EA Calls In-Game Ads a “Huge Opportunity” as It Urges Developers to Plan
EA leadership is signaling that in-game advertising is not just something the company tolerates, but something it wants developers to actively plan for—calling it a “huge opportunity” for studios across both PC and console titles.
Gaming has long experimented with brand tie-ins and promotional placements. Players have seen everything from major services showing up in narrative experiences to energy drinks and other sponsor-style campaigns woven into gameplay loops. There are also games built around recognizable products, where the brand identity isn’t a side detail—it’s the core concept. In other words, ads inside games are nothing new.
That said, community reaction has rarely been universally positive. In-game advertising still tends to be polarizing, and some publishers appear to underestimate how sensitive audiences can be to monetization methods that interrupt immersion. EA has already put its weight behind this direction with entries like Skate and EA Sports FC, and now the company’s stance looks even more forward-looking as it frames ads as a meaningful element of what games could become next.
EA Exec Says Developers Need To Consider In-Game Adverts During Development
They Want Ads To Feel “Native” To Gaming
EA’s vice president of advertising and sponsorship, Alexander Dao, recently discussed the company’s plans for a new advertising platform and how it could be integrated into games. He described the effort as a “huge opportunity” for both game makers and advertisers, specifically in the context of PC and console development.
If you were hoping for yet another reason to keep paying attention to Skate, this approach is aimed at giving brands a more deliberate path into gameplay rather than treating placements as an afterthought.
Dao’s message to studios is clear: advertisements should be considered while building the game, with the intention of folding them into the project as part of what he called “building the advertising experience.” While that wording may sound unsettling to some players, Dao pointed to Skate as an example of how brands can be made adaptable and easier to incorporate into a game world.
There is also a practical argument behind the claim. Skating titles have historically carried plenty of branding and product placement, so the idea of expanding on that familiarity isn’t entirely out of place.
The platform EA is developing is described as being aimed primarily at its sports catalog. EA also says it leverages the Frostbite engine to make it simpler for advertisers to insert promotions into specific locations—assuming developers have planned for those spots ahead of time. Dao added that EA is working with outside partners as well, with the goal of “standardizing” in-game advertising so placements can be handled more consistently.
Subscribe for newsletter insights on in-game ads
Even with the long history of sponsorships and product placement in games, the notion of advertising being built into development from the start can still feel uncomfortable—especially considering how aggressive monetization and upselling have become across multiple console generations.
WHERE TO PLAY
We speak with unions representing both workers and gamers, who are doing what they can to raise the alarm on the EA acquisition.
