Microsoft has launched an advertising platform to enable retailers around the world to host ads showing real-time Xbox livestreams on their websites.

The ads, which stream content generated by Xbox Interactive Studios, show live gameplay footage and give consumers the ability to interact with gamers in real-time to ask questions about the games they are playing.

The ad platform – developed by Microsoft Global Channel Marketing alongside digital marketing agency Bolser – provides a video carousel that can promote more than 100 gaming titles through video and the ads can be tailored to include retailer-specific calls-to-action and gaming information.

In order to offer the combination of advertising and livestreaming, Microsoft Azure and Video Indexer has been integrated with streaming platforms including Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Gaming. Azure Speech to Text technology also adds live subtitles to all content for accessibility.

Alongside the ad platform, a new Microsoft content management system delivers location-based video tagging and improved functionality, enabling retailers to post more than 300 videos per quarter.