Samsung’s Kevin Beatty on ‘premium’ gaming and how it’s converging with CTV

This month, the IAB PlayFronts highlighted gaming as an emerging ad channel ripe for innovation.

How big is the opportunity? Sixty-one percent of Americans ages 5 to 90 play games at least one hour each week, according to the Entertainment Software Association.

Against that backdrop, with advertising as a focus, heavy hitters in gaming and tech showed off new products to woo brands at PlayFronts. That included Samsung Electronics’ new interactive ad format, GameBreaks, which was unveiled onstage by Kevin Beatty, head of global gaming, interactive experiences and emerging tech.

GameBreaks allows viewers to play minigames during ad breaks in Samsung TV Plus content, such as The Six, a sponsored trivia game. This new format reflects a growing convergence of connected TV (CTV) and gaming as ad channels — an overall takeaway of the event.

The Current caught up with Beatty after PlayFronts to discuss how he defines “premium” gaming and how advertisers who are hesitant about the gaming space can get over the hump.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Making measurement easier for advertisers seems to be a big topic in the game industry right now. How do you see that evolving in the gaming channel? 

Measurement in gaming is evolving beyond traditional impressions to focus on engagement, interactivity and brand impact. In our research with MediaScience, we’ve found that GameBreaks drives 1.5x higher brand recall, with 89% of viewers preferring them over traditional commercials. 

As gaming ads scale, [advertisers can] expect advancements in AI-driven optimization, cross-device tracking and standardized industry benchmarks, making gaming a powerful, measurable channel for advertisers.

Can you offer some more details on the GameBreaks you announced at PlayFronts? Can the games be targeted? Will viewers have the option to skip or opt in?

GameBreaks will appear in the first ad slot during commercial breaks, giving brands premium first-pod placement. GameBreaks is just like any other “ad” in that you cannot skip ahead. However, if users choose not to engage, the game will autoplay through, show the answer and then the advertiser’s commercial plays next — making it just as enjoyable as a passive viewing experience. We allow our advertising partners to target GameBreaks like any other ad format within Samsung TV Plus.

How would you define “premium” gaming spaces?

A premium gaming space offers a high-quality, engaging environment where brands can connect with consumers through interactive and immersive experiences. These experiences are not intrusive to the user and feel like a natural extension of their entertainment.

What else makes a gaming space premium though? The platform or the size of the screen? How does brand safety factor in?

At Samsung, we think of premium as about access, choice and the quality of the entire experience. For example, with Samsung Gaming Hub, we’ve built a platform that removes traditional barriers to entry with no console or PC required, making it easier than ever for people to play a variety of games right from their TVs. That ease of access combined with high-performance cloud gaming makes the experience feel seamless and premium.

Screen size and platform absolutely play a role — gaming on a big-screen TV brings a level of immersion and shared experience that’s hard to match.

Brand safety is also crucial in a premium gaming environment, ensuring that ads appear alongside relevant content.

It seems like there’s a ton of crossover between gaming and CTV as ad channels. Is gaming essentially an extension of CTV? How would you define the key differences?

Gaming and CTV are certainly converging, and we’re seeing a lot of exciting innovation at the intersection of the two. In many ways, gaming can be viewed as an extension of CTV, particularly with the growing focus on interactive ad experiences, like gamified and shoppable ads. However, the key difference lies in the level of participation. Gaming is inherently active and immersive — users are directly involved in shaping the experience, whether through competition, storytelling, or skill-based challenges. On the other hand, traditional CTV, while it’s becoming more engaging through interactive formats, still largely revolves around passive content consumption. 

What are the common reservations or confusion from advertisers regarding gaming as an ad channel, and how can the industry educate brands to get them over the hump? 

Advertisers often hesitate to leverage gaming as an ad channel due to outdated perceptions about audience, brand safety and measurement. But gaming is becoming more accessible than ever, thanks to innovations like cloud gaming and smart TV game hubs that eliminate the need for expensive hardware. This shift is welcoming new audiences, from casual players to families, by offering seamless, premium gaming experiences without barriers.

With so much opportunity, the industry must educate brands on gaming’s broad reach, easy-to-execute ad solutions and full-funnel impact, showing that interactive formats aren’t just engaging, but also measurable and scalable. With clear success metrics and simplified buying, gaming can become a must-have channel for advertisers.