Gamers using Microsoft’s Xbox Live service are up in arms this morning, after the console giant started running adverts across their screens. There’s a row brewing over the Big M’s actions, not least because its Xbox Live Gold service is already paid for by subscriptions from gamers.
There have always been adverts within Xbox Live, but until recently they were static images, or banners with very subtle animation. Now Microsoft has added ads with full video and sound.
The ads are created using Microsoft Silverlight, the company’s direct competitor to Adobe Flash, and already have gamers in a tizzy.
Breaking the story, games site Kotaku spoke to Josh Lovison, of digital media experts Emerging Media Lab. Lovison said the ads had been designed to “fit with the rest of the interface” but that hasn’t stopped Xbox owners fuming with rage.
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“I got on the other day to play Dead Rising,” said one gamer in a comment to Kotaku. “Saw this, turned it off and went to play Infamous.”
Infamous is, of course, a PlayStation 3 exclusive. “Good job, Microsoft. You made me want to NOT slay zombies” summed up the gamer, PapaBear434.
Other gamers have called Microsoft’s move a “money grab idea” and “ignorant” while many are asking why exactly they continue to pay for Xbox Live if there are also ads on the service.
To be fair, Microsoft has its fair share of defendants amongst the gaming community too, but it’s a row that doesn’t seem like going away any time soon. What do you think? Let us know in the Forum.
