EA Ads Lead Outlines Future of In-Game Ads Across EA’s Biggest Franchises

Journalist Christopher Dring at The Game Business sat down with Alexander Dao, Head of EA Ads, to discuss how EA is re-evaluating the role of in-game ads across its franchises. The interview focused on where ads make sense, how player feedback is shaping strategy, the need for change withing the gaming sector, and why EA believes the industry is entering a new phase where advertising can support development without disrupting play.

Dao's comments give players a clearer picture on how EA Ads sees the future, with a combined player and data-led strategy.

Gaming's Changing Landscape

Mobile gaming has normalised advertising to the point where it's a part of how the platform works. Free-to-play titles rely on t, and players have come to expect it. Console and PC gamingsit in a different space entirely. When you pause a movie or TV show on Amazon Prime, you'll often see sponsored products appear on screen. You don't see anything like that when you pause a console or PC game, and this gap is what the gaming industry, and EA specifically, are looking to fill.

Before the interview, Dring talks about Matthew Ball's report 'The State of Video Gaming in 2026', an insight into the chnaging landscape within the industry, with a focus on revenue streams including ad revenue. According to Ball, there are five major areas of growth:

Ball highlights spots games, using NBA 2K as an example.
"2K said last year that 2.5 billion games of NBA 2K are played a year. I don't know what 2K is thinking, but EAs team's are working on ad deployments. If we think very basically, that's 2.5 billion games that were match made and have some loading screens. That's such an extraordinary amount of inventory. Would Ford Mustang or The Avnegers or Old Spice pay some pretty sum for that inventory with a targeted valuable audience? Of course."

EA's Position on the Future

Alexander Dao kept the conversation focused on how EA is approaching advertising inside its games. He didn’t talk about rolling ads into every franchise. He spent most of the interview explaining where ads feel natural and where they don’t. Sports titles were his clearest example, because they already mirror real‑world environments that include advertising. Anything outside that space needs careful handling.

Dao said the industry is in a different place now. The tools for measuring player behaviour have improved, and publishers have a better sense of how people respond to different formats. Even with that, he stressed that EA won’t move ahead unless players show they’re comfortable. He described ads as something that relies on trust over time, not a quick way to boost revenue.

EA uses audience research to decide which brands make sense inside its games. Dao pointed to surveys and player feedback as the main way they choose partners. The Sims’ collaboration with Coach was one example. Players had already shown interest in fashion‑focused content, and the brand fit the style of the game without disrupting play. EA sees this kind of data as the guide for any future partnerships, especially if advertising becomes more common across its franchises.

How This Impacts The Sims 4 and Future Titles

Dao didn’t suggest that The Sims is about to become a testing ground for new ad formats. He spoke about ads in places where they already feel natural, and The Sims doesn’t fall into that category. The game doesn’t mirror real‑world environments in the same way sports titles do (Stadiums plastered with Advertisements) , and players treat it as a creative space rather than a broadcast space. That makes intrusive formats unlikely.

What EA Ads will continue doing is using player research to decide which brands fit the world of The Sims. Dao pointed to surveys and audience studies as the main way they choose partners. The Coach collaboration was the example he used. Players had already shown interest in fashion‑focused content, and the brand matched the tone of the game. EA sees this type of partnership as the model for The Sims going forward. If ads appear, they will be tied to content players have asked for, not placements that interrupt building or storytelling. the interview made it clear that any advertising inside the game will depend on player appetite and the fit of the brand.

EA Ads is watching the franchise closely, but only to understand what players respond to, not to introduce formats that would change how the game feels. This is not to say experimental ideas won't be tried with the release of titles such as Project X.

Watch the Interview In Full

Christopher Dring's interview with Head of EA Ads Alexander Dao can be wathced in full over on The Game Business, and further writing from Dring can be found on his Substack.

You can also find Matthew Ball's "The State of Video Gaming in 2026" presentation on Epyllion (Linked below).

What are your thoughts on the changing gaming landscape? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned to Sims Community for all the latest on Electronic Arts.