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electronic arts

Electronic Arts Launches EA Advertising to Bring Brands Directly Into Gameplay

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Electronic Arts unveiled a new advertising platform Monday that will allow brands to place marketing directly inside its games, introducing a system designed to make advertising part of the gameplay experience itself.

The company announced the launch of EA Advertising in a press release, describing it as an expansion of its ecosystem that enables brands to connect with players through real-time, in-game integrations and custom experiences. The launch also places EA’s in-game advertising efforts under a newly created division focused on brand partnerships.

“Players come to EA’s games and live experiences every day to play, watch, create and connect,” said 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.”

Under the new initiative, advertisers can work directly with EA to develop experiences tailored to specific games and communities. Those opportunities include in-game challenges, branded content, reward-based objectives and custom vanity items.

Advertising placements can appear in forms that mirror real-world marketing environments, including digital ad boards, stadium signage, scoreboards and branded broadcast overlays.

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Rather than existing outside gameplay, the advertisements are intended to become integrated elements within the games themselves. EA’s advertising website highlights opportunities primarily within its sports franchises, including EA Sports FC and Madden NFL, while also showcasing examples tied to The Sims and Skate.

The move comes as EA’s gaming audience continues to grow. According to the company, its games reached more than 120 million players each month in 2026. Players collectively log the equivalent of 23,000 NFL seasons every day in Madden NFL and complete more than 1 billion matches each month in EA SPORTS FC.

EA claims that its intention is to provide brands with opportunities to engage audiences through authentic, interactive experiences, describing its games as spaces where players not only play but also watch and connect with one another.

In addition to the advertising platform, EA announced the launch of the EA SPORTS Partner Program, which gives brands access to one of the world’s most engaged sports communities.

The program offers opportunities ranging from live events and player-driven programs to creator tools, social play experiences, live-service activations, and in-game integrations. The program also includes opportunities for official partners to take part in events such as the Madden Bowl and the annual Madden ratings reveal.

The initiative will also extend to broader cultural and athlete-focused efforts through GEN / EA SPORTS, its platform aimed at shaping future sports storytelling and fan participation.

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Advertisers will also be able to collaborate with EA using the company’s new proprietary ad server, which it said allows brands to improve audience targeting and gain deeper campaign insights in a privacy-safe manner.

The platform also includes a software development kit meant to support more advanced ad-targeting capabilities. EA said the platform is designed to ensure advertisements are viewable, delivered to real audiences and measured according to industry-accredited standards.

The company said these measurement capabilities are being provided in partnership with Integral Ad Science.

EA has previously worked with several major brands to create in-game experiences, including Visa, Lowe’s, Red Bull, Xfinity, Peacock and Mountain Dew. According to EA, those partnerships have already produced branded team kits, in-game objectives and broadcast integrations.

The company also reported net revenue of more than $7.5 billion in its fiscal year 2026 financial report.

Last year, EA announced that it would become a private company following its acquisition by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners in an all-cash transaction valued at $55 billion.

teens

Teenagers Who Are Addicted To Their Screens Are More Likely To Have Emotional And Behavioral Issues 

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According to new research, teenagers who show signs of being addicted to their phones, social media, and/or video games are at a much greater risk of dealing with emotional issues and suicidal behavior. 

In a recent study published in the journal Jama, more than 4,000 adolescents were tracked for four years. It found that about one in three teenagers reported increasingly addictive use of social media and smart phones. Those who were on that increasingly addictive track had about double the risk of suicidal behavior towards the end of the four years. 

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While screen time wasn’t directly linked to the mental health issues that arose, the compulsive and addictive nature of smart phone use paralleled the increase in risk. 

“For parents and educators, the discussion around mobile phones and social media has focused on limiting or banning use, but our results indicate more complex factors are involved,” Dr Yunyu Xiao, an assistant professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine and first author of the study, said. 

“Testing interventions that work against other types of addiction may be one way to approach this type of social media and mobile phone use.”

Mental health problems in younger people have been on the rise consistently, and the increase in advanced technology has fueled that rise. 

Within the study, the researchers were specifically looking for signs of “addictive use” when it came to the youths’ connection to their devices. These signs included the smart devices impeding on their ability to focus on school, exercise, and withdrawal symptoms when they were without their devices. 

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For mobile phones, around half of the kids reported highly addictive use from the beginning of the study and remained at a high level through their early adolescence. 41% of children had high or increasingly addictive use of social media, which was associated with having a two to three times greater risk of suicidal ideation/behavior. 

“There are many factors that would induce addictive feelings, such as the designs of the social media or video games, some kids may also experience bullying and more adverse childhood that they find using phones more comfortable, but later they cannot stop using it,” Xiao said.

“We do not know if just taking away access will help, unless it is taking away access 24/7, because we know from studies of addiction management that partial access can quickly reinforce the addiction,” he said.

Professor Amy Orben, who leads the Digital Mental Health Group at the University of Cambridge, said while the study could not fully prove that technology use caused mental health problems, it spotlights a very important issue that has been growing since the start of the digital age. 

“The study importantly highlights that why and how young people use technologies, and how they feel technologies affect their lives, may matter more to their mental health than the time spent online,” she said.

“As those reporting such issues are not a small proportion of the population, supporting them should be taken seriously.”

grand theft auto

Vice City Reignites: ‘GTA VI’ Trailer Teases Crime, Chaos, and a 2026 Launch

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Gamers eagerly awaiting “Grand Theft Auto VI” will have to practice a bit more patience, as Rockstar Games has just unveiled a brand-new trailer after recently announcing a postponed release date, now set for May 26, 2026.

The trailer for the much-anticipated sequel offers fans an extensive sneak peek into the chaotic, adrenaline-fueled adventures awaiting them in the next iteration of the franchise. Central to the narrative are dual protagonists Jason and Lucia, a daring couple whose turbulent lives set the stage for plenty of classic “Grand Theft Auto” mayhem.

Set in Leonida, a fictional state heavily inspired by Florida, the trailer depicts lush palm trees, glistening beaches, and vibrant urban chaos, creating the perfect backdrop for the franchise’s characteristic escapades.

One notable highlight from the trailer is the return to Vice City, the iconic locale reminiscent of Miami, which served as the setting for the beloved “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” back in 2002. The familiar neon-lit streets and pulsating nightlife promise nostalgic thrills revived by modern graphics.

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According to Rockstar Games’ official plot description, Jason and Lucia are partners not just in crime but in life, whose ambitions put them on a collision course with danger.

“Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive,”

The preview sets a cinematic stage for their Bonnie and Clyde-esque storyline. It begins with Jason, shirtless and working on repairs at a dilapidated beach house. The action then quickly escalates when he drives to pick up Lucia, who has just been released from prison. But first, he makes a spontaneous stop to rob a convenience store, briefly works out at a sun-soaked spot on the beach, and buys a six-pack of beer before the couple eventually reunites.

Their relationship reignited, Jason and Lucia waste no time diving back into a flurry of criminal activities. The trailer showcases their audacious antics: holding up businesses, exchanging gunfire with agitated police officers, orchestrating bank heists, and indulging in leisure activities such as high-speed jet skiing. The nightlife of Vice City serves as a colorful and chaotic playground where the protagonists let loose amidst vibrant clubs filled with music and excitement.

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Although an official release date had not been previously announced, Rockstar Games’ parent company, Take-Two Interactive, had repeatedly hinted at a fall release this year. The recent postponement to spring 2026 marks a significant shift in plans.

Rockstar addressed fans directly about the delay, emphasizing their commitment to quality.

“With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ is no exception. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve.”

As anticipation builds, the gaming community remains buzzing with speculation and excitement, dissecting details from the trailer as they count down to May 2026. GTA fans are accustomed to waiting. More than ten years have passed since the first release of Grand Theft Auto V, which has now sold over 200 million copies and has been released on several platforms.

As of right now, the game is set to be released on console only, and Switch 2 and PC support are still unknown. Fans believe a PC version will eventually be sold based on how Rockstar Games has previously rolled out their titles.

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Nintendo Hits Pause on U.S. Switch 2 Pre-Orders Amid Trump Tariff Turmoil

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Nintendo has indefinitely postponed pre-orders in the United States for its highly anticipated Switch 2 gaming console following the Trump administration’s announcement of significant new tariffs on imported goods.

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roblox

Roblox CEO Says Parents Should Take Their Kids Off The Platform If They’re Uncomfortable

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Roblox chief executive David Baszucki said that the platform prides itself on their commitment to safety and protecting its users despite reports of bullying and grooming. However, for the parents who are worried about their kids being on the site, Baszucki stated they should just not let them use it.

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SAG AFTRA

Video Game Actors’ Union Calls For Strike Against ‘League Of Legends’ Sound Company 

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The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) are calling for a strike against “League of Legends” due to the sound company Formosa Interactive’s attempt to get around the ongoing video game strike by hiring non-union actors to work on an unrelated video game title. 

According to the Associated Press, SAG-AFTRA said Formosa tried to cancel the unnamed video game shortly after the strike began. The union also stated when Formosa learned it could not cancel the game, the company “secretly transferred the game to a shell company and sent out casting notices for ‘non-union’ talent only.” 

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SAG-AFTRA responded to this action by unanimously voting to file an unfair labor practice charge against the company along with the National Labor Relations Board to call for a strike against “League of Legends” as a part of the charge. 

“It’s bad enough that Formosa and other companies are refusing to agree to the fair AI terms that have been agreed to by the film, television, streaming, and music industries, as well as more than 90 other game developers,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union’s national executive director. 

“To commit illegal unfair labor practices is beyond the pale and won’t be tolerated by SAG-AFTRA members.”

“League of Legends” is one of Formosa’s most-well known projects, as it provides voiceover services for the game. SAG-AFTRA is accusing Formosa of “interfering with protections that allow performers to form or join a union and prevent those performers from being discriminated against — a move the union called ‘egregious violations of core tenets of labor law,’” AP reported. 

“We believe the strike of ‘League of Legends,’ a game unrelated to the union’s claims, is not appropriate. We stand with developers, publishers, platform holders and talent to support global game development in a way that is safe and ethical for all,” said Paul Lipson, senior vice president of Formosa Group. 

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“This year’s record game industry layoffs, he added, lead to more companies outsourcing work to firms like Formosa, “which raises concerns about potential damage to reputations if these partners act unethically,” said Joost van Dreunen, author of “One Up: Creativity, Competition, and the Global Business of Video Games.”

“Even companies with strong reputations, like Riot Games—which is not at fault here—see their risks rise due to their partners’ actions. It forces publishers to ensure all their partners meet ethical standards to protect their brands,” he stated.

Riot Games, the developer of “League of Legends” stated that their company doesn’t have anything to do with SAG-AFTRA’s complaint. 

“We want to be clear: Since becoming a union project five years ago, ‘League of Legends’ has only asked Formosa to engage with union performers in the U.S. and has never once suggested doing otherwise. In addition, we’ve never asked Formosa to cancel a game that we’ve registered,” Riot said in a statement to AP. 

In response, Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee Chair Sarah Elmaleh stated that: “League of Legends is a game of champions. Instead of championing the union performers who bring their immense talent and experience to beloved characters, decision-makers at Formosa have chosen to try to evade and abandon them. Such double-dealing is very disappointing from a longtime committed union signatory.”

ai

Video Game Voice And Motion Actors Go On Strike Amid Rise In AI Technology 

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Members of the Screen Actors Guild are now striking against the video game industry after negotiations for a new contract that would govern interactive media and video games fell through. 

Part of these negotiations involved the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within video games. According to reports, the guild first began striking on Friday, July 26th, and now 160,000 SAG-AFTRA actors are prevented from taking on new video game projects. 

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Negotiations initially fell through due to multiple disagreements over worker protections in connection to the use of AI. SAG-AFTRA is responsible for negotiating the terms of the interactive media agreement (IMA) with a committee of video game publishers. 

These publishers include Activision, Take-Two, Insomniac Games, WB Games, and others representing a total of 30 signatory companies, according to reports from The Verge.  

While SAG-AFTRA and the groups were able to make agreements on a number of things, the use of AI in the industry has become a major point of debate, leading to the strike. 

For SAG-AFTRA, their position would be to control AI for both voice and motion performers in relation to digital replicas of an actor’s likeness, or utilizing existing performances as the foundation to create new voices or images without the need of the actual performer. 

According to SAG-AFTRA, there was a lot of disagreement regarding which type of performer should be eligible for AI protections. 

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The Verge reported that SAG-AFTRA chief contracts officer Ray Rodriguez said in an interview with Aftermath “the bargaining companies initially wanted to offer protections to voice, not motion performers. So anybody doing a stunt or creature performance, all those folks would have been left unprotected under the employers’ offer.”

“The companies later extended protections to motion performers, but only if the performer is identifiable in the output of the AI digital replica,” Rodriguez said.

“Their proposal would carve out anything that doesn’t look and sound identical to me,” said Andi Norris, a member of SAG-AFTRA’s IMA negotiating committee, during a press conference.

 “[The proposal] would leave movement specialists, including stunts, entirely out in the cold, to be replaced … by soulless synthetic performers trained on our actual performances.”

“Our offer is directly responsive to SAG-AFTRA’s concerns and extends meaningful AI protections that include requiring consent and fair compensation to all performers working under the IMA. These terms are among the strongest in the entertainment industry,” wrote Audrey Cooling, a representative working with the video game companies on the bargaining committee in a statement to The Verge.

cat

How The “Stray” Video Game Is Bringing Benefits To Real Life Felines

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A new feline-centered video game has not only made waves in the gaming community but has helped to contribute towards real-life rescue cats.

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Blizzard Workers Create First Union At A Big U.S. Video Game Company

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19 quality assurance workers at Raven Software, a division of American video game publisher Activision Blizzard, have successfully voted to unionize, marking the first labor union at a major U.S. video game company. Backed by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), three of the 21 total workers voted against the union.

Much of Raven Software’s work primarily comes on the numerous chapters of the renowned first-person shooter franchise “Call of Duty,” which includes “Black Ops Cold War,” “Warzone,” “Black Ops 2,” “Modern Warfare 3,” and “WWII.” Over the course of its history, “Call of Duty” has made more than $17 billion.

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The workers previously announced their intent to unionize back in December, which came days after Microsoft announced the purchasing of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, one of the largest acquisitions in tech history. The workers had been on strike protesting the layoff of 12 contractors.

Speaking to TechCrunch at the time, Raven Software quality assurance tester Onah Rongstad stated the layoffs came after a five-week stretch of “overtime, consistent work.” That period of work, referred to in the industry as a “crunch,” can cause burnout and stress.

With the creation of the union — now known as the Game Workers Alliance — workers can now bargain with their employer to circumvent those crunches of unexpected layoffs. While Activision Blizzard spokesperson Jessica Taylor told The Verge the company respected the employees’ right to unionize, her choice words showed Blizzard has undeniable issues with the procedure.

“We respect and believe in the right of all employees to decide whether or not to support or vote for a union. We believe that an important decision that will impact the entire Raven Software studio of roughly 350 people should not be made by 19 Raven employees.”

Meanwhile, the Game Workers Alliance stated it hopes the unionization will serve as an inspiration to the growing movement of video game workers to “create better games and build workplaces that reflect our values and empower all of us.”

Along from “Call of Duty,” Activision Blizzard’s collection of premiere video game franchises include Diablo, Crash Bandicoot, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft, which possesses around 4.8 million users. Of course, the long-running and well-established properties fail to hide Activision Blizzard’s less-than-stellar history of employee treatment.

In July of 2021, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) filed suit against the company for 10 violations of state employment law. According to the DFEH, Activision Blizzard “discriminated against female employees in terms and conditions of employment, including compensation, assignment, promotion, termination, constructive discharge, and retaliation.”

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The DFEH also found that Activision Blizzard’s female employees were subjected to sexual harassment, while the company’s leadership failed to take action against or prevent the unlawful discrimination and harassment.

According to the lawsuit, among the harassment female World of Warcraft workers were forced to endure included unwanted advances from fellow male workers, derogatory comments about rape, and overall demeaning behavior.

Since that time, Activision Blizzard has attempted to polish its reputation and work environment by hiring 1,000 game testers as full-time employees — increasing the company’s workforce by 25% — along with boosting the minimum salary of those workers to $20 an hour.

Tesla Logo on Trunk

Tesla Drivers Playing Video Games Raises Safety Questions

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As cars become more advanced, they offer greater utilities and features. The catch is that some of these upgrades appear to be putting their drivers in harm’s way. According to the New York Times, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into Tesla drivers being able to play video games while in motion after the matter was raised by a complaint.

Tesla drivers being able to play video games on their dashboard touch screen isn’t new. Previously, drivers could play video games if they were stationary. An over-the-air software update released last summer changed that restriction.

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According to The Verge, the Tesla 3 model allows users to play “Sky Force Reloaded,” “Solitaire,” and “The Battle of Polytopia.” The site noted that while the Tesla asks if the user is in motion before playing the game, it doesn’t take any measures to ensure their answer is the correct one. A driver can easily lie and play the game while on the road.

Speaking with the Associated Press, Vince Patton — a retired journalist and Tesla owner who filed the complaint — explained that even if a passenger is playing the game, it can still be distracting to the driver because the game takes up two-thirds of the screen. Patton also said that drivers frequently use the games while their cars are being recharged.

In an email, an NHTSA spokeswoman noted the administration is currently talking with Tesla — though the conversations were not discussed in depth — and that laws prohibit the selling of vehicles with design flaws that can put drivers in danger.

“We are aware of driver concerns and are discussing the feature with the manufacturer. The Vehicle Safety Act prohibits manufacturers from selling vehicles with design defects posing unreasonable risks to safety.”

In 2019, 3,142 people were killed due to distracted driving, which was 8.7% of all fatalities. That was a 9.9% increase from 2018.

When it comes to famous pairings, Tesla and safety might not quite be in that group. In June, the Models 3 and Y lost their IIHS “top safety picks plus” designations. Tesla released a “Safety Score” feature as part of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software back in September, which in theory is a way to incentivize and gamify safe driving. The safety score monitors a driver’s braking, turning, how many times a collision warning is activated, and tailgating.

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However, according to Consumer Reports, attempting to avoid “hard brakes” could make drivers fail to make a complete stops for pedestrians or go right through intersections. Tesla stated that data shows the features improves driver safety.

The “self-driving” aspect also poses serious concerns. A Model Y driver filed a complaint with the NHTSA, stating that the vehicle took control, went into the wrong lane, and crashed on Nov. 3 while in FSD mode. Tesla also recalled 12,000 vehicles sold since 2017 last month because of a communication error could have caused an accidental activation of the emergency brakes.

In response to the possible accidents caused by software kinks, Tesla has asked drivers to accept that footage from both inside the car and outside can be used in the event of a crash. The footage collected will be associated with the owner’s vehicle. Electrek suggested that by asking for footage, Tesla is looking for evidence in accidents that would allow them to defend their FSD.