Google to Enter In-Game Ads Market?

According to a Wall Street Journal report published this weekend, Google may be looking to move into the world of in-game advertising by purchasing in-game ads firm Adscape Media. Having already claimed a reported 70% of the online search-based advertising market, Google is likely looking to expand to other ad-related fields. It has already made initial steps into print and radio advertising, and in-game advertising is frequently cited as a fast-growing market. It is unclear, however, how effective it has been, and it remains to be seen if it will ever become a business model that is as lucrative and apparently sustainable as the search-based market Google currently dominates. "We are always considering new ways to extend Google's advertising program to benefit our users, advertisers and publishers," said a Google representative speaking to the Wall Street Journal. For its part, Adscape indicated that it has been in talks with several potential partners. Google would be facing competition from, among others, existing major competitor Microsoft, which last year acquired in-game ads firm Massive, Inc.