Sony Interactive Entertainment may embed advertisements directly into PlayStation video games to lower title production costs, according to trade publication Digiday. The media outlet reached the conclusion after finding several job listings for ad managers at Sony. The job descriptions stated that employees would work with clients across multiple markets and manage responsibilities covering the PlayStation ecosystem.
Digiday specialists predicted that embedding ads in games would help the corporation save money as video game development costs continue to rise. However, the exact format of the potential advertising in the Japanese company's products remains difficult to predict.
Analyst perspective and history
Jacob Bourne, an analyst at platform eMarketer, told Digiday that game publishers experiencing a crisis need a lever to introduce additional monetization without forcing players to spend more money. Bourne noted that advertising is an obvious option, adding that games feature almost no ads compared to movies despite players spending significant time with them.
Sony previously attempted to monetize its products when it launched advertisements on the PlayStation 3 console in 2008. Digiday sent an inquiry to Sony Interactive Entertainment regarding the new listings but did not receive a prompt response.
In early July, Sony announced that it will stop producing game discs for PlayStation consoles starting in 2028. The company said demand for games hosted on physical media continues to decline among users.
