The State of Mobile Game Advertising 2021
Download PDFDec, 2021 The State of
Mobile Game
Advertising 2021
—
An Analysis of U.S. Mobile Game
Advertising Trends in 2021
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Table of Contents
03 – Ad Network Trends
11 – Game Genre Trends
19 – Creative Trends
25 – Conclusion
2
—
Game Advertising Trends by Ad Network
Ad Network Trends:
United States
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
*TikTok share of voice includes data since Q4 2019
**Snapchat share of voice includes data since Q1 2019
***For Android, Instagram share of voice includes data
since Q1 2019
Five Ad Networks Lead the Way by Game Share of Voice
Five ad networks were primarily focused on
mobile games and had at least 90 percent of
their share of voice (SOV) come from games on
the App Store. AppLovin has also had more than
90 percent iOS SOV from games since the
beginning of 2019.
Another five networks had a more even split
between gaming and non-gaming. AdMob,
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube had
between 40 and 60 percent SOV from games.
While these networks serve a substantial
number of non-game ads, they remain an
important option for mobile games as well.
Ad Network Trends
U.S. share of voice for mobile games vs. non-game apps by ad network, 1Q18 to 1Q21
4
Chartboost
Unity
Adcolony
ironSource
Vungle
AppLovin
MoPub
AdMob
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok*
YouTube
Snapchat**
Pinterest
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Games Other
A
Chartboost
AppLovin
ironSource
Unity
Vungle
TikTok*
Adcolony
Instagram***
Facebook
AdMob
Snapchat**
MoPub
YouTube
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Games Other
A
iOS Android 4.9% 24.3% 42.0% 47.0% 48.2% 56.2% 59.1% 63.5% 76.3% 90.9% 91.1% 91.5% 92.4% 96.5% 23.5% 27.9% 32.0% 44.2% 53.5% 56.9% 60.3% 62.2% 74.4% 77.1% 85.8% 88.0% 88.3%
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
AppLovin and MoPub Have Shifted Towards Gaming
5
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Q1 2018 Q2 2018 Q3 2018 Q4 2018 Q1 2019 Q2 2019 Q3 2019 Q4 2019 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Q2 2021
MoPub
Instagram
AppLovin
Facebook
YouTube
AppLovin MoPub Facebook AdMob Instagram YouTube
A
AdMob
Quarterly U.S. iOS share of voice from mobile games by ad network, 1Q18 to 2Q21
Ad Network Trends
AppLovin transitioned towards being much
more focused on game advertisements at the
start of 2019. This corresponded with its
investment in mobile game developers such as
PeopleFun, Firecraft Studios, and Belka Games,
in addition to its own game publishing wing,
Lion Studios.
MoPub and Facebook have also become more
gaming-focused since 2018. Meanwhile,
YouTube has seen SOV from games gradually
decline in recent years before an uptick in 2Q21.
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
AdMob Game Advertising Trending Up for Google Play Titles
Similar to what’s seen on iOS, AppLovin’s share
of voice from Google Play games has hovered
around 90 percent since Q1 2019. Among the ad
networks tracked by Sensor Tower, only
Chartboost had a higher SOV from games since
the start of 2018.
Interestingly, while games have continued to
control share of voice for MoPub on iOS, game
SOV decreased on Android in late 2020. Top
advertisers on the network in Q2 2021 included
Audible, TikTok, and Venmo, and only four
games ranked among the top 20 apps by SOV. In
contrast, AdMob has become more gaming
focused on Android since the start of 2020.
Quarterly U.S. Android share of voice from mobile games by ad network, 1Q18 to 2Q21
6
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Q1 2018 Q2 2018 Q3 2018 Q4 2018 Q1 2019 Q2 2019 Q3 2019 Q4 2019 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Q2 2021
MoPub
AppLovin
Facebook
AppLovin Facebook AdMob MoPub
A
AdMob
Ad Network Trends
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Games Still Rely on Video Creatives Across Top Networks
U.S. iOS share of voice among mobile game advertisers by ad type
7
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Chartboost
Unity
MoPub
Vungle
Facebook
AdMob
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Video Banner Full Screen Playable
A
AppLovin
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
YouTube
Ad Network Trends
Note:
Sensor Tower began measuring playable ads on AppLovin,
Unity, and Vungle at the beginning of 2019.
Mobile game advertisers continue to rely on
videos as their primary creative type. Video ads
accounted for more than half of game
advertising share of voice on each of these
networks in 1H21 with the exception of
AppLovin, which fell just below 50 percent.
AppLovin has turned more towards playable
ads in recent years. The network is popular
among Hypercasual and Puzzle games, so
playable ads are a good fit to highlight their
simple gameplay. Vungle was another top ad
network using playable ads.
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Full Screen Ads Were More Common for Google Play Games
8
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Chartboost
Unity
MoPub
Vungle
Facebook
AdMob
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Video Banner Full Screen Playable
A
AppLovin
2018
2019
2020
H1 2021
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
YouTube
U.S. Android share of voice among mobile game advertisers by ad type
Ad Network Trends
Note:
Sensor Tower began measuring playable ads on AppLovin,
Unity, and Vungle at the beginning of 2019.
Game advertisers also primarily use video ads
on most ad networks on Android, including
Chartboost, Unity, AdMob, and Facebook.
Vungle had the highest share of voice from
playables at nearly 50 percent in H1 2021.
MoPub had lower SOV from video creatives on
Android relative to iOS, with full screen ads as
the top ad type for Google Play titles. Since
mobile games tend to use video ads, this is likely
related to why games using the ad network have
a lower SOV on Android than on the iOS.
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Q1 2018 Q2 2018 Q3 2018 Q4 2018 Q1 2019 Q2 2019 Q3 2019 Q4 2019 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Q2 2021
AppLovin Shifted Ad Network Focus to Casual Games
Quarterly U.S. iOS share of voice on AppLovin
9
Puzzle
Other Games
Non-Games
Hypercasual
Top 5 Advertisers in Q4 2018:
Amazon
Shutterfly
HotspotShield VPN
BetterMe Health Coaching
edjing Mix
Top 5 Advertisers in Q1 2019:
Matchington Mansion
Wordscapes
Color Bump 3D
Hooked Inc
Cooking Fever
Top 5 Advertisers in Q2 2021:
Project Makeover
Wordscapes
Parking Jam 3D
Bingo Clash
3 Tiles
Ad Network Trends
AppLovin’s shift towards gaming at the start of
2019 was focused on the Hypercasual and
Puzzle game genres, with other game genres
seeing SOV decline slightly. This was quite the
sudden shift, with non-game SOV decreasing by
46 percentage points Q/Q in Q1 2019.
The increased SOV for Hypercasual and Puzzle
gams was also in line with AppLovin’s
investments in casual games publishers in the
past few years. Several games from AppLovin’s
partner studios were among the top advertisers
on the network, including Project Makeover
from Magic Tavern, Wordscapes from
PeopleFun, and Matchington Mansion from
Firecraft Studios.
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
AppLovin Has Embraced Playable Ads for Casual Games
With AppLovin’s focus on casual games,
playable ads were a natural fit for the network.
The simple gameplay and quick learning curves
for Hypercasual and Puzzle games allowed
playable ads to give an accurate preview of their
games. By Q2 2021, more than 40 percent of
AppLovin’s SOV for App Store games was from
playable ads, more than any other network.
AppLovin’s U.S. iOS share of voice from playable ads among mobile game advertisers
10
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Q3 2019 Q4 2019 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Q2 2021
Ad Network Trends 41% 39% 36% 37% 38% 37% 35% 22%
—
Game Advertising Trends by Game Genre
Game Genre Trends:
United States
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Puzzle
Simulation
Shooter
Casino
RPG
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Hypercasual
Puzzle
Arcade
Simulation
Tabletop
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Puzzle
Lifestyle
Hypercasual
Casino
RPG
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Puzzle
Strategy
Hypercasual
RPG
Shooter
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Puzzle
Hypercasual
Strategy
Shooter
Lifestyle
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Puzzle
Hypercasual
Casino
Simulation
Tabletop
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Gaming-Focused Networks Were Popular for Puzzle Games
Puzzle games clearly relied heavily on
advertising for user acquisition. Among the top
six ad networks by game share of voice, Puzzle
had the highest SOV on five networks.
AppLovin was the only exception, though Puzzle
still ranked second on that network.
Casual game genres were prevalent for these
gaming-focused networks. Hypercasual games
also tended to advertise frequently on these
networks, ranking as the first genre on AppLovin
and among the top three on Adcolony, Unity,
and Vungle. Some mid-core genres still ranked
among the top five, such as RPG on Unity and
Shooter on ironSource.
U.S. iOS share of voice among game advertisers by game genre, 1Q18 to 1Q21
12
Game Genre Trends
Chartboost
Vungle
A
AppLovin
Unity
Adcolony
ironSource
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Hypercasual
Puzzle
Arcade
Strategy
RPG
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Shooter
Strategy
Hypercasual
RPG
Simulation
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Puzzle
Strategy
Hypercasual
Shooter
Tabletop
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Puzzle
Strategy
Hypercasual
RPG
Tabletop
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Hypercasual
Arcade
Puzzle
Simulation
RPG
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Puzzle
Lifestyle
Strategy
Hypercasual
RPG
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Facebook and YouTube Had Higher SOV From Mid-Core Games
U.S. iOS share of voice among game advertisers by game genre, Q1 2018 – Q2 2021
13
Game Genre Trends
MoPub
TikTok*
YouTube
AdMob
Facebook
Instagram
Networks from social media platforms and
other ad networks with a more even split
between gaming and non-gaming tended to
have higher share of voice from mid-core
genres. Strategy was among top three genres on
four of these ad networks, and Shooter ranked
first on YouTube.
Puzzle was still among the top genres across
nearly all networks, including ranking first on
MoPub, Facebook, and AdMob. Hypercasual
was the top genre on Instagram and TikTok.
*TikTok share of voice includes data since Q4 2019
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
1 Angry Birds Dream Blast
Rovio
Line Puzzle
BitMango
Pooking – Billiards City
Yu Liu
2
3
Chartboost
1 Candy Crush Saga
King
Tangle Master 3D
Zynga
State of Survival
FunPlus
2
3
Unity
1 Homescapes
Playrix
Blackout Bingo
Big Run Studios
Gardenscapes
Playrix
2
3
Adcolony
Puzzle Simulation
Shooter Casino
RPG Hypercasual
Genre
Many Puzzle Games Were Top Advertisers on Gaming-Focused Networks
Top games by U.S. iOS share of voice in H1 2021 by ad network
Strategy
1 Candy Crush Saga
King
Royal Match
Dream Games
State of Survival
FunPlus
2
3
ironSource
1 Call of Duty: Mobile
Activision Blizzard
Homescapes
Playrix
Candy Crush Saga
King
2
3
Vungle
1 Project Makeover
Magic Tavern
Wordscapes
PeopleFun
Parking Jam 3D
Popcore
2
3
AppLovin
Lifestyle
Action Geolocation AR
Sports
Game Genre Trends
14
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
1 Homescapes
Playrix
Top War
Topwar Studio
Candy Crush Saga
King
2
3
MoPub
1 Top War
Topwar Studio
Project Makeover
Magic Tavern
Fishdom
Playrix
2
3
AdMob
1 Roblox
Roblox
Genshin Impact
miHoYo
Redecor
Reworks
2
3
Instagram
Mid-Core Games Were Top Advertisers on Less Game-Focused Networks
1 Top War
Topwar Studio
Project Makeover
Magic Tavern
Puzzles & Survival
37Games
2
3
Facebook
1 Pokémon GO
Niantic
World Series of Poker
Playtika
Coin Master
Moon Active
2
3
TikTok
1 Call of Duty: Mobile
Activision Blizzard
Genshin Impact
miHoYo
Rise of Kingdoms
Lilith Games
2
3
YouTube
Puzzle Simulation
Shooter Casino
RPG Hypercasual
Genre
Strategy Lifestyle
Action Geolocation AR
Sports
Top games by U.S. iOS share of voice in H1 2021 by ad network
Game Genre Trends
15
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Clearly Defined Target Demographics Can Aid Network Choice
Top ad networks for certain game genres tend
to align with their user base demographics. For
example, Casino games had their highest SOV on
Adcolony, a network typically used by games
with an older and more female audience.
Meanwhile, YouTube advertisers were more
likely to have a younger and more male user
base, and high RPD (driven by the prevalence
of mid-core games). Strategy games and RPGs
had a relatively high SOV on YouTube’s network.
Game advertiser demographics and revenue per download (RPD) by ad network, U.S. iOS
16
Share of Impressions from Young Audience* Games
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Share of Impressions from Female Focused** Games
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
YouTube
$50
Facebook
$22
Adcolony
$22
Chartboost
$9
AppLovin
$3
Bubble Size =
Average RPD Among the Top 25 Advertisers
Lifestyle Share of Voice: 15%
Casino Share of Voice: 32%
Hypercasual Share of Voice: 39%
Strategy Share of Voice: 25%
RPG Share of Voice: 18%
7 Different Genres Have >5% Share of Voice
Game Genre Trends
Note:
All data is for H1 2021.
*Younger audience games are defined as having an
average user age of < 30 years.
**Female focused games are defined as having at least 60
percent female users.
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Casino Games Have Flocked to Adcolony in H1 2021
Casino games gained share of voice on
Adcolony since the start of 2020, and their
share continued to grow into 2021. By Q2 2021,
Casino was the top genre on the network with
nearly 40 percent SOV.
Three of the top four advertisers by SOV in Q2
2021 were Casino games, with Blackout Bingo
(No. 1), Bingo Clash (2), and Pocket7Games (4).
Puzzle still had three games among the top 10,
including two games from Playrix: Homescapes
and Gardenscapes.
Adcolony U.S. iOS share of voice among game advertisers, Q1 2018 – Q2 2021
17
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Q1 2018 Q2 2018 Q3 2018 Q4 2018 Q1 2019 Q2 2019 Q3 2019 Q4 2019 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Q2 2021
Other
Casino
Puzzle
Simulation
Tabletop
Hypercasual
Game Genre Trends
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Adcolony Creatives Focus on Real Money Rewards
Advertisers looking to promote real money
rewards flocked to Adcolony in Q2 2021. Many
game creatives highlighted how players could
win real money using Apple Pay or PayPal.
Even non-game apps promoted cash rewards
on Adcolony. Ibotta, a shopping cash back app,
was among the top five advertisers on Adcolony
and highlighted the money consumers could
earn by submitting receipts.
Top creatives by U.S. iOS share of voice on Adcolony, Q2 2021
18
1 2 3
4 5
Solitaire Cash
Papaya Gaming
Blackout Bingo
Big Run Studios
Ibotta
Ibotta
Bingo Clash
Aviagames
Bingo Clash
Aviagames
6
Pocket7Games
Aviagames
Game Genre Trends
—
Game Advertising Creative Trends
Creative Trends:
United States
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
1 2
3
4
Creative Trends:
United States
20
Creative Trends
1 Fake Playables
2 Relaxing Music
3 Playables for Mid-Core Games
4 Real-World Conversations
Videos mirroring playable ads have been popular among Hypercasual and Puzzle
games. Zynga took this a step further, running a creative with a video simulating the
start of playable ad.
Some top advertisers have adopted video creatives where players discuss game
strategies or rewards. This strategy is similar to that seen in the Casino genre where
a player talks about how they earned real money.
A couple of the most popular mid-core titles have adopted simple playable ads that
don’t completely match the their more complicated gameplay. Examples include
Call of Duty: Mobile and State of Survival.
Using background music in ads provides a way for casual games to distinguish
themselves from each other. While a variety music is used in ads, some casual game
advertisers have turned to calming music to present their titles as relaxing.
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Zynga Experimented with Video Creatives Imitating Playables
Examples of fake playable creatives
21
Creative Trends
High Heels
Zynga
Unity
Parking Jam 3D
Popcore
Vungle
Phone Case DIY
Crazy Labs
Unity
1 Fake Playables
Game publishers have traditionally used
videos that look similar to playable ads, with
an example player proceeding through a level.
While these ads don’t have the same level of
interaction as a playable, they can still highlight
the main components of gameplay, especially
for simpler titles.
Zynga took this a step further by running a
video creative that mirrors the introduction to
a playable ad. This quick introduction tempts
viewers to download the game in order to see
what the gameplay is actually like.
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Facebook Vungle
Hypercasual Game Ads Experimented with Background Music
Games use a variety of background music in
their ad creatives to help them stand out. While
this music is often loud and upbeat, some
advertisers have tried calmer music to make
their games seem more relaxing.
This strategy is particularly common for Puzzle
games that can be marketed as relaxing,
although it used by some Hypercasual games
as well. Water Sort Puzzle is an example of a
Puzzle game that has calming creatives with
piano or string music.
Examples of video creatives with relaxing music
22
Creative Trends
Match 3D
Loop Games
Water Sort Puzzle
IEC Global
Happy Color
X-Flow
2 Relaxing Music
Unity
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Mid-Core Games Turn to Playables
A few top mid-core games have turned to using
simple playable ads. Call of Duty: Mobile
traditionally relied on video ads with a narrative
and focused on actual gameplay. However, it
has recently adopted a simple mini-game on
networks including MoPub and Vungle.
State of Survival has also used playable ads to
drive user acquisition. While the playable ads
need to be much simpler than the title’s actual
gameplay, their adoption by these popular mid-
core games suggest that they can still be a useful
driver of new users.
Examples of playable creatives for mid-core games
23
Creative Trends
3 Playables for Mid-Core Games
Call of Duty: Mobile
Activision Blizzard
State of Survival
FunPlus
Vungle
MoPub
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Games Include Conversations About Strategies and Rewards
Some top advertisers have explored video
creatives that include little to no actual
gameplay, instead featuring players discussing
the game. This is a common strategy for titles
with real money rewards, as they can highlight
someone learning about the opportunity to
make money from a game and feeling left out.
AFK Arena has several ad creatives that show
players discussing different strategies and how
to progress through the game more quickly,
again capitalizing on players feeling like they
are missing out on an opportunity. Magic: The
Gathering Arena even included celebrities in a
recent ad.
Examples of creatives with real-world conversations
24
Creative Trends
YouTube
ironSource
Bingo Clash
Aviagames
AFK Arena
Lilith Games
Magic: The
Gathering Arena
Wizards of the Coast
4 Real-World Conversations
YouTube
—
Key Takeaways from the Report
Conclusion
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Conclusion
26
Conclusion
●Despite concerns about the impact of IDFA, mobile game advertising trends
have held steady into 2021, with many ad networks even seeing an uptick
share of voice from games. While the long-term impacts of IDFA are yet to
be seen, it does not appear that mobile game advertising has experienced
any immediate, substantial ill effects in the first half of 2021.
●Game advertisers can find success by using ad networks that fit their target
demographic group. YouTube is a popular network for the Strategy and
RPG genres since many of its advertisers have a younger, more male
audience. Meanwhile, Adcolony is more commonly used by games with an
older, more female audience, making it a good option for Casino games.
●For casual and mid-core game publishers alike, staying on top of recent ad
creative trends can help spark ideas to improve user acquisition. For
example, some top mid-core games like Call of Duty: Mobile have
experimented with using simple “mini-games” in playable ads to boost
adoption, suggesting that this approach can be useful even for games with
more complex gameplay.
© 2021 Sensor Tower Inc. – All Rights Reserved
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