Sir Martin Sorrell’s WPP Group has invested $3 million in online game publisher/ad network WildTangent, part of a new $13 million round for the company. The round was led by Granite Global and included existing investors Advanced Technology Ventures, Greylock, Madronna, Millenium Technology and IDG. WildTangent’s gaming console is pre-installed on 70 percent of new U.S. PCs.
The new funds will go to the expansion of the ad-supported WildTangent Game Network—the main attraction for WPP, which already uses the network in campaigns. It’s the first new funding since the $16.5 million round in 2004 that financed the restructuring from video game publisher to network. WPP will recommend the network to more of its clients seeking youth demos and the companies also will work towards creating “research driven standards” for advertising in and around games.  Release.
Small-world department: WildTangent CEO and co-founder Alex St. John came from Microsoft, where he was one of the creators of the DirectX technology. This past May, Microsoft bought in-game ad firm Massive.
Related: Microsoft Does Buy Massive; Part of AdCenter Platform