Many companies are spending bundles of money to advertise in online games and when you look at the numbers it appears to be paying off. Microsoft paid $400 million for Massive, Inc. a company that brokers ads for video games. A Boston Group who keeps track of these statistics claims, advertising in online games could reach 2 Billion by 2010. More and more companies of all sizes will be seeking out advertising in online games as a way to expand and grow business and reach a targeted audience and demographic. This is key to advertisers and they know game owners collect important demographic data on their players, which yields to targeted advertising and more bang for their buck.

Multiplayer Sports Games are a popular choice for advertisers because of the many placement opportunities within the games. Golf and Racing are two of the most popular games advertisers are chosing. Advertisments are placed on billboards, signs, cars, wheels, and many other placements throughout the game playing experience. Gamers are known to come back again and again to play their favorite games and stay for extended periods of time giving the advertiser a ton of targeted advertising.

Why could you use online games for your business?

No matter how you connect with your own customers-through branding, twitter, consumer packaged goods, publishing, you name it online games can help expand your customer base by attracting a new demographic and retaining old ones. Online games are fast becoming the advertising channel of choice.

Here is a short list of the benefits online games have:

• They offer targeted, unique promotional opportunities for interactive audience-building
• You will build brand awareness and loyalty
• You get a boost your web traffic giving you different ways to test your website performance
• Makes it easy to collect consumer data for future promotions
• Spread your viral marketing
• Generate low cost, high return investments (ROI)
• Games drive product sales
• Games allow you to embed your own ads or trade with customers and vendors
• Provide a great venue for distributing downloadable coupons

Multiplayer online games have become popular because they offer so many opportunities to players. Game players can use their imagination, meet people and make friends, and escape from life for a while. For a short time, players can enter a perfect environment, where success really is based on how much effort you put in.

If you are a company who knows your market's demographic well you might want to consider advertising in online games. Millions of people play games online for hours at a time and with that kind of stickyness its worth exploring to grow your business and reach new markets.