The Impact of In-Game Advertising on Gamers: New Study Reveals Findings

In a two-year study conducted by in-game advertising platform Anzu and global attention tech company Lumen Research, the Are You Paying Attention report has revealed its latest findings. This comprehensive study aimed to investigate the impact of attention on digital advertising, with a specific focus on intrinsic-in-game ads. The results provide valuable insights into whether ads leave lasting impressions on gamers and how attention correlates with purchase intent.

The Right Place for Ads

For this study, the researchers gathered data from various sources, including eye tracking technologies, 25 other Anzu studies, 90 in-game ad attention studies, and forced exposure tests. Lumen’s dataset indicates that among 42 observed digital advert formats from YouTube ads to Facebook feeds, the average viewability score was 78 percent, with many cases falling below 50 percent. However, Anzu’s in-game advertising achieved an impressive 98 percent viewability score.

Furthermore, the study found that ads in games, not just from Anzu, consistently outperformed other formats in terms of viewability. Compared to the average viewability score of 78 percent across all studied formats, ads in games had an 85 percent viewability score among gamers. Additionally, the time spent watching ads in games was slightly longer, with an industry average of 3.1 seconds per ad compared to the overall average of 2.9 seconds.

However, it’s worth noting that the active attention duration of gamers towards these ads is slightly lower than in other formats. Despite this, mobile ads were found to be more effective than desktop ads overall, and gamers showed a higher likelihood of making purchases from brands they see through in-game ads.

“With the average global ad-blocking rate now estimated at 37 percent, 52 percent of all consumers not paying attention when ads come on TV, and 65 percent of people skipping video ads at the first chance they get, it’s not surprising that advertisers are questioning the quality and value of ad delivery and media impressions,” said Itamar Benedy, Co-founder and CEO of Anzu.

“In contrast, gaming presents a highly impactful channel that drives significant levels of attention, which we haven’t seen before in the digital ad space.”

The full report provides more detailed insights into ad viewership across different devices, formats, and more.

Nordcurrent, after incorporating Anzu’s in-game ads within Cooking Fever, experienced a three-fold increase in average revenue per daily active user in the US.