From 'Why Gaming' to 'How Gaming': Evolving Narratives at CES 2025

CES has long served as the advertising industry’s unofficial kickoff to the year, and as such it is ripe with trends, predictions and new ideas as we think about the year ahead.

This year however, the conversation around gaming was different. While in previous years it often found itself referenced in relation to future trends, in 2025 the focus was firmly planted in the here and now—and how brands and advertisers should be thinking about gaming today, so they can also be part of its future tomorrow. 

Learn more about the biggest gaming takeaways from CES 2025.

How we think about gaming platforms is evolving

Gaming audience behavior has changed. They’re no longer playing just on one platform, they’re playing multiple games across multiple devices. As such, how we think about gaming platforms is set to evolve. Increasingly there is a need to meet players where they are, providing them with gaming experiences that they can enjoy in a style and format that suits their entertainment habits, not restricted by a specific platform. At its core, this idea is about providing gamers with greater access to games, so it’s easier than ever for them to play.

For brands, they too should start to think of gaming more holistically—both in terms of cross-platform gaming activations that capture the full spectrum of gaming behaviors and also how they consider gaming within their broader media strategy. Gaming can no longer be viewed in a silo as it isn’t consumed that way by audiences. By incorporating gaming within an integrated media strategy, advertisers are able to align gaming with other entertainment consumption behaviors to drive great impact and results.

The narrative is shifting from ‘why gaming’ to ‘how to buy gaming’ 

For a long time, the conversation around gaming was heavily focused on its scale, helping brands better understand gaming’s impact as a form of entertainment. Today, brands understand gaming’s power; so the question now turns to how they can best maximize it. 

With so many ways to activate within gaming, it can at times be intimidating for brands, especially those that aren’t sure where to start. They key lies in understanding their objectives and audiences, and then finding the right gaming execution to match. The easier that we—as an industry—can make it for brands to both understand the different gaming opportunities and how to be part of them, the further gaming advertising will grow.

The attention remains on attention

Attention was one of the buzz words of 2024 and that looks set to continue in 2025, with brands continuing to look for ways to capture audience attention in an increasingly crowded and fragmented media landscape. Gaming continues to find itself at the center of the discussion around attention, with its immersive environments providing a captivating environment for audiences.

Gaming outperforms online video and social media when it comes to both attention and immersion, and brand experiences that are seamlessly integrated into gaming environments provide an opportunity to capitalize on these engagement-rich environments. By not disrupting the player experience, audience attention is maintained leading to outsized results for brands. 

The road ahead: Building on gaming’s momentum

CES 2025 underscored that gaming is no longer a conversation about the future—it’s a critical part of the present. For brands and advertisers, the opportunity lies in embracing gaming as an essential piece of the media mix. Those who take action now with strategies that reflect evolving player behaviors, such as engaging with cross-platform play, will be well-positioned to forge meaningful connections and achieve measurable impact in the years ahead. As gaming continues to push creative and technological boundaries, it’s offering brands new ways to captivate audiences and stand out in an increasingly competitive media environment. 

The question isn’t whether to invest in gaming but how to do so with purpose and precision.

About the Author

An award-winning business and marketing leader, Claire Nance has over 15 years’ experience driving global strategic initiatives within the advertising, technology, entertainment and media industries. As Head of Gaming Business Success Strategy at Activision Blizzard Media, Claire serves as the connection point between the gaming and advertising industries, providing strategic guidance to Activision Blizzard’s advertising revenue-facing support functions and owning its market-facing approach and industry presence.