Since Xfire's recent acquisition by Viacom, making the cross-game instant messenger client part of the MTV family, many eyes have been on the program. With the added brand power and reach, both the client's integrated advertising and its future plans have new avenues of opportunity.According to this interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Xfire appeals to advertisers whose key demographics are increasingly turning away from TV and towards games. Xfire will be working with console platforms to presumably take a cross-platform approach to socially-driven IM -- if Xbox Live and Xfire manage to co-operate then the possibilities for the friend space open up immensely. It looks as if the company has its sights set on both the social networking space and the gaming space, ultimately with the aim to make gaming simple.
