Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball is pushing a clear idea for the future of gaming: in-game advertising may become the next major shift. He sees it not just as another revenue stream, but as a way to make console and PC gaming more affordable for a wider audience.
The argument comes as game development costs keep rising, while hardware, software, and microtransactions continue to add pressure on players. Speaking at The Game Business Live on June 8, Ball said the industry is being squeezed from both sides.
Why ads are entering the conversation
Ball says the central issue is no longer limited to studio revenue. It is also about access, especially as rising production costs and unpopular price increases make the industry look for alternatives beyond higher game prices.
He argued that carefully placed ads could give people who might not otherwise afford, or even consider, a game a way to discover a new property or franchise. In his view, the goal is to widen access without removing premium options.
Ball had already written in the report “State of Video Gaming in 2026” that ad placement in console and PC games remains an underused revenue source. He believes the industry needs to adopt it because traditional sales and revenue growth have started to weaken over time.
A view he still holds at Xbox
The stance has not changed since he became Xbox chief strategy officer at the end of May 2026. Ball now reports directly to new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, but his position on in-game ads remains the same.
He also drew a comparison with streaming to explain the logic. According to Ball, ad-supported subscription models in streaming show that cheaper access can scale without destroying premium offerings.
Ball said more than 100% of net adds in the United States over the years came from ad-supported tiers. He also stressed that this did not eliminate ad-free services, since premium products remained available and popular.
Not every game needs ads everywhere
Ball rejected the idea that all games should be filled with advertising. He sees the issue as one of smart placement, giving players more choice rather than adding clutter that damages the experience.
That approach aligns with a marketing example from Techland, which promoted Dying Light: The Beast with a billboard for the sequel appearing inside Dying Light 2: Stay Human. Reactions to that kind of placement remain divided.
Some players find it immersive and consistent with the game world, while others dislike it. The split reaction shows that in-game advertising remains a sensitive topic, especially when it risks interrupting play.
Rising costs are forcing new business models
Ball places the idea in the context of an industry under pressure. Development costs have climbed too high, while players also dislike higher prices for hardware, software, and microtransactions.
For that reason, he believes new business models need to be opened up so games can reach a broader audience. In his view, carefully placed ads could help balance publisher revenue needs with player spending power.
Ball’s comments suggest that Xbox sees more than a marketing experiment in in-game ads. As the industry searches for ways to keep gaming affordable, the idea is increasingly being framed as one of the more serious options for the future.