Microsoft has patented an “ad credit” system to display advertisements and advertisements during PC and Xbox gaming sessions without interrupting gameplay. The patent, titled ‘Contextual Access Management of Interactive Software Applications’, was filed earlier this month (as spotted by Respawn First). The system is said to identify natural pauses, such as loading screens, menus, or the end of missions and rounds, before pausing the game to display an ad. During the announcement, gameplay and controls would be temporarily suspended to ensure players do not lose their progress. After viewing the content, players would receive a “credit” toward a period of ad-free play, ranging from 15 minutes to an hour or more. The patent also states that uninterrupted play time can be “defined at least partially by in-game progression or events, such as five rounds of play, completing a level, completing three online multiplayer matches, defeating an NPC, or completing a project or task.” In 2022, reports emerged that Xbox was considering in-game ads for free-to-play titles on its cloud streaming platform. Microsoft began testing ad-supported game streaming on Xbox in July. Xbox Insider Program participants can opt for free one-hour game streaming sessions supported by ads that appear before each session. The core gameplay remains unchanged. Earlier this month, Xbox announced monthly cloud gaming limits for Game Pass subscribers in November 2026. Game Pass Essential will be limited to five hours, Premium to ten hours, and Ultimate to fifteen hours per month. Subscribers will be able to purchase additional cloud playtime through the Xbox Store once these limits are reached. Xbox said it made the decision because “the cost of offering cloud gaming grows as more people use it and play for longer.” This week, Xbox announced additional layoffs as part of its ongoing restructuring. A total of 268 positions were affected at Halo Studios, other first-party developers, and Xbox Game Studios. British studio Rare and Age of Empires developer World’s Edge have been transferred to Activision, which will also manage the Halo franchise. Obsidian moved to Bethesda, while Playground Games and Turn 10 merged into a single studio.
