Xbox gamers took to social media to air their concerns regarding full-screen pop-up ads being shown the moment they turn on their consoles.
The pop-up ad appears as an invitation for users to join the Developer_Direct '24 event, which they can watch on YouTube.
Tom Warren, a senior editor at The Verge, shared the news via X after he experienced the pop-up ad himself.
"The fullscreen Xbox pop-up ad has returned for the Developer_Direct. I just turned on my console and got this one," Warren wrote.
the fullscreen Xbox pop-up ad has returned for the Developer_Direct. I just turned on my console and got this one https://t.co/6n80uHgcgApic.twitter.com/pdLFD2S7x4
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) January 19, 2024
Other users expressed disappointment towards the ad, calling it "the new thing" happening on Xbox.
ANOTHER full screen ad before getting to the dashboard. I guess this is the new thing now on Xbox. @Xbox very disappointing. pic.twitter.com/zm22SHKd0l
— GremlinLord615 (@GremlinLord615) January 18, 2024
"The Xbox consoles are not and never were advertised or sold as a subsidized device, but the ads are surely making it feel like one [...] If you defend this, I won't ever understand why you do. If you are apathetic to it, I completely understand you and if you're disappointed by it, I'm with you," another wrote.
Are In-Game Ads the New Norm
This is not the first time the Microsoft-owned gaming giant has irked its fanbase for displaying unavoidable ads.
Last November, Xbox surprised users with a full-screen Call of Duty: Modern Warfare lll pop-up ad, which they saw the moment they turned on their consoles.
Microsoft has annoyed the internet with fullscreen Xbox pop-up ads, but they don't have to be annoying. Here are my thoughts on the Call of Duty ad that appeared yesterday 👉 https://t.co/BJudQdeFJmpic.twitter.com/XDiPAYNQRp
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) November 3, 2023
Previously, it also used pop-up ads to promote big franchise games, such as Starfield and Forza Motorsport. Similarly, Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed ad also sparked backlash from users with how the ad banner popped up in-game.
Due to the recurring incidents, many gamers in the community have begun to question whether in-game ads would become the new norm for the industry.