In-game advertising revenue worldwide grew by more than a quarter in 2021, though its importance varies across markets, according to data from more than 750,000 mobile games from game engine company Unity.

More players are also watching ads – the share of daily users who watch in-game adverts has risen from 21.6% in 2020 to 25.9% in 2021.

Why it matters

In-game advertising has proven attractive to marketers as it enables them to build reach among different audiences. This comes as recent research has found gaming audiences to be broader and more diverse than previously thought.

However, many marketers say...