With over 3.3 billion players globally, the video game industry has become a multi-billion-dollar business, attracting aspiring developers eager to create their own games.

However, the reality of game development is tough. According to the Electronic Entertainment Design and Research Institute, only 4% of games that go into production ever turn a profit, and only 20% of titles released make it to profitability.

Even when a game is successful, developers face ongoing costs such as staff wages, server maintenance, licensing fees, and marketing efforts. With the rising costs of game production and maintenance, coupled with players’ reduced disposable income, many developers are searching for innovative ways to generate revenue without compromising the player experience.

One powerful solution gaining traction is intrinsic in-game advertising. This method allows developers to seamlessly integrate ads into the gaming environment, offering a sustainable revenue stream without disrupting gameplay.

In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about in-game ad placements — from the basics of what they are and how to monetize them to expert tips and insights from developers who are seeing success with this approach.

Ad intrinsic in-game ad placement showing a Sony ad in Asphalt 9.

What’s covered?

• What is an in-game ad placement?
• How do you ensure the ad placements are successful?
• Best practices for getting started
• Success stories
• The future is ready — are you?
  
  

An intrinsic in-game ad placement refers to placements that show ads within the gaming world. These placements are seamlessly integrated into the game’s environment in a way that feels natural and non-disruptive to the player and generates impressions and revenue for the game developer. They are part of the game world and are typically placed on objects or surfaces that players would expect to see in the game’s setting, such as billboards or posters within the game environment.

These placements can be integrated across mobile, PC, and console games and can show both display and video ads. Configured for various media types and tailored to specific aspect ratios, these placements capture attention and ensure ads leave a positive impression on players. Below are some examples of intrinsic in-game ad placements in different types of games, with the ad placements displaying the Anzu logo.

There are three main benefits to using these ad placements: 

1. Enhanced Monetization: You can generate incremental revenue from ad placements without affecting the user experience.
2. Improved Player Experience: Because the ads blend into the game environment, they do not take anything away from the game and, in many cases, enhance the experience.
3. Long-Term Sustainability: Intrinsic in-game ads provide a recurring revenue stream, helping you to plan ahead, unlike other popular monetization methods like one-time purchases or paid content.

For more information and to see the ad placements in action, check out this 60-second explainer video.

The Media Rating Council (MRC) and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) set key standards for measuring in-game ads, ensuring viewable, consistent, and accurate ad performance tracking across all gaming platforms. This ensures advertisers understand how well their ads have performed and you are paid correctly based on how many people have seen the ads in your game(s). 

According to the standards, all the below terms must be met for an impression to be considered viewable.

• The ad must take up at least 1.5% of the screen (2.5% is recommended for better visibility).
• The consecutive screen time (while all other requirements are met) is 1 sec for images and 2s for video.
• At least 50% of the ad must be visible.
• The viewing angle of the ad must be less than 55º.

Depending on the provider that you are working with, the data you have access to will vary. However, the core metrics you should focus on to help you determine how successful the ad placements are:

1. Revenue and eCPM (Effective Cost Per Thousand Impressions)

Why it’s useful: This metric directly shows how much money you are earning from the ads. By tracking eCPM, ARPDAU, and total revenue from the ads, you can assess whether the ad placements are effectively monetizing your game.

What to look for: High eCPM means the ad placements are attracting valuable impressions. Revenue growth is an indicator of successful placements.

2. Player Retention and Experience

Why it’s useful: Since intrinsic ads are designed to be non-disruptive, it’s important for you to track whether these ads are positively affecting player retention. If player retention drops after ad integration, it could signal that ads are negatively impacting the experience and need to be adjusted/optimized.

What to look for: If players stay engaged and the game’s retention rates remain stable or improve after ad placements, the ads are likely integrated well.

3. Player Feedback and Sentiment

Why it’s useful: Direct feedback from players via in-game surveys, social sites and forums like Discord and Reddit, or app store reviews provides valuable insights into whether the ads are being perceived positively or negatively.

What to look for: Positive feedback, such as players appreciating the ads or not minding their presence, suggests success. Negative feedback could indicate that the ads are intrusive or poorly placed.

4. Viewability and Impressions

Why it’s useful: Viewability ensures the ad is actually seen by players, which is critical for monetization success. Developers want to know that their ads are being viewed and are making an impact. Advertisers consider viewability more important when it comes to in-game ads over other digital formats because they are non-clickable, and so can not measure or monitor clicks as success metrics.

What to look for: High viewability (e.g., 100% viewable impressions) indicates that the ads are visible to players in prime locations. It also helps identify whether the ad placement is in a suitable and visible location within the game.

These metrics will help you assess the overall impact of the ads on the player experience and your monetization strategy. By tracking these metrics, you can ensure the ads enhance the game rather than disrupt it, ultimately leading to a better experience and higher revenues.

Intrinsic in-game ad placements showing ads for QuikTrip in Dakar Desert Rally

Assessing The Performance And Quality

In addition to the above, it’s also extremely important to assess the performance and quality of the in-game advertisement placements. This information provides crucial metrics that help evaluate how effectively ads are being presented to players within the game environment.

There are six key metrics to help you evaluate this:

Screen Score: Measures the effectiveness of the ad’s visibility based on its placement on the screen, influenced by factors such as distance from the player’s focal point and any game elements that might block the view.

Object Score: Assesses the clarity and visibility of the advertisement itself, ensuring it is free from obstructions. A high score indicates optimal visibility.

Time On Screen: The ad must be in view for a minimum of 1 consecutive second for display and 2 consecutive seconds for video.

Angle: The angle at which the ad is viewed relative to the player’s perspective. Ideal angles ensure the ad is clearly visible and engaging.

Billable Impressions: Records the number of times the ad has been viewed when all visibility criteria are met, such as being fully visible on the screen for a sufficient amount of time.

GTR (Get Through Rate): Measures the effectiveness of ad placements by calculating the ratio of impressions (views that meet minimum visibility criteria) to the number of plays or engagements with the game. This metric helps understand how often players actually see the ads in the context of their gameplay interactions.

Organizing Placements Into Channels

Intrinsic in-game ad placements are organized into channels, with each channel containing at least one placement. If multiple placements are assigned to a channel, they will all display the same ad simultaneously, increasing the likelihood of gaining impressions.

You can also duplicate placements as needed, sharing viewability metrics across them. This helps enable continuous impression tracking in dynamic environments, improves overall performance, and allows for flexible design.

There are two types of channels, known as static and dynamic.

Static Channels — Ad placements assigned to static channels do not change automatically. You control the creative-change logic, allowing you to avoid ad changes during critical moments like cinematic scenes, ensuring a seamless experience.

Dynamic Channels — In dynamic channels, the in-game advertising solution automatically changes the creative after an impression is generated and a cool-off period has passed. This allows for revenue optimization by showing different creatives during extended exposure.

For gameplay scenarios where players experience prolonged exposure to a placement (e.g., spending more than 15 seconds in high-traffic areas), dynamic channels are ideal. They allow for multiple exposures, boosting engagement and revenue potential.

Familiarize Yourself with Your Game Mechanics

Before placing ads, take the time to understand how your game operates and where players spend most of their time. This insight will help you determine the best locations for in-game ads.

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one game may not work for another, so don’t be afraid to test and experiment with different placements. By strategically positioning your ads in the right spots, you’ll quickly see improved results in both player engagement and revenue.

Use Your In-Game Ad Provider Wisely

Understand how your in-game ad provider works, especially from a technical and viewability perspective. Does the provider measure viewability based on the ad’s angle or its visibility from a distance? What about obstructions, such as fog or other environmental factors in your game? Make sure to leverage your provider’s capabilities to maximize the effectiveness of your monetization strategy.

The better you understand your ad provider’s features, the more effectively you can place ads that will reach the highest number of players and generate the most revenue.

Learn more about ad placement positioning best practices in this video.

Optimize Constantly

Don’t settle for your initial ad placements—keep testing and refining! In-game advertising works in a 3D environment, which is vastly different from 2D environments like banners, interstitials, or rewarded video. Small adjustments can make a big difference.

Get creative and continuously tweak your ad placements to improve performance. Experimenting with different setups can significantly increase your impressions and revenue. If you feel stuck, your in-game ad provider is a great resource for tips and suggestions on how to optimize.

Be Diverse with Your In-Game Placements

Don’t limit yourself to one ad type. Offer multiple ad sizes and formats, from banners to videos. Check that your ad provider supports a variety of placements. The more types of ads you include, the more revenue potential you unlock, and players will appreciate the variety, especially when the ads are naturally integrated into the game environment.

Delving a bit deeper, we’ve collated some best practices based on location for three popular game genres; runner games, idle/tycoon games, and racing games.

Best Practices Based On Game Genre

Where Should In-Game Ad Placements Sit In Runner Games?

An intrinsic in-game ad placement showing a Paco Robanne ad in Trivia Race.

• Billboards: Place banners or billboards on the sides of the game screen to grab attention and prevent distraction.
• Duplicate Placements: Show the same ad multiple times for a consistent experience
• Flying Objects: For extra visibility, when possible use flying objects
• Static Camera Places: Place ads within scenes where the camera angle doesn’t change
• High Traffic Locations: Take advantage of countdowns, finish lines, scoreboards, customization menus, and trigger-based placements

Check out this video for these best practices in action.

Where Should In-Game Ad Placements Sit In Racing Games?

An intrinsic in-game ad placement showing an ad from UNDP in Ubisoft's Trackmania

• Turns: Use turns that require the driver to slow down
• Static Camera Places: Use stretches where the camera direction doesn't change
• Backgrounds: Use open areas and objects in the game's background
• Cinematics: Use cinematic scenes, like before a race begins
• High Traffic Locations: Use garages where players go to update their vehicles

Check out this video to see these best practices in action.

Where Should In-Game Ad Placements Sit In Tycoon Games?

An intrinsic in-game ad placement showing ad an for Sprite in Cooking Fever

• High Traffic Locations: Place ads where players frequently look, like on walls and along walkways.
• Production Zones: Position ads in areas players visit regularly, accessible from the start of the game.
• Out and About: Leverage buildings, streets, and objects, especially near entrances and exits.
• Keep it Natural: Ensure ads blend naturally with the environment, mimicking real-world placements.

Check out this video to see these best practices in action.

By following these best practices you should be able to maximize the potential of your ad placements, however, the ads that are shown in them also need to feel like part of the gaming experience. Running ads that don’t respect the context, tone, and feel of the game they are shown in can have negative effects on the brand, player and you as a game developer. 

With this in mind, it’s important to work with in-game providers that understand this, and to be aware of which brands are running campaigns within your ad placements. To help with this, Anzu has collated creative best practices for designing ads with this in mind. You can check them all out in the guide to creative in-game excellence, and to delve deeper, check out this guide on creating intrinsic in-game ads.

Driving Success With Immersive Ads In Drift Max Pro

Game studio Tiramisu added intrinsic in-game ad placements to their racetracks in their flagship mobile racer Drift Max Pro to elevate the game’s realism and generate extra revenue. The placements were carefully positioned throughout the game in areas where you’d expect to find them in the real world.

So far, the ad placements have resulted in:

• 15% overall revenue boost
• 50% increase in in-game revenue
• No negative feedback from players

“Thanks to the ads we’ve secured consistent monthly revenues. They’ve become an integral part of Drift Max Pro, and their success has inspired us to bring them to more of our games” — Cengiz Zorlu, Product Manager, Tiramisu.

Find out more about this success story here.

Cooking Up Success With Nordcurrent

Game studio Nordcurrent added intrinsic in-game ad placements to their restaurants in the PC and mobile versions of their flagship title Cooking Fever to establish a consistent revenue stream without impacting the gameplay.

So far, the ad placements have resulted in:

• x4 increase in eCPM from in-game ads
• x3 increase in ARPDAU in the US
• x2 increase in in-game ad revenue outside of the US

“The ads were easy to integrate and work well alongside our other monetization methods within Cooking Fever. After seeing a significant impact on revenue from the ads, and not receiving any negative feedback from players, we are excited to expand the ads to more of our titles” — Simonas Sturys, Head Of Marketing, Nordcurrent.

Find out more about this success story here.

Axis Games Scores Big With In-Game Ads

Game studio Axis Games added intrinsic in-game ad placements to their stadiums in their flagship PC and mobile game Axis Football to grow their studio by establishing a reliable and consistent revenue stream.

So far, the ad placements have resulted in:

• 360% increase in in-game ad revenue YOY
• 18% of total revenue attributed to in-game ads
• Overwhelmingly positive feedback from players

“The ads in the stadium add a lot of life and realism, just like in an actual stadium, the billboards and banner ads reflect real-lift products, and they change from season to season and game to game. Having this feature in Axis Football really elevated the immersion” — Axis Football Player

Find out more about this success story here.

This guide has taken you through the fundamentals of in-game ad placements—from what they are and how they’re measured to best practices for integrating them effectively. As the gaming industry continues to expand, so do the opportunities for monetization. Evolving technology, shifting player expectations, and innovative ad formats are creating a landscape where in-game ads can be both profitable and player-friendly.

We encourage you to explore how in-game ads can become a key component of your monetization strategy. With the right tools, insights, and strategies, you can unlock new revenue streams while delivering value to your players. The future of gaming is here—don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of it!

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