EA Launches In-Game Advertising Placements

Electronic Arts (EA) has announced the launch of EA Advertising, a new platform that allows brands to create in-game ad placements. 

EA has said that these placements are designed to “enhance, not disrupt,” the player experience, and will give advertisers access to “highly engaged sports audiences at scale”.

In fiscal year 2026, EA reached more than 120 million players each month – with fans of EA SPORTS playing more than 1 billion matches each month in EA SPORTS FC. 

“Players come to EA’s games and live experiences every day to play, watch, create and connect,” says David Tinson, Chief Experiences Officer at Electronic Arts. “That gives brands a meaningful opportunity to show up in ways that add value and respect the player experience, while maintaining authenticity in the worlds our teams are building. 

“With EA Advertising, we’re helping brands become part of those moments in ways that are relevant and built for players.”

The decision to introduce in-game advertising follows news that EA is in the process of being acquired for US$55bn by Silver Lake Partners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Affinity Partners. 

This acquisition would become the second most valuable gaming purchase ever – falling just behind Microsoft's US$69bn deal to buy Activision Blizzard, publisher of Call of Duty. 

New ways for brands to reach audiences

As part of the launch of EA Advertising, the company is introducing new ways for brands to reach audiences. 

This will include custom integrations that have been designed for specific games, such as in-game challenges and branded content, with companies having the option to opt in to customisations like curated vanity items. These integrations are designed to up engagement, reflecting how fans naturally interact with the game. 

Brands will also have access to native ad units in EA SPORTS games, using digital ad boards and scoreboards, and be able to collaborate with EA to improve targeting and gain deeper campaign insight. The company has said that it will ensure that all ads are viewable, delivered to real audiences and measured using industry-accredited standards. 

The EA SPORTS partner programme 

Alongside EA Advertising, the company is introducing a new model for how brands can participate with sports culture through its EA SPORTS partner programme. This, EA says, will move beyond traditional sponsorship towards “co-created fan experiences built in, around and beyond the game”.

There are three levels of EA’s partner programme: Franchise, for brands looking to build partnerships around specific franchises, Experience, designed to build collaboration across multiple titles and Premier, for companies seeking what EA calls “deep, strategic collaboration,” across global markets. 

This gives companies access to live events, in-game integrations, live service activations and community-driven programmes. 

It also extends to broader cultural and athlete-driven initiatives, such as GEN / EA SPORTS, the company’s athlete platform. 

EA has already partnered with companies such as Vida, Lowe’s Red Bull and Mountain Dew, creating participatory experiences, branded player content, athlete collaborations and new, playable experiences.