Although experts have been purporting that ads strategically inserted in video games can be big business, it still has yet to pay great dividends.

Players will most likely see more product placement, as our burdening economy makes it difficult for companies to make money. This means more prizes and billboards in their favorite video games will get tagged with ads.

Yet ads generated from video games probably won't make that big of a dent in the projected $150-billion US-advertising industry.

Microsoft VP of strategy and business development, Shane Kim, also doesn't see advertising as a significant business venture.

"In the next six to 12 months as we go through this economic period, it probably won't have a big material impact on us or on the industry."

Another executive, Strauss Zelnick, of Take-Two Interactive Inc., franchise maker of Grand Theft Auto, believes it also has to do with the distracting nature of ads in games. Captivating ads will "take that user out of the entertainment experience."

Because its still considered a niche, it will take some time to build. Remember, people said similar things about web advertisements in the early days of the Internet. As Google and others have shown, Internet advertising can be a huge business.

Do you find those placement ads in your video games to be distracting? Do you even pay attention to them? Has an in-game ad ever made you buy Doritos?

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