How playables unlock premium inventory

Why are playables so important right now?

One of the main questions we get is which type and number of creatives are right for different game lifecycle phases.

One of the most important factors these days is playable ads - but why, oh why?

The proof is in the data pudding

Data from the various ad networks is clear - playable ads show up to 40% better performance across performance benchmarks like CPIs, IPMs and CVRs.

Moreover, by analyzing the volume of top grossing games, it's evident that these teams upload on average around 60 new playables per month.

These data points are nothing to ignore.

But beyond just looking at these points and following along, it's important to nail the "why".

Playables are creating more engaged users

Looking at average time spent on playables for the most successful playable ads shows 70-80 seconds of engagement time.

We don't need to beat around the bush, no other ad format can really drive this level of engagement (unless they force users to get stuck in an endless loop of trying to close the ad and play a virtual whack-a-mole game with the X button).

Users that have that level of engagement are way more likely to engage within the game if they choose to install it. They come in with more context, usually a fun, yet contained experience, and are motivated to continue playing it for real.

The premium inventory aspect

Some of the highest grossing games on Earth are not showing ads almost at all. What they do use and include in a hybrid monetization model is both IAP and IAA.

The way these games choose to tap into IAA to maintain a premium player experience is to offer a rewarded video (RV) ad placement.

The vast majority of ads that win the bid for these video ad placements are playables as they show 3x-4x stronger correlation with monetization metrics than any other ad formats.

Meaning the mere existence of playables within your creative strategy is unlocking the most premium audiences in the world, the audience that plays the most grossing games and is super engaged within that game (enough to choose to watch an ad to get some in-game currency or item).

Without including playables, and enough of them to actually get a chance to find a winning playable, you're locked out of this premium RV inventory and are not even reaching the type of audience that can make your game a hit, and drive a large portion of the games' revenues.