Electronic Arts bets that in-game ads can out-earn CTV

July 03, 2026 To make in-game ads stick, EA has built its own stack rather than rent one. Now it wants to shape the standards before anyone else does. Execs are betting that gaming is the next big ad medium after social, CTV and retail media. Advertisement OTHER THINGS TO KNOW Join industry peers in NYC on July 23 for a live recording of The Independence Podcast featuring Crossmedia CEO and Co-founder Kamran Asghar and Digiday Senior Editor Michael Burgi, plus drinks and networking after the conversation. Become a Digiday+ member to attend. Programmatic buying has long relied on a combination of identity-based and contextual signals to guide decisions, but the latter has often been applied more narrowly. Partner insights from Seedtag. Brands that invest in creative marketing outperform the competition and grow. Apple, known for its creativity, consistently reports remarkable growth, like a 36% increase in monthly engagement on Apple TV. Partner insights from Cannes Lions. TOP STORY Gaming & Esports Electronic Arts is betting that in-game ads can out-earn CTV To make in-game ads stick, EA has built its own stack rather than rent one. Now it wants to shape the standards before anyone else does. ICYMI The Programmatic Publisher Amazon expands media footprint with iHeart sales deal and new TV outcome tool  Amazon is deepening its role in streaming advertising with an expanded iHeartMedia sales deal and outcome-based TV buying technology. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM CELTRA Live session: Tools and tech needed for highly regulated industries Register for this webinar on Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. ET for insights into how fast-moving, highly regulated industries — Crypto.com and OG — pulled off campaigns at speed, from brand launch to major sporting moments. Strategizing for the Future OpenX hunts new CEO after parting ways with Matt Sattel as chief executive The ad tech company is switching leaders, ending the current CEO’s five-month term in office. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM PATIENTPOINT Solving unique audience challenges in health and wellness With fragmented attention and trust that’s hard to earn, it’s difficult to capture engagement among health and wellness audiences. The right programmatic strategy, however, allows brands to reach qualified audiences at the right moments. Advertisement DIGIDAY+ Member exclusive Future of Marketing Briefing: Why Bose is building an entertainment company Bose has a new entertainment division. Its CMO hasn’t used a creative agency in five years. The two things are related. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM CLINCH How a unified system unlocks an AI advantage In advertising, AI without infrastructure is just noise. But in a unified system with connected workflows, AI acts in an organized, accountable way, and signals build to create a meaningful advantage. ICYMI The Creator Economy ‘A Super Bowl every two days’: Inside Unilever’s 50,000-creator World Cup play 50,000 creators activated globally, massive in-person pop-ups in host cities, and more are all part of Unilever’s World Cup creator push. Written by Jim Cooper and Sara Jerde Were you forwarded this email? Sign up to get it daily. Advertise | Digiday+ | Events | Awards Update your email | Unsubscribe | Privacy policy