“The live-action Smurfs movie paid for itself entirely through product placement” - Former Dragon Age boss suggests games can be funded another way

Mark Darrah, a veteran producer at BioWare who led development on the Dragon Age series and Anthem, has proposed that video game publishers should consider product placement as an alternative funding model for AAA games.

In a video on his YouTube channel, Darrah argued that the gaming industry’s growing reliance on live-service games and microtransactions is unsustainable and is preventing other genres from flourishing. With development budgets for AAA titles climbing higher while retail prices remain fixed at $70, developers need alternative revenue streams.

Darrah cited the live-action Smurfs movie as a successful example, noting that it “paid for itself entirely through product placement.” He suggested that video games, while a different medium than film, could benefit from borrowing movie industry monetization strategies.

The proposal comes amid broader concerns about the AAA gaming industry’s financial stability. Despite the video game industry being larger than movies and music combined, major studios continue to experience shutdowns, layoffs, and project cancellations. Darrah’s suggestion reflects growing skepticism about whether every major game needs live-service elements to be financially viable.

While acknowledging that games aren’t exactly like movies, Darrah argues there’s an opportunity for developers to explore alternative business models before the industry becomes dominated entirely by live-service games. Product placement—featuring recognizable brands, products, or services within games—could theoretically help offset rising development costs without relying on continuous post-launch monetization systems.

“The live-action Smurfs movie paid for itself entirely through product placement” - Former Dragon Age boss suggests games can be funded another way

Sources