Injecting Advertisers Into The Market For Virtual Currency

CLICKZ — Ad network Adknowledge is looking to do for the in-game virtual currency market what Google did for search advertising. That is, let advertisers of all sizes bid for the right to offer virtual currency to players of Facebook and MySpace games in exchange for special offers. Virtual currency is a booming business among a handful of tech startups like Zynga, maker of games like Farmville and Mafia Wars, that get players to pay real money for in-game dollars. These companies also offer players the chance to earn virtual cash by signing up for trial versions of a sponsor's software, or completing a survey. The sponsors walk away with leads, and the consumer gets more money to buy digital goods...