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Electronic Arts Is Toying With The Idea of Ads in Games Again

Electronic Arts’ CEO, Andrew Wilson, recently divulged that the company is looking at the implementation of dynamic advertisements in AAA games. This isn’t anything new for Electronic Arts, with many of the company’s games having featured real-world advertisements over the years – a concept that for EA goes back some two decades.

However, what we’re talking about here is known in the business as ‘DAI’ – Dynamic Ad Insertion. This is a more intelligent way of relaying commercial content to users based on their habits, history, and interests.


Dollars Game

In a recent earnings call, Electronic Arts’ CEO spoke about the topic of injecting dynamic advertising into AAA games (without mentioning what games they’d be). He said:

Advertising has an opportunity to be a meaningful driver of growth for us. We have teams internally in the company right now looking at how we do very thoughtful implementations inside of our game experiences.

For the longest time, the concept of being shown advertisements in games has been a sticking point for the industry. Most recently, players have been taken aback by ‘invasive’ ads on certain platforms, with some deciding that sudden, full-screen commercials are a good idea. Typically, advertisements in games are confined to billboards, posters, and product placement opportunities, such as the Monster Energy beverages that can be guzzled in Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding.

However, paired with the intelligence of DAI, users could very well see targeted ads appearing in their games soon. It’s considered by some as a natural progression of the industry, as ad revenue makes up a staggering income stream for many verticals, and this is just another way that publishers and developers could lean on them to secure more sweet dollars.


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Comments

17 comments

  • Microsoft should just buy them already after this whole situation they need to buy EA and Take Two as well they need massive successes not minor.

    • Honestly it would be the right move Microsoft could figure out a better way to implement ads in games also with all those teams under 1 roof finally move away from AAA single player games move more into F2P live-service and offer single player content for a fee like DLC.

    • If they want live service that’s the way to go. The annual sports games would sell Game Pass just do that instead and it works out way better with a discounted rate for DLC if you have Game Pass or the occasional free DLC through Game Pass.

  • Microsoft buy EA and make up for the studio closures you just made. Give them the games like Halo and Perfect Dark also just bring back Dead Space 2 remake and everyone will be quiet.

      • That could be cool and if they made a MMO of The Simpsons with in game advertisements in the games maps it would work way better for this whole thing they want to do.

    • This would be something for them I mean they need to have them take over the troubled games for sure though. Perfect Dark, Halo, Fable, potentially Gears those all need to be overhauled. Forza games also gone down the drain and need help. If they could get Motive back to remake Dead Space 2 and confirm it from day 1 of the acquisition they would repair some of the bad will they’ve created.

    • Microsoft really needs the help and experience and Repawn devs know what they’re doing the head of Respawn could replace the booty guy. Microsoft buying EA is needed.

  • I’d be ok with it if it was f2p games and if it meant certain franchises could come back like a open world SSX and Def Jam also NBA Street but all have to be f2p.

    • Yeah it could work better there these guys are just really out of touch. If this was Def Jam for sure it has a better chance than another Battlefield which is almost always a flop now.

    • Exactly this has to be done in franchises people really want because EA really doesn’t have much. If they still have The Simpsons license and maybe can get some of the other Fox animation stuff make like a big MMO and have various background product placements all over the place like Coke and etc. Def Jam would be prefect I mean maybe call it something else like Verzuz or Lyrical Lemonade and just have things like that in the background like rap snacks, Cheetos, Taki’s, Supreme, Nike, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, etc. and the brands would fit in the customization of the game for outfits. Honestly I don’t know why they don’t do it here instead of the way they implement it. If EA had their own GTA it could work there too like buy a soda for health and billboards all over and then even more in the online mode and special online missions sponsored by said brand. Back in the 90’s and 2000’s companies were way better at this and had better products too like Surge, Wonder Ball, Mtn Dew Pitch Black, Wonka chocolate, Swoops, Lunchables snacks, 7 Eleven, Coke Icee, everything was done so much better back then Pepsiman is remembered more than this modern crap same with Crystal Pepsi or McDonalds VHS tapes these were all better. These companies don’t learn my assumption is the millennial execs feed this crap because they don’t know how to implement it.

  • If you’re going to do this and hope for success do it for a game people have been dying for a return of like Def Jam or NBA Street for Def Jam it would 100% do well with the first game because people want it back. Maybe charge more down the line for ad-free like a pass or something.

  • EA bring back Thrill Kill please!!! Get the porn companies and girls to back it Brazzers, PornHub, Bang Bros, Naughty America, Only Fans, etc. I mean Bang Bros has millions to spend it would be amazing or do a fighting game like DOA but with those girls in it get their likenesses and advertise the porn companies merch like crazy in those games. Mia Khalifa DLC could be crazy and Sky Bri

  • This has to be for an IP that people love like a long dormant one with a huge following I see Def Jam here that would be perfect I see Thrill Kill that could work like horror movies and shows especially could use it for promotion guest characters and stages to advertise. The Simpsons Hit N Run remade but add a GTA Online mode and DLC from the other Fox shows and its great promotion for Disney.

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