Artix Entertainment, a small, independent game development studio that creates hit F2P (Free-to-Play) download-free browser games played by over 130 million people, announced today that players of the popular AdventureQuest Worlds MMORPG are being punished for dying in-game by being forced to see an advertisement for nine seconds before being allowed to return to life.

Previously, AdventureQuest Worlds players who died in-game would be faced with a grayed out screen showing their character on the ground and a nine second countdown before they could return back to life. With this new change, when a player dies, Death makes a personal appearance on the player’s screen and says a witty line while showing a static ad of an Artix Entertainment-related game or item.

"For years our players scoffed at how there was no real punishment for dying in AQWorlds," said Adam Bohn, CEO/Founder of Artix Entertainment, LLC. "So we added a fate worse than death… ads!"

Currently three Artix ads are being shown. One advertises the AdventureQuest Worlds Anything-Goes Battle On Battle Card Game available in U.S. Toys R Us stores and HeroMart.com. Another ad advertises how to earn free AdventureCoins (in-game micro-currency). The third one advertises the benefits of becoming a Member.

One of the benefits of becoming a Member in AdventureQuest Worlds is the ability to turn off these Death Ads!