-By Mike Shields, Mediaweek

In-game ad vendor IGA Worldwide has partnered with top game publisher Activision to put ads within several upcoming games for the PlayStation 3 console, including the latest version of the popular Guitar Hero World Tour.

In the still fledgling in-game ad space, the deal is significant for several reasons. Until recently, brands had limited access to game titles produced for Sony's various PlayStation consoles until the company opened its doors to third-party developers earlier this year.

In addition, the Guitar Hero series remains hugely popular, with over 22 million units sold worldwide to date, according to The NPD Group, Port Washington, N.Y. Microsoft's in-game ad group Massive, which currently delivers advertising in Guitar Hero titles played on its own Xbox console, has reported increased interest among brands looking to reach a more casual, gender-balanced gamer audience.

The new IGA-Activision deal, which will involve multiple titles over the next several years, focuses on what the in-game ad world calls dynamic ads, i.e., ad placements that appear within games but are not permanent fixtures within those titles.