GoKawiilMicrosoft files patent for context-aware in-game ads timed to natural pauses
Microsoft has submitted a patent application, US 2026/0260258 A1, outlining a system that inserts ads into PC and console games at points the game itself flags as natural breaks—like after a boss fight, at the end of a cutscene, or during a loading screen—rather than on a fixed timer. Players would first get an ad-free window, either time-based or tied to progress, and watching an ad afterward would earn a 'credit' extending uninterrupted play.