Walmart and EA Sports FC are teaming up to launch the retailer’s first-ever brand integration inside a triple-A game.
This Thursday, April 16, Walmart is kicking off an advertising campaign inside EA Sports FC 26 inspired by Walmart’s Express Delivery feature. The campaign centers around the “’Full Throttle’ objective,” a two-week-long in-game challenge that will run between April 16 and 30, with winners receiving in-game rewards like Ultimate Team packs and consumable items that increase players’ speed. All participating players will receive a promo code to place a free Express Delivery order without requiring Walmart Plus membership.
“Everything that we do in this space is super intentional. With EA Sports FC, it was driven by the fact that, in the real world, we are now an official partner of the MLS — and we know that, in the United States, fans of soccer start in gaming,” said Walmart head of partnerships, content and emerging experiences Justin Breton in an interview with GamesBeat. “For us to really be a legitimate partner of the sport, we have to not only just show up at MLS games, but we also have to show up where these fans are spending their time.”
In addition to the in-game objective event, Walmart’s EA FC campaign involves Walmart logo integrations inside the popular game, including its virtual soccer pitch, as well as collaborations with prominent EA FC creators like Jake “BFordLancer” Barford. It will extend into the summer, with Walmart promising additional giveaways and content integrations following the conclusion of this month’s limited-time challenge.
“What’s coming later this summer is something that all players in the United States will be able to unlock that sort of leans into self expression — and that’s all I’ll say for today,” Breton said.
Although Walmart’s EA FC integration is the company’s inaugural campaign inside a triple-A title, it is far from Walmart’s first time showing up in and alongside video games. Walmart has maintained a presence inside Roblox for years, hosting the platform’s first real-life commerce experience in 2024. Moving forward, Walmart plans to build on its partnership with Electronic Arts by showing up in other areas of the game maker’s inventory, per Breton.
“We’re always looking for the next opportunity that feels really authentic, can deliver on business objectives and can connect with communities in a very community-first approach,” Breton said. “And so we are very aware of their full slate of titles.”
Walmart’s brand integration campaign inside EA FC follows a similar playbook to other brands’ marketing efforts inside the game in recent years. Electronic Arts has made deliberate hires to expand its advertising team and capture a larger share of brands’ marketing budgets in recent years. A sponsorship by a major retailer is an endorsement of these ongoing efforts.
“Partnering with Walmart on the ‘Full Throttle’ objective is a great example of how we’re evolving brand experiences across EA. Our focus is on creating player-first integrations that feel authentic to the way communities engage with our games,” said EA vp of advertising and sponsorships Alex Dao in a statement emailed to GamesBeat. “In EA Sports FC, that comes to life by connecting fast-paced, skill-based gameplay with the real-world convenience of Walmart’s Express Delivery. We’re not just placing a brand in the experience, we’re inviting it to participate in the culture of play in a way that’s meaningful and rewarding for our players.”
Walmart’s EA FC campaign — which kicks off this week but will extend through the summer — aligns with the timing of the FIFA World Cup in June and July. As excitement builds among the U.S. soccer audience, Walmart is tapping into EA FC to reach consumers who sit at the overlap between sports and gaming fandom.
“Certainly the male-skewed audience EA FC attracts usually wants to be in and out of shops fast,” said Malph Minns, the managing director of the sports marketing agency Strive Sponsorship, in a written interview with GamesBeat. “They value efficiency, so they’re likely to find a service like Walmart’s Express Delivery offering appealing.”