Roku Patent Explores Way to Show Console Players Ads When Games Are Paused

According to a newly filed patent, Roku is looking to inject more advertising into the user's feed during inactive periods. The patent in question is for "HDMI customized ad insertion," which would detect a period of pause on the TV, and basically hijack the screen to offer an advertisement. In theory, this could happen when a Blu-Ray player or video game console is paused. The patent does not make clear how long it would take before the advertisement is triggered, but there would then be "an ad that is customized to the determined context and/or content to be displayed on the display device." 

Essentially, this means that the ads would even be tailored to the user. Exactly to what extent this would be done remains to be seen. Video Games Chronicle speculates that someone playing EA Sports FC could end up seeing advertising for a particular upcoming soccer match, but it's also possible it would just be something like a generic ad for PlayStation or Xbox. 

Will This Patent Actually Come to Pass?

As we usually point out when it comes to this type of thing, just because a patent is filed by a company, it does not mean that it's something that's definitely going to happen. Companies are constantly patenting ideas that don't actually come to pass; back in 2021, PlayStation filed for a patent that would allow household items like bananas to be used in place of controllers. The fact that no one is using bananas to play Helldivers 2 at the moment is evidence that some of these patents simply fail to come together. 

Even if Roku's plans to inject advertising into video games don't end up happening, it's easy to see why some gamers are already put off by this concept. As consumers, we're inundated with advertising in just about every facet of modern life. We can barely listen to music, watch sports, or read without finding some kind of advertising forced upon us. We also don't know how well this will actually work. What if a long loading screen or queue time for an online game is detected as a period of pause? Will our online games get interrupted so we can have a commercial forced upon us? 

Will Roku Advertising Become a New Standard?

If this does end up getting rolled out, it will be interesting to see how it gets accepted, and if it becomes a new standard. It's also possible that some gamers could end up being put off by the whole thing and going with other players, like an Amazon Fire Stick. Or perhaps other brands will step up to offer alternative options for those that have had more than enough advertising in their daily lives. 

How do you feel about this patent from Roku? Do you think this will actually end up happening? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Video Games Chronicle, Lowpass]