Electronic Arts (EA) is set to significantly expand its in-game advertising business. The company announced today (the 16th) that it has established a dedicated 'EA Advertising Team' to enhance the efficiency of in-game marketing efforts.

The new team aims to go beyond simple banner ads by expanding into formats that integrate naturally with gameplay. Until now, in-game advertising has primarily relied on methods that disrupt the player experience, such as loading screens, pause menus, and various UI banners. In contrast, EA plans to introduce new ad formats that maximize effectiveness without interfering with the gaming experience.

As a prime example, EA highlighted a model using its sports series. The company explained that it has redesigned its proprietary Frostbite engine to include a dedicated advertising SDK, stating, "Advertisers can use this to deploy native 3D ad units—such as digital stadium billboards or broadcast-style overlays—without compromising the core gameplay experience." In simpler terms, this means brands could be displayed naturally within the game, much like how advertisements appear on real-life stadium boards in the 'EA FC' series.

However, the reaction from gamers has been cold. The primary grievance is that players are already paying for the games themselves, as well as console hardware and online service subscriptions, and now feel they are being forced to watch ads on top of that. One gamer criticized the move, saying, "I pay for the console, I pay for the game, and I pay for online services—now I'm being forced to watch ads, too." Other negative reactions have followed, with comments such as, "I'm never playing an EA game again," and "Ads don't enhance the gaming experience; they only get in the way."

EA has finally put in-game advertising at the forefront of its strategy to boost profitability. The industry is now watching closely to see if the move can overcome user backlash and establish itself as a viable new revenue model.