By John Popko
Publication Date: 2026-09-22 15:48:00
Microsoft has published a patent application for a system that would pause a video game, play an advert, and then reward the player with more time to keep playing.
The filing is titled ‘Contextually aware management of interactive software application access’. The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published it on September 3rd. It continues an earlier application, filed on May 1st 2023, which has since been abandoned.
Throughout the document, adverts are referred to as ‘promoted content’. The basic idea is straightforward. A player watches an ad and earns a credit, which unlocks a set amount of play. When the credit runs out, the game is suspended and another ad appears.
How the credit system works
According to the filing, a credit could be tied to time, such as 15 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour of play. It could also be tied to progress, for example five rounds of a game, one completed level, three…
