It seems Ubisoft is experimenting with in-game ads for some users, ads appear when opening the pause menu or map

[John Elden Ring]

Whether it's arbitrary cuts, $75 horse armor, shrinkflation, pay-to-win, or premium early access, game publishers the world over are desperately trying to squeeze every last bit of profit possible for their shareholders. But one publisher may have just tipped things a little bit too far with this latest goof.

XboxSquad.fr reporter and co-founder @Fab_XS_ shared this video on X (Twitter), depicting what appears to be an ad for Assassin's Creed Mirage before the menu screen in Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

The video shows the player opening up the menu screen, only to be greeted with a gigantic Black Friday ad for Assassin's Creed Mirage, 20% off. I wouldn't mind hearing about such deals if I was actually searching for them (like our own Black Friday 2023 gaming deals live blog!) but, when I'm just trying to chill on the sofa and assassinate some dudes? Maybe not.

We're downloading Assassin's Creed Odyssey to see if we can replicate the ad at our end right now, but the clip shows no obvious signs of fakery or forgery. Plus, it's also not the first time Ubisoft has attempted to inject "ads" into its menus, with deals for in-game accelerators appearing alongside gameplay elements across some of its titles. However, a full-screen pop-up for one of its titles in the middle of your game really does take it to the next level.

Ads are commonplace in the middle of gameplay on mobile devices, typically in free-to-play games, as part of their business models. Similarly, we put ads on our web articles too, since we're not charging for access. By contrast, Assassin's Creed Odyssey was a fully-priced title and to patch these in post-launch feels aggressive and greedy.

I, for one, desperately do not want this to become the norm, and I suspect many others will not want it to become the norm either. Premium video games are supposed to be an escape from marketing bombardments, and it's hardly as if Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a multiplayer service game with expensive servers and matchmaking systems that need to be maintained.

If this video is indeed real (and there's no reason right now to think it isn't), all it represents is bare-faced greed. Even if it is fake, I suspect publishers would salivate at the concept of normalizing this type of system. Let's not allow them to do so.

 

[laynelane]

I don't buy Ubi games, never have, and this really reaffirms that decision for me. Of course, it's not certain this is 100% accurate as of yet but after MS' stunt of putting a pop-up, full screen ad on boot-up for COD - I suspect there's a few others wondering if they can get away with it too.

 

[Darth Vader]

Gaming is turning to shit. What the fuck is this?

 

[Shmunter]

Lame

 

[arvfab]

I wouldn't mind in game ads like some billboards in the city which I already ignore if they are "fake" ads or not, but this is not acceptable for a non-free game.

 

[Killer_Sakoman]

Fuck them! I am not paying $80 to watch ads.
Day after day I become less and less interested in videogames because of all the bullshit. I already no longer go to cinema and movies because of all low quality garbage they make.

 

[JAHGamer]

I love Ubisoft but this is scummy

 

[Gediminas]

They aren't experimenting, it is a testing ground for tolerance, how much backlash they gonna get before making it reality.