ReportTencent
Global White Paper on Mobile Advertising & Marketing Game
1 Jan 2022106 pages~125 min full read
Mobile game advertising volume contracted by nearly 30% in 2022 to 15.8 million creatives, driven by a shift toward quality-focused marketing and the impact of Apple’s IDFA changes.
See it on page 9Video ads dominate the market, accounting for over 86% of all creatives, while casual and puzzle titles have displaced RPGs as the primary drivers of advertising spend.
See it on page 11Cost-per-mille (CPM) is highest for strategy games at $21.58, and iOS advertising remains 15% more expensive than Android equivalents.
See it on page 57Targeting female and older users (55–64) yields the highest CPMs ($22.26) and CPCs ($2.90), with click-through rates showing a positive correlation with user age.
See it on page 59While playable ads achieve the lowest cost-per-install (CPI), banner ads currently provide the most effective return on ad spend (ROAS).
See it on page 64Emerging engagement strategies, such as AR filters, generate 1.7x more immersive brand links, while social-first platforms like Snapchat are prioritizing short, sound-driven content under five seconds.
See it on page 98Regional market trends are diversifying: while the US remains focused on mid-core and hardcore titles, South Asia and Turkey are seeing significant growth in shooter, casual, and parkour-related advertising.
See it on page 39Mobile game advertising in 2022 experienced a pronounced contraction, with total creatives falling nearly 30 % year‑over‑year to 15.8 million while the advertiser base stayed flat at 45,100. The decline stemmed from a shift toward quality‑focused marketing and the impact of Apple’s IDFA changes, which pushed spend to Android. Video ads dominated the format mix (over 86 % of creatives), and casual/puzzle titles captured the majority of spend, displacing RPGs in many markets. Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions saw significant growth, driven by cross‑platform titles such as *Genshin Impact* and the rise of esports and metaverse expectations.
Geographically, China’s HK/Macau/TW region maintained RPG dominance but broadened to action, casual and MOBA campaigns with large budgets. In the United States, mid‑core and hardcore titles produced the most creatives despite a 10 % revenue decline. Japan’s simulation games led advertising, while Korea shifted from MMOs to card‑RPGs and early NFT experimentation. South Asia’s market was shooter‑heavy, with casual games generating the most creatives and RPGs producing the highest volumes. Turkey’s top titles were ARPGs and shooters, with a surge in casual and parkour advertising tied to esports and influencer content.
Cost dynamics varied by genre and platform: strategy games commanded the highest CPM ($21.58), while casual titles hovered around $17–$18; iOS ads were 15 % costlier than Android. Female and older users (55–64) paid the highest CPMs ($22.26) and CPCs ($2.90), yet CTR increased with age across formats. Playable ads delivered the lowest CPI but weakest ROAS, whereas banner ads offered the best return on spend.
Emerging channels such as social‑first platforms and AR filters proved highly engaging, with Snapchat’s concise, sound‑driven ads capturing attention within five seconds and AR filters generating 1.7× more immersive brand links. In India, vernacular marketing and programmatic unified platforms are expanding reach to Tier II/III audiences, while playable and rewarded video formats mitigate banner blindness. Overall, the data underscore a diversification of genre advertising, a continued emphasis on high‑budget flexible media strategies, and a pivot toward video‑centric, narrative‑driven campaigns across high‑revenue titles.
