Microsoft has filed a patent application for an advertising system designed to temporarily pause a game and play a video ad at moments the software considers appropriate. The proposal could apply across gaming hardware and services, including:
- PCs
- Consoles
- Smartphones
- Smart TVs
- VR headsets
- Cloud gaming services
According to the filing, the system could identify natural breaks in play, such as the end of a level, the conclusion of a boss fight, a loading screen or a visit to an in-game menu. Player input would be suspended while the advertisement runs, then gameplay would resume from the same point.
The proposed system also includes a credit mechanism. Watching an ad could give a player a defined period during which the game would not be interrupted again; once that period expires, the software could show another ad at the next eligible break.
The approach resembles advertising models common in free-to-play mobile games, but the filing describes a broader range of platforms. It could potentially be used to support free games, lower-cost subscriptions or cloud-gaming access. A patent application does not confirm a product plan, however, and Microsoft has not announced whether or when such a system would be deployed for PC, Xbox or cloud gaming.
