To help fill the gap left behind by the Ad Monetization Platform, a new network called Pubfinity has been launched. The service is backed by Sam Kaufmann, CEO of Random Salad Gaming. Developers were caught off guard by the decision to end the Ad Monetization Platform. Microsoft is not creating an alternative, leaving some dev’s concerned about how to make money from their apps. Speaking with CNBC, Kaufmann says Random Salad Games has already been using Pubfinity for their own games. The developer had several ad-supported games in the Microsoft Store and Kaufmann says he predicted Microsoft would close its ad network.
Availability
He says the SDK development of Pubfinity started months before Microsoft’s final decision. “My immediate need was to monetize my own apps,” said Kaufmann, but continued “the ultimate goal is to position Pubfinity as a replacement for the Microsoft SDK going away.” In the meantime, a limited subset of high-quality developers can leverage Pubfinity. He says the SDK will eventually be made public by “We’ll have a very strict review process,” he said. “We want it to be an improvement and make it a place where developers can make money but not sacrifice the quality of their offerings.” For developers who don’t have access to Pubfinity, their monetization options are now limited to subscription packages or in-app purchases.
