Microsoft patents in-game advertising features

On September 3rd 2026 Microsoft filed an application for patent "US 2026/0260258", with the title "Contextually aware management of interactive software application access".

Patent

The patent hasn't been applied to any product yet, but it would use user's data to evaluate how or rather when to interrupt a gaming session with an ad. The data goes from "API-signals", to "user interacting with the interactive software application" (like a keyboard, mouse, microphone or camera input), to "an event detection model, system, or module that detects objects, animations, textures, images, characters, sounds, or inputs to or from the interactive software application" (mean screencapture including sound).

The other main point of the patent is about earning credits for watching an ad. And the value for a credit varies depending on type of game, time of the week and ad that was watched. Quoting from the patent:

"In a particular example, a single credit may provide 1 hour of usage of the interactive software application for a practice mode or a tutorial mode, while that same credit provides 30 minutes of single-player campaign mode in a video game or 20 minutes of online-multiplayer mode(s) in the same video game. In another example, one credit provides 1 hour of usage during a weekday afternoon, while the same credit provides 30 minutes of usage on a weekend evening."

Consumer response

Users have manifested ownership and privacy concerns when they investigated about the patent.

A user named CollapsingTheWave explained on Reddit how this patent would affect consumers:

• Players who have already paid for a game or a Game Pass subscription would have a declined gaming quality, experiencing advertisement interruptions that prevent them to continue playing, having a similar experience as seen on a high amount of free-to-play mobile games.
• The filing is a blueprint for a feature, and it might change how it works in the future, with the chance that it might apply to paid users as well.

The Youtube channel "Legendary Drops" made a 29 minute video about the patent and how Steam already made countermeasures to similar practices a year ago. According to him at minute 4:42: "What they describe is the most dystopian and perverse version of video games I think I have ever seen."

A screenshot from the first page of the patent. It´s further used as figure 10 inside the patent.

Opinion from the creator of this page: Considering the contents of the application it deserves attention even if the patent is only in an application state, as it would have the potential for far reaching consequences not only for video games but even software in general. ... Extreme example: Why not use this very concept to play an ad on the screen in your car when you are standing at a red light? The very first page of the patent already paints a picture of where the road might go with this.

See also

• Sony
• Advertising overload
• Ad creep