Google gets into in-game advertising, but its all part of a bigger plan

Google agreed to purchase in-game advertising firm, Adscape for $23 million dollars on February 16th, 2006.

But the news doesn't end there, according to GigaGamez and Red Herring, there may be more to the story.

It turns out that Adscape held a patent that could really put a damper on Microsoft Xbox Live network.

To quote the abstract:

An interactive gaming system includes customer located equipment and a gaming service provider. The customer located equipment is connected to the gaming service provider through a broadband access network, and includes a gaming console. The gaming console stores gaming software, runs the gaming software and stores an ultra-thin. The ultra-thin client establishes a connection between the gaming console and the service provider, controls game events according to messages sent to and received from the gaming service provider, and provides an adaptive platform for a consistent gaming environment. Further, a method for providing an interactive gaming system service includes connecting customer located equipment and a gaming service provider through a broadband access network, establishing a connection between the gaming console and the service provider through the ultra-thin client, and controlling game events according to messages sent to and received from the gaming service provider.

That sounds like Xbox live to me. Might also have Nintendo squirming a little with the Wii.

Thank god this patent requires a gaming console. The web is wide open. That means we and Areae and others are safe... for now. Although someone needs to teach the US patent office what is truely innovative and revolutionary and what is just a natural progression of existing technology. But I've been saying that since the last dot com explosion. Why should this one be any different.