Google purchased video game advertising firm Adscape to expand into in-game advertising, the Internet search leader said on its Web site on Friday. Financial details were not furnished.

Video game analysts in February said Google's entrance into the nascent field of advertising inside ever more elaborate video games could give the field a big boost.

Microsoft last year paid $200 million to buy in-game ad company Massive Inc., which has secured deals with game publishers UbiSoft Entertainment SA, THQ Inc. and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.