Related Documents
Report
The Intrinsic In-Game Advertising Key Trends Report H1 2025
Intrinsic in-game advertising (IIGA) has transitioned into a measurable, high-impact media channel that allows brands to reach premium gaming environments through buying approaches similar to traditional digital and broadcast media. The primary thesis of this analysis is that gaming offers a unique, year-round engagement opportunity that remains consistent even when traditional channels like television and social media experience seasonal dips. By integrating non-disruptive, native ads into gameplay, advertisers can achieve significant full-funnel impact, including a 20-point lift in ad recall and a 21% lower cost per acquisition (CPA) compared to standard goals. The findings are based on aggregated internal data from 105 games and 333 direct advertisers, supplemented by third-party research from partners such as IAS, Lumen, and Comscore. The scope is global, with specific insights covering North America, Europe, LATAM, and APAC throughout the 2024 calendar year. While mobile currently offers 25 times the scale of impressions and greater audience diversity, PC and console platforms provide superior immersion, with significantly longer session lengths and higher total playtime per user. Key data points highlight that IIGA outperforms traditional digital formats in attention, delivering 2,957 attentive seconds per thousand impressions—nearly triple the performance of Facebook Infeed. Regional trends indicate that while North America and Europe command the highest CPMs, emerging markets like APAC and LATAM offer cost-effective growth opportunities. Furthermore, genre-specific data reveals that sports and racing titles see engagement peaks tied to real-world competitions, while simulation games offer a steady, female-skewing audience. The report concludes that advertisers should move beyond seasonal buying habits to capitalize on gaming’s "always-on" nature, particularly during Q1 when CPMs are lower but engagement remains high.
AnzuJan 2025
Report
Level Up – Harnessing the Power of Gaming Audiences
The 2024 Level Up report, a collaborative analysis by Comscore and Anzu, examines the evolving landscape of the U.S. gaming market and the expanding opportunities for brand integration. The study defines gamers as adults aged 18 to 65 who play multiple times a week, revealing that 62% of the U.S. adult population fits this criteria. A significant finding is the high level of cross-platform engagement; 77% of gamers utilize more than one device, while 40% play across all platforms, including PC, console, and mobile. The data highlights distinct consumer behaviors based on platform preference. Console gamers demonstrate the highest willingness to pay for content, with 37% prepared to spend over $60 on a single title. In contrast, 32% of mobile-only gamers prefer free-to-play models. Genre preferences also vary by hardware, with PC players favoring first-person shooters and RPGs, while console players show a strong affinity for action-adventure and sports titles. From an advertising perspective, the report concludes that gaming is no longer a niche silo but a mainstream medium with high receptivity to marketing. Approximately two-thirds of gamers view in-game advertisements as having a positive or neutral impact on their experience. Specifically, 34% of respondents believe product placement enhances realism, and 45% express a preference for rewarded ad formats. Case studies, such as Tommy Hilfiger’s campaign, demonstrate the efficacy of these strategies, showing a 20-point lift in brand favorability and a 23-point increase in purchase intent. The report emphasizes that the partnership between Comscore and Anzu now allows for more precise measurement of the incremental reach provided by intrinsic in-game advertising.
ComscoreMar 2024
Report
State of Performance Marketing for Videogames
The 2024 performance marketing landscape for PC and console gaming is defined by a strategic shift toward high-engagement platforms and the integration of first-party data to combat rising acquisition costs. Meta and YouTube remain the dominant forces in media planning, appearing in 75% and 44% of campaigns respectively, while Twitch has emerged as the conversion leader with a 12% success rate. This recovery period is marked by a rebound in free-to-play retention to 46% and a significant evolution in platform utility. Notably, Reddit has transformed into a high-value retention hub following an overhaul of its advertising infrastructure, and Twitter (X) continues to serve as the primary conduit for reaching the PlayStation demographic. The industry is increasingly moving toward automation and data-driven targeting to optimize creative assets and audience reach. AI-driven tools such as Google’s Performance Max and TikTok’s Performance Automation are becoming standard, while the utilization of first-party data has proven critical, yielding conversion lifts of up to 63% in Meta-based campaigns. These technological advancements are complemented by the continued growth of influencer marketing, which currently outperforms traditional ad networks with a 4.25% conversion rate and a robust 38.95% Day 7 retention rate. Despite the effectiveness of creator-led activations, the sector faces logistical hurdles regarding contracting, key distribution, and return-on-investment analysis. To mitigate these complexities, marketers are adopting sophisticated attribution tools to unify performance metrics across paid media and influencer channels. This holistic approach allows for a more precise understanding of player behavior and engagement across the global PC and console segments, ensuring that marketing spend is directed toward the most authentic and high-retention audience segments.
GamesightJan 2024
Report
US Gaming Audience in 2023
The gaming landscape in 2024 has solidified as a mainstream entertainment pillar, with 62% of U.S. adults aged 18 to 65 identifying as active gamers. This audience is characterized by high engagement across multiple devices, as 77% of players utilize more than one platform and 40% play across PC, console, and mobile combined. While mobile-only gamers typically prefer free-to-play titles, console and PC players demonstrate a high willingness to invest in premium content, with 45% of all gamers spending over $40 on their most recent purchase. The demographic profile of the U.S. gaming audience skews toward Millennials and spans a wide range of household income levels. Genre preferences vary by platform; PC gamers favor first-person shooters, action, and role-playing games, while console players show a strong preference for action-adventure, sports, and racing titles. This broad reach is further amplified by the success of video game intellectual property in other media, evidenced by significant box office performance for game-inspired films. Advertising within the gaming ecosystem presents significant opportunities for brand growth through formats such as intrinsic in-game ads, rewarded video, and sponsorships. Approximately two-thirds of gamers view advertisements as having a positive or neutral impact on their experience, with 34% noting that product placements can enhance realism. Case studies, such as campaigns by Tommy Hilfiger, demonstrate that non-intrusive in-game ads can drive substantial lifts in brand favorability, recommendation, and purchase intent. Through partnerships between measurement firms like Comscore and ad-tech providers like Anzu, advertisers can now better quantify the incremental reach provided by these specialized digital environments.
ComscoreMar 2024