform

Mochi Media is making a name for itself, and it’s not just because of the Puzzle Farter game alone. That’s a cute game that appears in a lot of places on the web and Mochi Media makes sure that the game’s creators get paid when… Continue Reading

NeoEdge Networks launches casual game channel widgets

NeoEdge Networks launches casual game channel widgets

Major portal web sites get a lot of traffic, but sometimes the visitors don’t stay for long. Video games, on the other hand, are extremely sticky. NeoEdge Networks, a start-up whose chairman is Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, is making it easy to put the two… Continue Reading