MarketingVOX: Massive, the in-game advertising subsidiary of Microsoft, has announced that CEO Mitch Davis and president of new media Nichola Longano will be leaving the company this month.
Microsoft gave no reason for the departures but announced that current employee Cory Van Arsdale will replace Davis as Massive’s CEO, Gamasutra reports. Van Arsdale has been with Microsoft for over 12 years, with experience at the MSN and Online Services Group, where he oversaw business development and partnerships.
Microsoft’s plans to fill the void created by Longano’s departure have yet to be announced.
Massive, acquired last year by Microsoft, is a pioneer in-game ad placements for live videogames – i.e., dynamic in-game advertising – MediaWeek explains. One of the prime functions of Massive is to provide in-game ads for Xbox titles that are played online via Microsoft’s Xbox Live gaming service.
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- Massive Inserts Interactive Toyota Ad Units in MMOG
- Massive, Webzen Make MMOG Advertising Deal
- Microsoft Confirms Massive Acquisition
- WSJ: Microsoft to Buy Massive
- Massive: In-Game Ads Could Near $2 Billion by 2010
