2025
9
US Advertising in Gaming Market Report 2025
2025-10-27T12:02:20+00:00
REP3230B8E9_AC97_4699_87E5_AE1786A681C9
3695
187980
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Report
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74% of adults who play games report they are spending more time playing free-to-play games lately, increasing the number of ads they are likely to encounter while playing games. It's…
US
Marketing and Advertising
Gaming
simple

US Advertising in Gaming Market Report 2025

74% of adults who play games report they are spending more time playing free-to-play games lately, increasing the number of ads they are likely to encounter while playing games.

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Global video game market size
    • Market predictions
    • Most ads are equal for player recognition, but a few struggle
    • Opportunities for some industries are greater in meeting players interest in ads
    • No ad solution will appeal to everyone, but clearly they should not interrupt
    • Advertising in-games could be an effective measure against rising costs
    • Opportunities
  2. MARKET DYNAMICS

    • Market context
    • Global gaming market
    • Entertainment Software Association essential facts
    • Global video gaming revenue is forecasted for slow and steady growth of 3.4%
    • Graph 1: global video game industry revenue, 2022-28
    • 5.5% year-on-year growth for consoles on Switch 2 success
    • Graph 2: global video game industry revenue share (billions), by device, 2025
    • The post-COVID-19 paradigm shift in the gaming industry
    • Graph 3: attention economy and gaming (% agree), 2025
    • Market drivers
    • Game pass could adopt a Twitch style ad model soon
    • First esports now EA, Saudi Arabia is buying gaming
    • Roblox launched a licensing platform to streamline IPs usage for user content
    • It’s 10pm, do you know where your kids are in Roblox?
  3. CONSUMER INSIGHTS

    • Consumer fast facts
    • Gaming ad reaction
    • Go there and figure it out because that’s where the audience is
    • Graph 4: motivation to play video games (% agree), by age, 2025
    • Stopping gameplay for conversions is tricky, but awareness is within reach
    • Graph 5: video gaming ad reaction, 2025
    • Capture indifferent players by targeting discovery and curiosity
    • Graph 6: video gaming ad reaction, by age, 2025
    • Absent of larger gender demographic difference, moms still stand out
    • Graph 7: video gaming ad reaction (select), moms vs dads, 2025
    • Gaming ad exposure
    • Most ads perform equally for recognition but a few struggle with broad audiences
    • Graph 8: types of advertising seen in the past three months, 2025
    • Ad recognition in esports skews towards men today, but that may be changing
    • Graph 9: types of advertising seen in the past three months, by gender, 2025
    • Cross promotional ads could help expand the gaming audience
    • Graph 10: types of advertising seen in the past three months, by age, 2025
    • Hispanic players are more aware of ads around them in their gaming lives
    • Graph 11: types of advertising seen in the past three months, Hispanic gamers vs overall, 2025
    • Industry recall
    • Ads aren’t always an immediate turn-off for younger gamers
    • Graph 12: attitudes towards video game advertising (% agree), by age, 2025
    • Some players have seen more than they want, but there are opportunities
    • Graph 13: recall seeing/interest in industry products/services advertised or sponsorships in games played, 2025
    • Women who play video games are saying “please advertise to me”
    • Graph 14: interest in seeing product/service advertisements or sponsored content from this industry in games played (select), by gender, 2025
    • Black and Hispanic gamers also offer more ad opportunities than average
    • Graph 15: interest in seeing product/service advertisements or sponsored content from this industry in games played, by race or ethnicity, 2025
    • Types of ads seen
    • Video ads and ads for other games stand out while audio ads languish
    • Graph 16: types of in-game advertising seen most often (any rank), 2025
    • Older gamers play more ad heavy games and offer more insights instead of being overshadowed by younger players
    • Graph 17: types of in-game advertising seen most often (any rank), by age, 2025
    • Advertising avoidance
    • Advertising in-games could be an effective measure against rising costs
    • Graph 18: cost of living increases and video game spending (% agree), by age, 2025
    • No ad solution will appeal to everyone, but clearly they should not interrupt
    • Graph 19: advertising avoidance tactics, 2025
    • There are greater challenges than brand reputation in overcoming ad aversion
    • Graph 20: advertising avoidance tactics, by age, 2025
    • For some ads are an immediate turn off, even if the game comes recommended
    • Graph 21: “I have avoided games with ads regardless if other people I know recommend them”, by age and gender, 2025
  4. Innovation and Marketing strategies

    • Launch activity and innovation
    • YouTuber and Twitch streamer MoistCr1tiKal opens up about ads
    • What do GTA, Spider-Man and Like a Dragon have in common?
    • Epic Game’s Fortnitemares goes all out with collabs for Halloween
    • Marketing and advertising
    • AI was easy to spot when it added extra fingers, now anything low quality is AI
    • Graph 22: AI in advertising (% agree), by age, 2025
    • Sonic collab for Timberlands new Shibuya store
    • Pokémon & Le Creuset target ultra-premium with limited-edition merch deal
    • MANSCAPED and Fortnite introduce Razor Island
  5. Appendix

    • Market definition
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Generations
    • Abbreviations and terms
    • US video game consumers
    • Gaming device usage and frequency
    • Graph 23: gaming device usage and frequency, 2025
    • Mintel gamer segments – device and frequency
    • Graph 24: Mintel gamer segments – device and frequency, 2025
    • Console brand usage
    • Graph 25: console brand usage, 2025
    • Mintel gamer segments – motivations
    • Top reason for playing video games, aside from the entertainment value
    • Graph 26: top reason for playing video games, aside from the entertainment value (any rank), 2025
    • Gamer segments – Achievers and Explorers
    • Gamer segments – Socializers and Competitors
    • Mintel gamer segments – motivations
    • Graph 27: Mintel gamer segments – motivations, 2025
Download Report Summary

Advertising in Gaming – US Trends and Insights

  • 74% of adults who play games report they are spending more time playing free-to-play games lately, increasing the number of ads they are likely to encounter while playing games.
  • It’s been true for a long time that video games are the largest entertainment sector, surpassing combined consumer spending on movies, television and music, making gaming a magnet for advertising dollars seeking broad, highly engaged audiences.
  • There are still untapped opportunities for advertisers to have influence. Women, especially moms, are more likely to engage with and buy from in-game ads, yet they appear underserved by campaigns that meet their needs.
  • With inflation affecting household budgets, premium title sales have softened as more players flock to ad-supported, free-to-play, or subscription titles. Ad revenue is becoming a crucial cushion for publishers facing softer content sales.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Video game industry revenue growth and projections
  • Impact of economic factors on gaming spending
  • Consumer attitudes towards in-game advertising
  • Gender and age differences in ad recognition and exposure
  • Impact of the attention economy and advertising avoidance behaviors
  • Opportunities for brand partnerships and collaborations
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