Gaming

Make way for the in-game advertising revolution

Published

5 years ago

July 14, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Nicola Halpin, Senior Director of Sales at Adverty, on why brands must wake up to the creative possibilities inherent within in-game advertising

In-game advertising remains unchartered territory for the vast majority of brands, yet a large-scale shift towards seamless and non-interruptive in-game advertising which sits alongside the immersive experience of increasingly popular virtual worlds has already begun.

Indeed, with around three billion gamers worldwide, this industry offers unlimited, lucrative opportunities for marketers looking to upgrade from traditional advertising methods.

In the mobile space, 5G is one of the most exciting developments – heralding greater creative freedom and unlimited possibilities. According to a report from games analytics company, Newzoo, there will be some 2.1 billion 5G-ready smartphones globally by 2023, accounting for 42.7% of active smartphones. The mobile market’s transition towards this fifth generation of mobile network technology has already begun, with countries around the world rolling out 5G networks, and many of the leading smartphone manufacturers having launched flagship 5G smartphones.

Meanwhile, Newzoo’s report also notes that the era of hypercasual on mobile is branching out into exciting areas with new ways to play leading to new ways to pay, including bundles, direct purchases and ad-based revenues.

With innovations such Adverty’s unobtrusive In-Play and In-Menu ad formats – designed to make in-game advertising a powerful performance as well as a branding channel – brands are starting to wake up to the possibilities. They will be pleased that they did: Our recent research into the reception of in-game advertising indicated that respondents preferred ads which blended seamlessly into the gameplay experience – compared to 30% favourability for a standard banner ad, for instance.

It is now possible to reach mobile gamers non-intrusively – to add to, rather than to detract from – the immersive experience. And with lockdowns having led to consumers engaging with mobile gaming more than ever, with Adverty’s traffic, for instance, going up 35%, this is a trend that looks set to stay. Post lockdown, rather than diminishing, this traffic plateaued.

Besides, gaming is an increasingly popular pastime for a much broader demographic than many assume, too, with Nick Sperrin, Chief Client Officer, Dentsu UK, pointing out that DGame, its specialist division set up to help brands reach and engage with gaming audiences was developed “in response to a rapidly changing marketplace which has mass, not niche, potential.”

Despite this, there remains a huge disconnect between brand investment that is pouring into social media, by way of example, versus gaming – despite both areas having broadly similar reach. Gamers are both male and female, and many are mature – with significant spending power.

So, with the technology advancing all the time and 5G offering increased sophistication and creative freedom, it’s time that brands made the most of native in-game placements. By way of example, Adverty’s formats can’t be turned off by ad blockers; they offer brand awareness and brand safety – and they can run programmatically. In-Menu represents a clickable ad unit which can lead gamers directly to offers or purchase, with even automotive brands are becoming active in this space – proving that there is increasing awareness that games are not just played by kids, but by decision makers and money makers, too.

Many play games daily, too, while the eSports category is exploding. So it should come as no surprise to learn that brand safe advertising which is well-received in this context, without disturbing game play, delivers results. For instance, for Unilever brand, Knorr, a clickable banner in the mobile casual game, Subway Surfers, delivered over 5.76 million viewable impressions and almost seven seconds in average view time per impression. Besides this, Adverty’s patented BrainImpression technology, which is based on research around the anatomy of the human eye and brain perception, enables us only charge the advertiser when we know the ads have been fully perceived by the consumer. There is no catch: You only get charged for ads that are seen.

What’s more, our recent brand lift study with Dentsu Data Labs highlighted the potential impact of in-game executions – with ad awareness up 84% and brand recall up 78%. Clearly there is minimal risk when it comes to putting your money in this space, with advertising that blends in well. It’s becoming increasingly evident that brands ignore the in-game revolution at their peril.

Bone Croo Studios

Tequity Publishing Launches “Cats Balls”

Published

13 hours ago

May 12, 2026

Wladimir P.

tequity-publishing-launches-“cats-balls”

Tequity, the technology partner behind some of the industry’s most scalable and customisable gaming solutions, has announced the latest high-octane release through its Tequity Publishing vertical, Cats Balls.

Developed by Bone Croo Studios and powered by The Fortune Engine technology, Cats Balls is a high-energy, pachinko-style experience that transports players back to the 1980s – an era of loud riffs, bigger hair and alley cats with rock god ambitions.

Cats Balls breaks the traditional slot mould, trading spinning reels for a storm of steel balls dropping like a drum solo. Packed with punk attitude, the game invites players to crank the amp, unleash the balls and watch the feline cast of guitar heroes shred.

The title serves as the latest premier showcase for The Fortune Engine, highlighting the platform’s flexible maths and game templates. This technology allows studios to move beyond conventional formats and create bold, unconventional experiences that resonate with a new generation of players.

The launch of Cats Balls further solidifies the mission of Tequity Publishing, which provides a distribution and aggregation framework designed to help ambitious studios launch at speed and scale. Through its RGSaaS model, Tequity Publishing provides the full infrastructure, distribution and publishing framework, allowing studios to focus entirely on game creation. With RGS-to-RGS, Tequity offers a technology-first approach for studios already operating their own RGS, enabling them to scale more quickly and deliver through Tequity’s global operator network.

Krzysztof Opałka, CEO at Tequity, said: “The release of Cats Balls is a perfect example of why we built Tequity Publishing. By removing the technical barriers to entry, we enable studios like Bone Croo to bring their wildest creative visions to life without compromise. Seeing this punk-inspired pachinko title hit the market via The Fortune Engine proves that our infrastructure is the go-to choice for high-impact, innovative content.”

The post Tequity Publishing Launches “Cats Balls” appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Exprexion

Flexion Launches Mobile Service Suite Exprexion

Published

5 days ago

May 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

flexion-launches-mobile-service-suite-exprexion

Games marketing company Flexion has announced the launch of Exprexion. This integrated suite of services provides game developers with a single point of entry to alternative app stores, creator-led marketing and direct-to-consumer sales.

The mobile gaming industry is entering a new era. After years of market domination by Google and Apple, game studios are looking for ways to be in command of their own destiny. High store taxes and rising acquisition costs have squeezed profits for too long. The Exprexion suite of services gives developers the freedom to innovate in market engagement and express their ideas directly to users, moving beyond the traditional constraints of the major app stores.

The Exprexion suite consists of three core services:

Exprexion Markets: This service manages all the technical and operational requirements of distributing games on alternative platforms including Amazon, Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and ONEstore. Flexion handles everything from integration to platform relations, typically adding more than 10% in incremental revenue. By taking on these tasks, Flexion reduces upfront and operational costs for developers while reducing risk.

Exprexion Creators: This service focuses on influencer-led marketing and social media strategy. By managing the creative process and relationships with influencers, Flexion helps studios find high-value players who engage with games through organic interest. This approach allows developers to reach bigger audiences through broader market channels and innovative user acquisition.

Exprexion Direct: This service enables developers to sell to their players no matter where those players are. By moving transactions outside of the major app stores, studios can make better margins and reclaim the 30% fee typically charged by platform owners. The service uses proven payment technology from trusted suppliers, like Xsolla, to ensure the buying experience remains smooth.

“The mobile industry has reached a point where the old methods of finding and monetizing players are no longer sustainable for many game studios. For years, developers accepted high fees and limited data access as the cost of doing business. Now, the emergence of a more open market and the shift toward direct-to-consumer relationships have changed the math. We launched Exprexion because the market is finally in a place where developers can feasibly run their own stores and distribution networks without the massive operational overhead that used to hold them back,” said Jens Lauritzson, CEO and Founder of Flexion.

Flexion’s technology, people and expertise are unique in the mobile market. The Exprexion services are fully integrated with one another, meaning each service perfectly complements the others. They can be combined seamlessly or used in any combination to generate profit and grow audiences bigger than ever before.

Flexion currently manages 37 top-grossing games. Four of these titles have reached the Top 10 grossing charts on Google Play. By providing a decentralised path to growth, Exprexion serves as a vehicle for a studio’s financial freedom.

The post Flexion Launches Mobile Service Suite Exprexion appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Funding

EasyWin closes second seed round at $20m valuation

Published

6 days ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

easywin-closes-second-seed-round-at-$20m-valuation

Real-money casual puzzle tournament startup says an EU private investor backed the April 2026 round.

EasyWin, a U.S.-based real-money gaming startup, said it has closed its second seed funding round at a $20 million valuation. The company announced the round in April 2026 and said it was backed by a private investor from the European Union.

The company previously closed its first seed round in December 2025 at a $15.5 million valuation. That round included funding from Velo Partners, Vladimir Nikolsky and several private angel investors.

EasyWin was founded by Ivan Leshkevich, a former executive at mobile game publisher and developer Mamboo Entertainment. The startup, which currently has a team of eight, says it has built a global tournament platform for casual puzzle games with cash prizes and operates across major markets.

Since launching in 2025, EasyWin reported 25% month-over-month growth in user spending and a 4.9 average user rating. It also said it has expanded into 12 countries with localized legal opinions and payment infrastructure, received PayPal approval for its MCC, and completed payments-stack integrations with global providers.

The company also said it has obtained GLI certification “confirming compliance with U.S. regulations for skill-based gaming products.” Leshkevich said: “In the long term, we aim to become a leading global skill-based gaming platform. To achieve this, we focus on a strong product USP and new AI-based dev tools.”

The post EasyWin closes second seed round at $20m valuation appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.