Well its true Microsoft's Massive video game ad division has apparently been terminated.Microsoft bought Massive a few years ago for between an estimated 200-400 million dollars. Microsoft hoped that the company could sell in game ad space for developers and publishers. Origionally Massive was viewed as a rising star that could generate millions if not billions from selling advertising space in video games.

Advertising industry magazine adweek cites sources close to the company and "insiders at Microsoft" in reporting that Massive General Manager J.J. Richards has been seeking new employment with other unit members reportedly being reassigned throughout the company.

We knew Massive was in trouble last year when it shed 28% of its staff. Massive also lost out a huge chunk of change when Microsoft Game Studios themselves decided to bring ad selling in house rather then having Massive handle their affairs. Not to long after Microsoft Games Stuidos (X-Box division) pulled out Massives biggest client EAGames also ditched the company bringing all of its ad selling in house.

With little to know customers anymore Microsoft appears to have had no choice but to close Massive a massive failure. The question is if Microsoft can't succeed is their room for anyone in the ad space selling industry? Or will all in game ads be handled internally by developers/publishers?

How is this a massive failure? MIcrosoft is knowing for there great marketing. In game ad space is always a tougher sale,it's not like Microsoft really needs this company. In game ads should be handled internally by developers/publishers in the first place. That's my two cents/peace out. lol

Microsoft bought Massive. Massive failed to produce. Lost money, 'massive' failure

Mircosoft can afford to loss money. That's like saying instead of making a billion a year,they only made 999 millon. lol

Massive seems like the middle man for something many developers can accomplish themselves.

I wonder if MS actually lost money with this endeavor. Doesn't seem like much is known at all about it.

Loosing up to 400 million in buying Massive, then the millions it cost to operate the company. I'd say up to half a billion dollars wasted. That would be considered by most people as a failure. Even for Microsoft who makes billions a year that is still a failure.

Nice guesstimates. I doubt MS would have bought a company for that much that's is completely unprofitable.

It ran for 8 years and it had support from major publishers. Perhaps MS felt it was no longer worthwhile to operate or it did begin to bleed money. We really don't even know if they were in the red.

Not to surprised... streaming IN-game advertising is not worthwhile.. unless it's farmville or something like that...

Well Microsoft did pay more then 200-mill for Rare. So 400-mill for a big advertising company is plausable if not probable. It did have support from major publishers but when Microsoft's X-Box team themselves decide to go internal theirs got to be a problem. Also with EAGames leaving their was likely major problems.

I doubt that the company was able to make back profit. Look at Rare for example it has failed to sell big amounts of software for any of its titles yet Microsoft has not dissolved them. You know Microsoft must have been loosing something to shut them down.

Plus my estimates aren't really mine they are estimates about how much Microsoft purchased them for 200-400 mill (Not mine) and I simply estimated over eight years it probubly would have cost them another 100-mill in operating costs.

In the end I can't see Microsoft shutting them down if they were making money and were in the black. Anyways the closure of any purchased entity is pretty much a failure, especially if its clientel was leaving in droves and their own company leaves them.

Oh yeah i forgot, only Nintendo can do well and everyone else is doomed.