ReportSensor Tower
The State of AAA Game Advertising: 2023 Review
1 Jan 202565 pages~45 min full read
In 2023, AAA publishers shifted toward launch-focused campaigns, with new releases accounting for 50% of all top-tier advertising expenditure.
See it on page 2While YouTube remains the primary advertising medium for PC and console games, publishers are increasingly diversifying their media mix by integrating Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to target specific demographics.
See it on page 6Strategic platform-based partnerships, such as deep Xbox branding and hardware collaborations, are now essential for anchoring major titles within broader ecosystem strategies.
See it on page 41The failure of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III demonstrated that fragmented marketing and a lack of a cohesive reveal campaign can severely damage consumer perception and market performance.
See it on page 50Successful 2023 campaigns utilized varied creative strategies, ranging from exploration-themed branding for single-player titles like Hogwarts Legacy to horror-inspired aesthetics and live-service integration for Diablo IV.
See it on page 59The industry is experiencing a tension between traditional, high-spend multi-channel campaigns and the rising influence of mobile-first, community-driven engagement strategies.
See it on page 54Beyond massive budgets and established IP, organic viral growth and streamlined gameplay models have emerged as viable, alternative paths to achieving market dominance.
See it on page 57The 2023 AAA game advertising landscape underwent a strategic pivot toward launch-focused campaigns, with new releases accounting for half of all top-tier spending. This shift reflects a broader industry trend of prioritizing high-impact, multi-channel visibility to capture immediate market share. While YouTube remains the dominant advertising medium for PC and console titles, publishers have increasingly diversified their media mix by integrating Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to target specific demographics. This evolution in outreach is complemented by a growing reliance on platform-based partnerships, such as deep Xbox branding and hardware collaborations, which serve to anchor major titles within broader ecosystem strategies.
Creative execution in 2023 varied significantly based on the title’s core value proposition. Successful campaigns ranged from the consistent, exploration-themed branding of single-player experiences like Hogwarts Legacy to the dark, horror-inspired aesthetics and live-service integration of titles like Diablo IV. Furthermore, the industry increasingly utilized transmedia efforts and review-based accolades to sustain momentum. However, the year also highlighted the risks of fragmented marketing, as seen with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, which suffered from a lack of a cohesive reveal campaign and negative consumer perception regarding its status as a standalone sequel.
Ultimately, the year demonstrated that while massive advertising budgets and established intellectual property remain primary drivers for AAA success, organic viral growth and streamlined gameplay models also provide viable paths to market dominance. The industry is currently defined by a tension between traditional, high-spend multi-channel campaigns and the rising influence of mobile-first strategies and community-driven engagement. As publishers navigate these shifting dynamics, the ability to align creative messaging with specific platform strengths and cross-industry partnerships has become the definitive factor in maintaining visibility within an increasingly competitive global market.
