Industry Leaders Discuss the Growing Role of Advertising in Games
At the GamesBeat Insider Series: Brands & Game in New York City, marketers and gaming executives discussed how advertising may expand within video games. Participants included former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé and Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, with panels addressing brand partnerships and industry sustainability.
At an invitation-only New York event in the GamesBeat Brands & Game series, speakers included Reggie Fils-Aimé, Strauss Zelnick, Shahar Sorek, Carol Reed, Bryce Showalter, and host Alex Lee. Sponsor Overwolf supported panels on brand partnerships and gaming’s business sustainability after a turbulent period of closures and layoffs.
Panelists said players vary by device, mood, and context. Sorek compared gaming to music, where listeners seek different artists at different times, while Lindberg said humans—not one uniform audience—play games. Advertising, they suggested, must complement play and provide value instead of interrupting it.
If ads become more common in games, players across consoles, PCs, and mobile could encounter more branded content, which may shape attention and spending habits, especially among younger audiences. Developers and publishers might gain new revenue streams, potentially supporting projects amid layoffs, but poorly integrated ads may erode trust or immersion. Brands could reach engaged communities more precisely, while regulators and parents may watch for transparency and consent concerns. The outcome likely depends on whether ads feel useful and respectful rather than intrusive.