Dean Takahashi reports that Google will start rolling out their AdSense advertising product into online games, starting with Flash games. No surprise really, and in fact Google's late to the party given the availability of such services already. Nevertheless, Google's size and muscle might be the necessary break to make ads more reliable and profitable for game developers and publishers; for example, by increasing the sell through of inventory, a notorious problem.

Takahashi predicts Google will move into PC, consoles, and mobile as well, which seems likely. But nothing despite the requisite citation of Yankee Group research suggesting a billion dollar market for in-game ads, billboard-style ads still undermine games and advertising more than advancing either. And that's something even Google won't be immune to.