EA wants studios to start planning for in-game ads during development

Q: How did EA’s head of advertising, Alexander Dao, describe when studios should incorporate ads into game development?

Alexander Dao said developers should start factoring in-game ads into a title's design from the earliest stages of development, rather than bolting them on after launch. He also called planning for ads during production a "massive opportunity" for EA and the wider industry.

Q: How does the article link EA’s push for in-game ads to its $55 billion go-private deal?

The article notes the timing is "suspicious" because EA launched a new EA Advertising division as it works through its roughly $55 billion move to go private. It argues private equity ownership tends to demand more aggressive revenue streams, implying the push to bake ads into game design is motivated by the buyout's focus on extracting more revenue.

Q: What concerns does the article raise about game design being influenced by ad placements?

The article raises concern that designing games around ads from the start could let ad placements dictate map layouts, pacing, or even what content gets built, rather than being an afterthought. It warns this would be another step in monetization creep, ads becoming a new lever alongside lootboxes and live-service grinding, and notes EA offered no reassurance that ads would be optional. The timing around EA going private also makes the push to bake ads into design feel financially motivated rather than player-focused.

EA's ad chief says studios should design games with in-game ads in mind, a move that suspiciously lines up with EA's $55 billion private equity buyout.

VIEW GALLERY - 6

Hassam Nasir

Tech Reporter

Published Jul 16, 2026 4:05 PM CDT

1 minute & 45 seconds read time

TL;DR: EA's advertising chief says studios should design games with in-game ads from the start, framing it as an industry opportunity. Critics note EA's history of embedded ads, recent ad division launch amid a $55 billion go-private effort, and worry ads will be baked into level design and monetization.

Voice: Hassam NasirSpeed

0:00 / 3:23

In a big surprise to no one, it turns out EA wants studios to design games around ads from day one, because of course it does. In an interview with The Game Business, EA's head of advertising, Alexander Dao, said developers should start factoring in-game ads into a title's design from the earliest stages of development, rather than bolting them on after launch.

When asked directly whether studios should be planning for ads during production, Dao called it a massive opportunity, not just for EA, but for the wider industry. He also pushed back on Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick's stance that interstitial ads have no place in $80 games, arguing that ads can work in any title regardless of price.

EA wants studios to start planning for in-game ads during development 4

VIEW GALLERY - 6 IMAGES

None of this should shock anyone who has watched EA operate for the last decade. This is a company that pioneered stadium billboard ads in its sports titles years ago, slapped ads into Battlefield 4 loading screens, and turned Star Wars: Battlefront II into a case study lawmakers still cite when talking about predatory monetization. Calling it an "opportunity" is corporate-speak for finding new ways to squeeze money out of a purchase that gamers already paid for.

EA wants studios to start planning for in-game ads during development 3

The timing is quite suspicious, too. EA opened its new EA Advertising division last month, built around dynamic ad placements and user-generated content, right as the company works through its roughly $55 billion move to go private. Private equity ownership tends to demand more aggressive revenue streams, so that makes sense.

EA wants studios to start planning for in-game ads during development 2

What would this actually look like? Probably less like a jarring commercial break and more like billboards, loading screens, and branded objects baked directly into level design, the kind of thing EA Sports titles already do. The difference is that designing for it from the start means ad placements could start dictating map layouts, pacing, or even what gets built at all, instead of being an afterthought slapped on top.

EA wants studios to start planning for in-game ads during development 5

Community reaction to this will likely mirror the Battlefront II backlash, just quieter and more resigned. Gamers have spent years pushing back against monetization creep, and mostly losing. Xbox has floated similar ideas recently, though its CSO has been careful to frame ads as optional access rather than something forced onto players. EA offered no such reassurance here, and their recent fiasco with invasive microtransactions in College Football 27 does little to increase my confidence.

EA wants studios to start planning for in-game ads during development 6

Frequently Asked Questions

TweakBot answers common questions about this news using TweakTown's own coverage from this page and related content from our archive. Tap a question to reveal the answer, or type your own below.

Question #1

What examples from EA’s past does the article cite to show the company’s history with in-game ads and monetization?

The article cites EA pioneering stadium billboard ads in its sports titles and placing ads in Battlefield 4 loading screens. It also points to Star Wars: Battlefront II as a case study lawmakers still cite for predatory monetization and mentions EA’s recent invasive microtransactions in College Football 27. The piece also notes EA’s broader reliance on lootboxes and live-service grinding as part of its monetization history.

Answered

Question #2

How did EA’s head of advertising, Alexander Dao, describe when studios should incorporate ads into game development?

Question #3

How does the article link EA’s push for in-game ads to its $55 billion go-private deal?

Question #4

What concerns does the article raise about game design being influenced by ad placements?

Have a question not listed here? Ask below and TweakBot will answer it.

To me, this feels less like a bold new opportunity and more like an admission that EA's business model already leans on lootboxes and live-service grinding, and that ads are just the next lever to pull. Nobody should be surprised. That's kind of the point.