Xbox plans to add a free ad-supported tier to its Xbox gaming subscriptions, per The Verge. Employees currently have access to testing ahead of a public beta. Test features include two minutes of pre-roll ads before gamers gain access to Xbox Cloud Gaming and a one-hour time limit per session. Nearly half (46%) of gamers often make purchases based on in-game ads. Marketers should focus on influencer-led campaigns that play up gaming and personalization. If ads feel more like a buddy joining them in the living room rather than an interruption, gamers are less likely to be irritated.

The news: The gaming industry is doubling down on handheld consoles. Nintendo’s Switch 2 shattered single-day sales records with an estimated 3 million units sold at launch, outpacing the Sony PS4’s historic numbers. Meanwhile, Microsoft announced its first handhelds—the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X—partnering with Asus to blend Xbox and PC gaming in a portable format. They’re expected to launch during the holidays. Our take: As cloud and console experiences merge into portable form, game design and ad models are set to evolve fast—opening up fresh real estate for marketers, game studios, and tech platforms alike.

Gen Zers and millennials have normalized gaming into adulthood, but smartphones have opened the door for older generations.

ts new handheld accessory isn’t the Nintendo Switch killer many had hoped for, but it’s a sign that the gaming giant is investing to build around its consoles.

Its fastest-selling game is extending the popularity of the 7-year-old handheld console and defying the cloud-gaming trend.