In-Game Ads Beat CPA Goals by 21%, Revealing Hidden Advertiser Opportunities, According to New Report from Anzu

Anzu’s first-ever in-game advertising trends report shows how brands can capitalize on untapped opportunities in gaming by better understanding player behaviors and market trends

April 30, 2025 – Brands tapping into intrinsic in-game advertising are achieving exceptional performance, surpassing advertiser CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) goals by an average of 21%. This finding comes from Anzu, the world’s leading intrinsic in-game advertising platform, in its new research report released today. The report, supported by data and contributions from industry leaders including dentsu, IAB, IAS, Comscore, Lumen, Claritas, Gameloft, and Miniclip, identifies actionable insights for advertisers across gaming platforms, genres, and global markets.

The Intrinsic In-Game Advertising Key Trends Report is the industry’s first comprehensive analysis linking gaming behavior directly to measurable advertising outcomes. It highlights major performance opportunities brands can leverage, especially during traditionally underutilized advertising periods such as Q1 and summer.

Key findings include:

• Lower Funnel Impact: Intrinsic in-game ads deliver an average 8-point lift in purchase intent, significantly outperforming other digital channels.
• Q1 Opportunities: Advertising CPMs (Cost Per Thousand impressions) drop by 50% in Q1, yet player session length is at its highest (4.5 minutes per session), creating cost-effective engagement opportunities particularly suited to brands in dating, fitness, and wellness.
• PC and console gamers far exceed mobile players in session length, total play time, and sessions per user. However, mobile offers 25x the scale of impressions and a more diverse audience, with 37% female players vs. 20% on PC and console.
• Summer Efficiency: Gaming CPMs are significantly lower during summer when channels like CTV and linear TV experience a dip (-9.4% in North America and -21.1% in Europe). However, player activity remains consistently high. This presents advertisers with a cost-effective way to maintain brand visibility at a time when it’s difficult to reach audiences across traditional channels.
• Leveraging Real-World Events: Sports and racing games connected to real-world events (e.g., championships, races) drive heightened engagement.

“Gaming isn’t just another channel; it’s uniquely positioned to drive significant cost and performance advantages for advertisers,” said Natalia Vasilyeva, EVP Marketing & Strategy at Anzu. “This report, which is packed with years' worth of data and measurement insights from Anzu and our partners, equips brands with practical insights to strategically tap into player behavior and maximize their ad investments.”

Magali Huot, SVP Global Gaming Strategy from dentsu, which announced a global strategic partnership with Anzu last year, said, “Markets like North America and Europe have already shown how impactful intrinsic in-game advertising can be when done right. But what’s really exciting is the opportunity in emerging regions — where brands can still tap into massive growth, cost-effectively, and make a real impact from the ground up.”

Download the full report to explore where gaming’s advertising opportunities lie.