Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox are reportedly on the verge of adding in-game advertisements to their video games, according to a report by Business Insider,
In-game ads were popularized by mobile gaming a decade ago when they allowed games to be downloaded and played from Google Play and the Apple App Store for free.
The in-game ads serve as a revenue stream for developers, allowing them to generate income from their titles despite giving away the game for free.
"Three people who are involved in the plans said Sony is doing testing with ad tech partners to help game developers create in-game ads through a software developer program," Business Insider said.
Aside from in-game ads, free-to-play games also offer Battle Passes and in-game cosmetics that generate income for developers.
Some of the biggest and most played titles in the world today, in fact, are free-to-play including DOTA 2, Mobile Legends, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, and so on.
In-game ads are being targeted to launch by the end of the year, according to the Business Insider report, with the goal of attracting developers to create games for free while giving them a system where they could earn their money back.