Premier EA Titles to Go Live in Massive Network

“Madden NFL 08,” “NASCAR 08,” “NHL 08,” “Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 08” and “SKATE” added to leading video game advertising network.

NEW YORK — Massive Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. and a leading network for video game advertising, and Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) today announced the incorporation of five premier titles from EA. All the titles will be live in the Massive Network this year.

The EA titles joining the Massive Network include the year’s most anticipated new releases and perennial best-sellers in their respective categories:
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“Madden NFL 08” (Xbox 360™ and PC)
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“NASCAR® 08” (Xbox 360)
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“NHL® 08” (Xbox 360)
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“Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 08” (Xbox 360 and PC)
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“SKATE” (Xbox 360)

“SKATE” is EA’s highly anticipated entrant in the skateboarding genre and is set in urban environments, well suited for integrating real-world brands. EA’s titles deliver incredibly realistic gaming experiences, in which advertising fits naturally as part of the gameplay experience.

Shelby Cox, EA’s senior director of in-game advertising, said, “EA is committed to providing both great entertainment experiences for gamers and effective advertising solutions for brands and marketers. Massive has proven its ability to deliver relevant ads in a seamless, nondisruptive way that enhances the realism of the game environment. We look forward to building on the strong progress we’ve made to date.”

The addition of EA’s leading franchises will greatly increase the range of dynamic in-game ad opportunities available to marketers looking to reach and engage the gaming audience. “The addition of these top EA titles to Massive’s growing network provides the means to reach consumers with contextual brand messages across a variety of popular sports titles that were previously unavailable for dynamic ad insertion. This is a huge win for brand marketers,” said Brian Bos, vice president, convergence director at Mindshare – Team Detroit.

Massive’s dynamic advertising platform allows for in-game ad elements to be updated and changed in real time, keeping ads fresh and relevant for gamers. EA’s development teams work closely with Massive to ensure that advertising is placed in areas that fit within the game environment.

“We’re thrilled to be EA’s trusted partner for dynamic in-game advertising for these products,” said Cory Van Arsdale, CEO of Massive. “The addition of EA’s leading titles to our network represents a tremendous opportunity for brands targeting the youth demographic and sends a clear message that in-game advertising has arrived as a compelling medium for marketers.”