Marketing·Updated Mar 17, 2026 by Sensor Tower
Mobile gaming ads in August 2021 shifted toward high-fidelity, narrative-driven content featuring real-world celebrity partnerships, such as Garena Free Fire’s collaboration with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and Call of Duty Mobile’s integration of Ozuna.
Top-performing creatives are increasingly moving away from pure gameplay footage in favor of cinematic storytelling, anniversary-themed promotions, and interactive elements like Buzzfeed-style quizzes.
Psychological triggers remain a core engagement strategy, with 'fail-state' ads—demonstrating a player losing a level—continuing to drive performance for titles like Royal Match and Evony.
Hyper-casual games are targeting younger demographics on platforms like Snapchat by integrating popular music soundtracks and expressive visual callouts.
Emerging visual design trends for mobile ads include the use of split-screen layouts, Bitmojis, and 'search bar' call-to-actions that provide users with direct visual instructions on how to locate apps in stores.
Performance data for these trends was aggregated from major ad networks including ironSource, Applovin, and Vungle across a diverse range of genres, including mid-core shooters, RPGs, and puzzle games.
Mobile gaming ads in August 2021 shifted toward high-fidelity, narrative-driven content featuring real-world celebrity partnerships, such as Garena Free Fire’s collaboration with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and Call of Duty Mobile’s integration of Ozuna.
Top-performing creatives are increasingly moving away from pure gameplay footage in favor of cinematic storytelling, anniversary-themed promotions, and interactive elements like Buzzfeed-style quizzes.
Psychological triggers remain a core engagement strategy, with 'fail-state' ads—demonstrating a player losing a level—continuing to drive performance for titles like Royal Match and Evony.
Hyper-casual games are targeting younger demographics on platforms like Snapchat by integrating popular music soundtracks and expressive visual callouts.
Emerging visual design trends for mobile ads include the use of split-screen layouts, Bitmojis, and 'search bar' call-to-actions that provide users with direct visual instructions on how to locate apps in stores.
Performance data for these trends was aggregated from major ad networks including ironSource, Applovin, and Vungle across a diverse range of genres, including mid-core shooters, RPGs, and puzzle games.