 |
| Gaming has become one of the most engaging forms of modern media, holding attention in ways other platforms cannot. |
By Jon Scarr
Gaming is no longer being treated as a side platform by advertisers.
That shift was on full display at CES 2026, where discussions around media and attention focused less on reach and more on engagement. During an ADWEEK House session, Microsoft Advertising’s Jonathan Stringfield spoke about how games are now being viewed as one of the most valuable places to connect with audiences, not because of scale, but because of focus.
When people play games, they are actually paying attention.
Games Hold Focus in a Way Other Media Doesn’t
Unlike social media or streaming, games demand full participation. You are not passively watching or scrolling while something runs in the background. You are making decisions, reacting, and staying engaged moment to moment.
That level of focus has become rare. Stringfield pointed out that this is what makes gaming so appealing to advertisers. Attention has become harder to earn across most platforms, but games still command it naturally.
For players, this is obvious. For advertisers, it is something they are only now starting to fully understand.
Why In-Game Advertising Often Misses the Mark
The challenge is that games are also quick to punish anything that feels forced.
Pop-ups, intrusive branding, or awkward placements break immersion instantly. Players notice, and once the experience feels artificial, it is hard to recover from.
Stringfield used Call of Duty as an example. In a realistic urban environment, seeing a real brand on a billboard can actually make the world feel more believable. It fits the setting and does not interrupt gameplay.
When branding feels natural, players accept it. When it does not, it stands out in the worst way.
 |
| (L–R) Microsoft Advertising’s Jonathan Stringfield and ADWEEK CEO Will Lee at ADWEEK House during CES 2026. |
Subtlety Matters More Than Scale
One of the clearest takeaways from the CES 2026 discussion is that games do not work like other forms of media.
You cannot simply drop in ads and expect results. What works instead is restraint. Placement has to make sense. Timing matters. The experience always comes first.
This is why advertising in games is shifting away from volume and toward fit. The goal is not to be everywhere. The goal is to belong.
Games Are Being Taken Seriously
The bigger takeaway goes beyond advertising.
Games are now being recognized as places where people spend real time, attention, and energy. That puts them in the same category as film, television, and social platforms, with one key difference.
Games require participation. That changes how brands approach them, how developers think about integration, and how the industry talks about reach and engagement. It also explains why gaming continues to show up in broader media conversations year after year.
Advertisers are finally catching up to what players have known for a long time. Games are not just entertainment. They are spaces people actively spend time in. And that makes them impossible to ignore.
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments are moderated. Please stay respectful and on topic.