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AppLovin beat Q1 expectations and exited gaming: The company is now all-in on adtech, led by AXON鈥檚 rapid growth.

AppLovin is setting its sights on ecommerce: Executives plan to attract spenders and grow revenues with a slew of ad product launches.

Over half (53%) of US video game players who mostly play story-driven, single player games say that advertising in games or game-related promotions has at least somewhat of an impact on their purchasing decisions, according to March data from CivicScience.

It's been a year since the messaging app Discord launched its own reward-based ad format called "Quests" for PC and game console users, and they're ready to celebrate its success.

Scopely鈥檚 $3.5 billion acquisition of Niantic鈥檚 games division strengthens its position in mobile gaming. Pok茅mon Go鈥檚 live-service model opens new revenue streams through in-game advertising, branded integrations, and sponsorships.

Gaming offers a long runway of opportunity for advertisers. In 2025, US digital gamers will spend nearly as much time playing as social network users spend on social platforms each day (1 hour, 48 minutes versus 1 hour, 51 minutes, respectively). But at $8.76 billion, US gaming ad revenues will account for just a fraction of the $102.66 billion that social networks garner in ad spending.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss why gaming is a digital advertising hotbed, how consumers are embracing shoppable media, and what happens now that the ride-sharing industry has bounced back. Tune in to the discussion with our forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood.

Chip maker NVIDIA last week launched a pre-roll ad product for cloud gaming that makes video game advertising look a lot more like connected TV (CTV).

Its gaming portfolio had driven engagement and improved its ad targeting. On its Q4 2024 earnings call on February 12, 2025, AppLovin announced that it had signed a term sheet to sell its portfolio of gaming studios for $900 million. Up until that point, the company owned over 200 free-to-play mobile games that served as valuable data sources for AppLovin鈥檚 ad tech ecosystem.

YouTube has more users than Facebook, Netflix, or Spotify. But its advertising revenues do not match its vast reach. This report contextualizes the opportunities and scope for growth in various media spheres.

Gen Zers and millennials have normalized gaming into adulthood, but smartphones have opened the door for older generations.

A technical error flooded PS5 home screens with outdated ads, sparking frustration. Sony's response addressed the issue, but concerns about in-game ads remain.

Samsung GameBreaks turns ads into games: A new CTV ad unit lifts brand recall by 53% and signals a shift toward high-engagement, opt-in formats.

鈥淚f you come across as inauthentic鈥� you'd probably be better off just not even advertising at all,鈥� said Sellis. In response, Discord has introduced 鈥淨uests,鈥� an ad format that gives users rewards for in-game activities, helping brands blend in rather than stand out. Quests were initially geared toward game developers but are now expanding to entertainment brands.

Advertisers can turn the social advertising spigot on and off with relative ease, particularly compared with the higher-budget and longer-term commitments that characterize TV and CTV. This suggests social media may take the first hit from any downturn but also be the first to recover. If tariffs force Chinese advertisers to cut back, social platforms could see lower ad auction prices.

Marketing beyond the screen: Studios are embracing cross-industry partnerships, with "A Minecraft Movie" leveraging gaming, beauty, and food brands to expand its audience reach and deepen fan engagement before its release.

If brands want to advertise alongside gaming content, they could just as easily turn to YouTube. The livestreaming angle, while unique, isn鈥檛 the biggest draw for marketers. Moving forward, brands investing in influencer marketing should keep an eye on Twitch if they鈥檙e looking to reach niche audiences鈥攂ut keep in mind that the platform might not have the largest reach.

Roblox could kick down the door to an in-game advertising boom: The gaming and metaverse platform is deepening ties to the ad industry and hiring for ad tech roles.

Brazil鈥檚 digital economy is rapidly evolving, fueled in part by ecommerce growth. Our three-report collection explores key trends and opportunities shaping Brazil鈥檚 commerce landscape in 2025.