Electronic Arts (EA) is planning to add more advertisements to its games. Running ads between games is a tradition at EA, but this time the company seems to view in-game ads as a bigger part of its business growth. At the same time, EA said that it does not want ads to spoil the gaming experience.
According to the company executives, the company is still exploring the idea. However, EA advertising person Alexander Dao mentioned that any advertising seeking to be featured in an EA game must fit naturally into the game.
EA also made it clear that it is not planning to fill games with pop-up ads or anything that gets in the way of gameplay. Regarding this, Dao has mentioned, “You're playing the game, and it feels like you're at a live match. It makes the experience so much more authentic than if random brands were showing up, or just the EA Sports logo was showing up.”
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Additionally, he stated, “If done appropriately, with the right brand, right title, understanding what the players ultimately want, it can drive that type of experience. But it is a bit nuanced, title by title, to make sure that you're getting it right.”
The gaming business has also changed over the last few years. Many players now spend months or even years in the same live-service games. Thus, publishers no longer depend only on selling copies of a game. They also earn money through battle passes, downloadable content, subscriptions, and in-game purchases. Advertising could become another source of revenue.
EA already includes real-world brands in some of its sports games through stadium signs and sponsorships. The company is now looking at whether similar ideas could work in more games without making players feel like they are watching advertisements. For now, the company is well aware of the fact that if advertising makes games less enjoyable, it will not be the right approach.