The Best (And Worst) Super Bowl Video Game Ads

From the Pokémon to God of War , here’s what video game companies spent millions of dollars showing to football fans

God of War Microsoft Nintendo PlayStation Pokémon

By Kenneth Shepard Published February 9, 2026 |

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You might be wondering why a video game website like Kotaku is writing about sports, but the connection between games and sports runs much deeper than the annual release of Madden. Super Bowl ads tie the year’s biggest sporting event to every facet of our culture, serving as annual conversation pieces thanks to their high-concept ideas, celebrity appearances, and big-budget production value. The event draws nine-figure viewership every year, so whether they’re shilling chips, cars, or crypto, Super Bowl ads tend to pull out all the stops. Video game ads during the big game are no exception, and developers and publishers have put out some real standout commercials during the Super Bowl over the years. Let’s look at a few of the best (and worst) video game ads to ever grace a football intermission.