The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google, which is already expanding its advertising arm to include print and radio, may also be looking at finalizing a deal to acquire San Francisco-based Adscape Media this month. If they do acquire the fledgling in-game advertising company, Google, which is expected to have about $10 billion (with a “bâ€) in revenue for 2006 primarily from their online ad sales, will wield a hugely important cross-media advertising business.
This might mean that Google will again come into competition with Microsoft, which acquired in-game advertising company Massive for about $200 million last year. Both Massive and Adscape specialize in placing dynamic advertisements within video games.
It’s a neat little idea, though, that, using the same account I use to purchase ad space in a search engine, I could also place advertisements within a video game, on radio, in print or (potentially) even on television. More on this as it develops…
