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Hideo Kojima finally gets to go to space—but only in an AI-generated ad for Prada
Hideo Kojima and Nicolas Winding Refn have collaborated on an AI-generated short film for Prada's private club, Prada Mode, and its New York event. The film, inspired by 1960s and 70s sci-fi aesthetics, promotes the 'Satellites 2' experience, which blends art, fashion, and science fiction.
Sony Wants to Make PS5 Matchmaking More Interesting, But It Could Lead to Ads
Sony has filed a patent for a picture-in-picture technology on the PlayStation 5 that could display content, including advertisements, during game matchmaking wait times. While the patent also mentions gameplay highlights and social media clips, the inclusion of ads has raised concerns about potential monetization strategies. It remains to be seen if this feature will be implemented.
BoardGameGeek Fires Advertising Manager Over Board Game, Possess Me, Satan
BoardGameGeek has fired its advertising manager, Chad Krizan, following a controversy over his refusal to run ads for the crowdfunded tabletop game 'Possess Me, Satan.' Krizan cited personal religious objections and concerns about the game's subject matter being triggering, which led to backlash from the game's developers, Falling Whale Games, and widespread discussion on social media. BoardGameGeek founder Scott Alden stated that Krizan's response did not represent the company's values.
Google is bringing new AI-powered ad formats to search
Google announced new AI-powered advertising formats for its search engine. These updates were revealed during the Google I/O event, signaling advancements in how ads will be integrated and presented to users.
Something for the Weekend – 16/05/26
This article discusses privacy policies related to website data collection and advertising. It outlines how companies may access device information and user browsing activity to serve personalized ads and content, referencing GDPR regulations. Users are informed about their consent options and rights regarding data processing.
Morning Mobilization
Samsung Galaxy smartphones are now capable of blocking ads within push notifications, a feature reportedly enabled by a change that leverages Reddit. This development impacts how advertisements are displayed on the mobile platform.
What would happen if League of Legends' Faker and aespa's Karina met? The best K-drama of the year, apparently
League of Legends star Faker and K-pop idol Karina have teamed up for a humorous advertising campaign for Google Play Korea. The series playfully imagines a K-drama scenario where the two celebrities repeatedly cross paths, incorporating numerous references to Faker's career and aespa's music. This campaign effectively blends the worlds of esports, K-pop, and advertising, creating an enjoyable experience for fans of both celebrities and casual viewers.
Netflix's ad tier now has a whopping 250 million monthly users
Netflix's advertising-supported subscription tier has reached a significant milestone, attracting 250 million monthly users. This growth highlights the increasing importance of advertising revenue for the streaming giant.
Meta is facing another lawsuit over scam ads on Facebook and Instagram
Meta is facing a new lawsuit alleging that the company is not adequately protecting senior citizens and other vulnerable groups from scam advertisements on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit claims Meta's current measures are insufficient to prevent fraudulent ads.
Gears of War: E-Day's release window might have been revealed through a WWE Triplemania advert
The release window for Gears of War: E-Day may have been revealed through a WWE Triplemania 34 advertisement. The event, scheduled for September 11th and 13th, features the game's logo as a sponsor, suggesting a potential release in late 2026. This timing would place it before Grand Theft Auto 6's November release and amidst other major game launches.
Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for $15 million
Singer Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for $15 million, alleging the tech company illegally used her likeness to promote and sell its televisions. The lawsuit claims Samsung used unauthorized images of the artist in their advertising campaigns.
Something for the Weekend – 09/05/26
This article details a website's updated privacy policy regarding user data, consent for personalized advertising, and data processing under GDPR. It outlines how user information is accessed and used by the site and its partners, emphasizing user control over consent and data processing preferences.
Unity launches suite of AI tools to help creators accelerate game development
Unity has launched a suite of AI tools in open beta, designed to accelerate game development for creators using Unity 6 or above. The Agentic Assistant helps developers understand their work and use Unity's tools effectively, with features for planning, expert guidance, and asset generation. Unity Pro, Enterprise, and Industry subscribers receive these features automatically, while Personal Edition users can access them via a free trial or a monthly subscription.
Gabe Newell's first appearance in months is the most Gabe Newell thing imaginable: a yacht ad
Valve boss Gabe Newell made a brief appearance in a new advertisement for yacht company Oceanco, in which he has invested. The ad features Newell engaging in activities like scuba diving and interacting with other guests on a mega-yacht, and also includes a hand-drawn portrait of him. The promotional video has garnered significant attention and views on YouTube, with many comments referencing Newell and Valve.
Snapchat is rolling out sponsored AI agents
Snapchat is introducing AI Sponsored Snaps, allowing brands to create AI agents for conversational advertising within the app's Chat tab. These agents, like the example from Experian, will answer user questions and aim to guide them towards sponsor-related actions. Snap's Chief Business Officer, Ajit Mohan, stated that conversation is becoming a key advertising space, accelerated by AI.
FFVII Remake Sephiroth Sips Asahi Future Lemon Sour in New Commercial
Square Enix and Asahi have released a commercial for their Future Lemon Sour drink featuring Final Fantasy VII Remake's Sephiroth. The collaboration also includes a pop-up bar called Lemon's Heaven in Tokyo during Golden Week. Final Fantasy VII Remake is available on multiple platforms, with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth also recently released.
Something for the Weekend – 25/04/26
This article outlines a website's privacy policy regarding user data, advertising, and personalized content. It explains the use of cookies and similar technologies for ad delivery and service improvement, referencing GDPR regulations for data processing based on consent or legitimate interest.
Morning Metaverse
YouTube is testing the placement of ads within the subscriptions feed, appearing as side-by-side advertisements on live content. This change aims to integrate advertising more directly into user viewing experiences.
Meta has misled users about scam ads on Facebook and Instagram, lawsuit says
Meta is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by the Consumer Federation of America, alleging the company misled users about scam advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit claims Meta prioritized profits over user safety by allowing high-risk advertisers and charging them more, rather than removing them. Meta denies these allegations, stating they aggressively combat scams and removed over 159 million scam ads last year.
Today's Game Pass Change Is A Great One. The Next One Will Hurt.
Xbox has unexpectedly lowered the price of Game Pass Ultimate back to $23 per month, a move that benefits many subscribers despite removing day-one Call of Duty access. This price drop, preceded by an internal memo from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, is seen as a precursor to a potential introduction of an ad-supported tier for Game Pass. The author expresses concern that this could lead to the widespread adoption of intrusive advertising in console and PC gaming, citing examples from other services that have introduced ads over time.
