In today’s current state of service-focused business models and digital storefronts, advertisements become even more prevalent in this always-connected world online. For games especially, attracting new players remains a major focus through multiple avenues. Most recently, both Microsoft & Sony took advantage of the new Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada to poster titles like Forza Motorsport, Starfield, Cyberpunk 2077, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

However, the platform holders are also exploring to inject advertisements on its own systems as well. While it is no secret that both billboard new releases or sales respectively, more involved adverts are coming. Specifically on Xbox, this has become a norm with corresponding tiles for Xbox Game Pass titles in recent years. And PlayStation is expected to approach ads similar as well.

But, it appears Ubisoft is also experimenting with offering ads in its titles directly. While what has been mentioned before is exclusive to real life means or on the home page/dashboard for console, this new finding reveals that Ubisoft is advertising mid-game. From Reddit user u/triddell24, a pop-up for a discount on the newest Assassin’s Creed Mirage interrupted his game playing 2018’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

Ubisoft in a statement via X said the pop-up was an error on its end. “We have been made aware that some players encountered a pop-up message in-game while playing certain Assassin’s Creed titles yesterday. This was the result of a technical error that has now been fixed. Our intention was to display a promotion for Assassin’s Creed Mirage as part of the franchise news in the main menu of other Assassin’s Creed games. 

“Unfortunately, this technical error caused the promotion to appear in one of our in-game menus instead. We want to ensure the best player experience possible, and these disruptive pop-ups were promptly removed once we learned of the issue.” It should be noted that while this is new to many users and even pressed by Ubisoft directly, a community note does clarify that similar actions were in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey years before this recent discovery.

What are your thoughts on this new story regarding Ubisoft?

Source: Reddit