At Cannes Lions 2026, Jonathan Stringfield, Vice President, Microsoft Advertising & Gaming Business Leadership, met up with EMARKETER’s Max Willens at our Cannes studio to discuss gaming’s evolution into one of the most influential entertainment and cultural ecosystems,

Advertisers are pouring money into channels that don’t match where consumers spend their time. This report reveals the biggest gaps across media, devices, and platforms—and where missed opportunities may lie.

Best Buy's latest campaign, “Believing is Seeing,” tackles a challenge many marketers of emerging technology face: Some products simply don't translate through a screen. Through TV, creators, partnerships, and in-store experiences, the campaign aims to bring RGB LED technology to life.

Media consumption is climbing again after years of slower growth, thanks partly to genAI. New forecasts reveal how AI, streaming video, live sports, and converged TV are reshaping how US adults spend their time—and driving more screen time in the process.

US toy and hobby retail sales will grow steadily through 2030, but the real momentum is online. Ecommerce growth will outpace the retail market as its role in the category continues to expand.

Ad spending will surge in 2026 as AI-driven gains and a packed events calendar offset mounting economic strain. Social will lead the way as Meta overtakes Google in net revenues and the wider ad industry closes in on the half-trillion-dollar milestone.

Gamers are highly engaged, span all demographics, and are increasingly receptive to ads. Yet gaming remains one of the most undermonetized channels in digital advertising.​

Media habits keep evolving as digital gains ground faster than traditional declines. Video is absorbing more attention, screens are doing more of the work, and the central battle is for a share of limited consumer time.

61% of US Gen Alpha children spend 2 or more hours daily on mobile devices, the highest multi-hour usage rate across all platforms, according to August 2025 data from Morning Consult.

Microsoft’s in-game advertising dream gets its first test via two minutes of preroll ads per hour of cloud gaming playtime.

Gaming ads offer high engagement in a market that is underutilized relative to its potential.

This report presents five of the most intriguing and/or under-the-radar forecasts for 2026 that businesses should be aware of, as compiled by our forecasting team.

“Gaming is one of the most engaging channels, and what makes it particularly interesting is its ability to convert taps into transactions,” said Maya Kosovalic, vice president of marketing at L’Oréal-owned NYX Professional Makeup during Advertising Week New York.

Xbox plans to add a free ad-supported tier to its Xbox gaming subscriptions, per The Verge. Employees currently have access to testing ahead of a public beta. Test features include two minutes of pre-roll ads before gamers gain access to Xbox Cloud Gaming and a one-hour time limit per session. Nearly half (46%) of gamers often make purchases based on in-game ads. Marketers should focus on influencer-led campaigns that play up gaming and personalization. If ads feel more like a buddy joining them in the living room rather than an interruption, gamers are less likely to be irritated.

Despite its $999.99 price tag, the ROG Xbox Ally X is selling out, showing there’s still strong consumer interest in on-the-go gaming experiences. Preorders for the handheld gaming console sold out Friday, per Xbox. Xbox console prices are inching up at a not-so-subtle rate—with two price bumps this year—undercutting the old adage that waiting to purchase until post-launch leads to lower costs. Companies should bundle experiences, not just hardware, lean into mobility features, amd address price increases head-on.

LG Electronics will integrate Xbox into its vehicle infotainment systems, allowing passengers to play games on the road, per Engadget. At the same event, IAA Mobility 2025, LG announced plans to incorporate Zoom, integrating a user experience that will allow drivers to participate in meetings without added distraction. LG’s integrations open up new in-vehicle advertising opportunities within premium ad formats, including in-game inventory. With LG’s data, brands will be able to geotarget the gaming and productivity demographics while they’re on the move—opening opportunities for gas stations, restaurants, and brick-and-mortar stores.