According to reports on the Wall Street Journal and CNN Money, Google has begun negotiating the purchase of AdScape Inc., a move that would allow the internet behemoth to step into the realm of in-game advertising. Though neither party has outright confirmed that such a deal is in the works, it would not seem out of place less than a year after Microsoft purchased similar ad firm, Massive Inc., for between $200 million and $400 million. Online services like Xbox Live are efficient vehicles for advertisement delivery, with connectivity allowing dynamic in-game ads tailored to specific content and user interests. Indeed, Google's contextual AdSense program would be an ideal fit, though it would remain to be seen how unobtrusive or accurate the results are. We can't wait to see the ads that come up on the virtual billboards in Chocolate Breast Explosion III or Gazpacho Ninja.
