NCSoft And Double Fusion Partner For In-Game Ads

MMO publisher NCSoft and in-game advertising company Double Fusion have announced a partnership which will see two of NCsoft's free-to-play games supported by in-game ads. Dungeon Runners, a fantasy MMO which is currently live and already free-to-play, will be bolstered by "in- and around-game advertising," as will Exteel, a futuristic mech-based shooter which is currently in beta. Both games were planned to make the bulk of their money through in-game item sales, which will continue. According to Jonathan Epstein, president and CEO, Double Fusion, "Partnering with a leading MMO publisher like NCsoft, a leader in free-to-play as well as subscription online game models, allows us to set the type of example we hope other publishers will look to and want to join." Gamasutra recently interviewed Epstein about fusion.runtime, the technology which allows the company to serve ads into its clients games. Dungeon Runners is NCsoft's first free-to-play MMO. It launched earlier this year. The company also continues to publish other subscription-based MMOs, such as City of Heroes and Lineage II. Its biggest title for this year, Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa, is currently in beta.