Microsoft asks Machinima to label Xbox One promotional videos

Microsoft has reportedly asked Machinima to stop posting additional Xbox One-focused content in light of the backlash it has received from the discovery that Machinima was paying its an partners additional $3 CPM for posting videos positively promoting the new console. Additionally, the platformholder also wants any previously posted videos that were part of the program to be labeled with a disclaimer. Here's Microsoft's official statement, courtesy of IGN:

"Microsoft was not aware of individual contracts Machinima had with their content providers as part of this promotion and we didn’t provide feedback on any of the videos. We have asked Machinima to not post any additional Xbox One content as part of this media buy and we have asked them to add disclaimers to the videos that were part of this program indicating they were part of paid advertising."

The promotion was discovered earlier this week when leaked emails and a since deleted Tweet from Machinima's UK community manager offered video content producers an addition $3 per thousand video views. The videos had to include at least 30 seconds of Xbox One gameplay in the first two minutes, along with a verbal mention that the console was being played.

Despite the negative perception with such a promotion, Machinima called it "a typical marketing partnership" in its response.