The software giant hit back through its on the back of stories in the US that the company is preparing to sell Massive, the in-game ad network it purchased three years ago for somewhere between $200m (£126m) and $400m (£251m), according to estimates.
The blog post was penned by JJ Richards, general manager of Massive, who says: "I want to set the record straight by divulging five basic facts about in-game advertising."
Richards then sets out a point by point argument based around five key messages; in-gaming advertising is thriving, gaming connects brands to valuable audiences, in-game advertising works, in-game advertising is measurable, inexpensive and easy to do, and finally, gamers like it.
Richards cites Massive's financial reports and market research reports to back up his points. Under the heading 'in-game advertising is thriving', he says: "For our 2009 fiscal year, Massive achieved an impressive double-digit year-on-year revenue growth in the face of one of the worst economic crises of the last century".
He also claims that first quarter sales targets have been exceeded by "more than 100 per cent" just one month in.
Richards also hits back with one of the nascent market's biggest selling points, arguing that it grounds video games in reality. "Most gamers like advertising in the game because it adds to the realism," he says.
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