Advertising in console and PC games from EA and Tencent will become opt-in and skippable

SimulMedia, the company that’s partnering with EA and Tencent to get ads in PC and console games this year, says the system will be opt-in and any ad will be skippable. EA is testing the system in NHL 21, among other things.

The system is called PlayerWON and will appear in more than ten games before the end of the year, wrote Axios earlier this week. SimulMedia, which has traditionally been involved in TV commercials, has recently spoken out about what commercials in games should look like. According to the company advertisements in games should always be opt-in and skippable and should be able to earn in-game items.

SimulMedia founder Dave Morgan believes that simply showing TV commercials on YouTube in-game is not enough. “If advertisers want to be welcome in gaming environments, they need to treat them like the Oscars or the Super Bowl: they need to create ads that are highly relevant where they’re shown, as well as being fun and memorable.”

Morgan said earlier on Mediapost that EA is testing the system with NHL, while there is a test has run in Smite. According to Morgan is the integration of commercials in games important, because advertisers no longer reach groups of young users via TV. It is unknown whether the ads will only be seen in the US or will also come to Europe.

Smite advertising system, early 2021