Microsoft Patents Ads for Gameplay Time, But Steam Says No

Microsoft recently filed a patent that introduces a unique way to handle advertising in video games. The system monitors your progress and serves ads only during natural breaks in the action. In return, players earn credits that provide blocks of completely uninterrupted gameplay time. The goal is to keep advertisements from ruining the flow of a match or story.

While this sounds like a clever compromise for free to play titles, it might never reach PC gamers. Valve recently updated its Steamworks policies in early 2025 to clearly prohibit this kind of monetization. Their rules are designed to protect the user experience and prevent games from requiring ad interaction to access core features.

It is an interesting clash of philosophies between two industry giants. Microsoft is exploring new ways to integrate marketing into the player experience, while Valve is doubling down on strict protections for their users. We will have to wait and see if Microsoft decides to adapt this system for other platforms or if it remains just a patent on paper.