Source: A Microsoft patent application reported on by Siliconera proposes a system that would compensate users for swapping out their avatars with corporate mascots, possibly with virtual food for their virtual pets.What we heard: With the next Xbox Live update set for August 11, Microsoft will...
Source: A Microsoft patent application reported on by Siliconera proposes a system that would compensate users for swapping out their avatars with corporate mascots, possibly with virtual food for their virtual pets.
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What we heard: With the next Xbox Live update set for August 11, Microsoft will begin monetizing its system-wide avatars by selling virtual clothes and accessories for actual money. The company is looking into more ways to pull money from Xbox 360 players' counterparts, as its patent application reveals.
Filed in December of 2007, the application seeks to patent a scheme that would see Microsoft split advertising revenue with users two different ways. In one example, players could swap out their existing avatar with an advertiser-specific avatar and then proselytize the brand to other users. Such a move would mimic the real-world practice of "influencer advertising," where popular people are paid by companies to promote brands by pretending they actually like them.
In a potentially Orwellian turn, those interactions would be monitored for content and effectiveness, and the pitchman would be paid accordingly with goods or currency, actual or virtual. One of the proposed implementations of this would impact avatars' virtual pets in a style reminiscent of National Lampoon's timeless "If you don't buy this magazine, we'll kill this dog" cover.
"For example example [sic], the compensation may include virtual food to keep a virtual pet, such as a virtual dog...alive and functioning," the application states.
The application also gives specific examples of what substitute avatars a corporation could insert.
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"If the advertisement is for a movie (e.g., Transformers) prominently featuring robots that transform into vehicles, the avatar may be one of the robots featured in the movie," the application reads. "In another example, if the advertisement is for cereal (e.g., Trix) that is associated with a rabbit that enjoys eating the cereal, the avatar may be the rabbit. In yet another example, if the advertisement is for a digital media player (e.g., Zune from Microsoft Corporation, iPod from Apple, Incorporated), the avatar may be the digital media player."
The second monetization method covered by the application would see players compensated for interacting with an ad. For example, players could choose to watch an ad and then take a quiz on the key details of the spot afterward. Questions would be selected from a pool based on the users' demographic information, purchasing history, and purchasing preferences. Correct answers would reap the same array of virtual or actual goods and currency.
It's worth noting that Microsoft's patent application is platform neutral. Its use of the term "avatar" is not directly tied to the Xbox 360 system of avatars, and the application specifically states that the ad scheme could be used for "any suitable processor-based device, such as a computer or a gaming device. Exemplary gaming devices include the Xbox and the Xbox 360 from Microsoft Corporation, the Wii from Nintendo Company, Limited, and the PlayStation 3 and the PSP from Sony Corporation."
The official story:"Xbox Live Avatar Marketplace is launching on August 11 and will offer many unique items you can use to create your own persona and represent your lifestyle in the world of Xbox Live. We have no additional details to share at this time."--A Microsoft representative
Bogus or not bogus?: Like the patent application itself, virtual pets for avatars is not a sure thing just yet. But if Microsoft thinks users will pay MSP160 ($2) for a shirt, a bit of animal companionship seems a shoo-in. Still, the idea of Microsoft giving players virtual pets only to hold them hostage sounds a bit far-fetched.
