It seems that Google has agreed to acquire the video game advertising firm, AdScape Media. This has led to Andy Beal over at Marketing Pilgrim to speculate on just exactly what Google's acquisition strategy is. It appears to me, however, that Andy is missing something that's blatantly obvious--i.e. Google's expansion into advertising writ large. As he writes:

It’s unclear at this stage whether this is a just a move to buy a “few potentially interesting patents” or Google’s entry into in-game advertising.

From my own experience, I’m personally starting to question Google’s acquisition strategy. [...]

Simply buying cool companies - because you can - means nothing, unless you actually take the time to figure out what you’re going to do with them.

Given Google's recent push into radio advertising this doesn't come as any surprise. First of all, most tertiary radio stations are preparing to go digital/online, so it only makes sense that Google wants a foothold there.

Video games, moreover, are already extremely web friendly. Many of video game environments already exist online. Second Life is only the most gratuitous of examples. So of course Google would want to enter that market if they are already advertising giants and plan to get bigger. Just imagine if Google could target ads that individual gamers see when they log into their game!

As for an acquisition like this being rash, I doubt it. After all, Google is larger than Disney, General Motors and McDonald’s combined. Indeed, what we are seeing is the beginning of the largest multi-media advertising firm to have ever been conceived--perhaps even Googlezon.