Behind the Screens: How Mobile Game Advertising Works

by Barbara Yakimchuk

Behind the Screens: How Mobile Game Advertising Works

27 Mar 2025

Photo: Midjourney x Sandy Times

We all play mobile games. Sometimes it is a daily habit, other times we download them to pass the time during a flight or while on sick leave. But have we ever stopped to think about the massive scene behind it all? A well-crafted marketing strategy designed to grab our attention, get us to download, play, and then come back for more.

How does it all work? Which games are topping the charts, and which are fading into the background? And what is the most popular colour that draws users in? Find out below with insights from an expert in the field!

Vocabulary you might need

Before we start — a quick guide for those new to the gaming world.

Hyper-casual games — Simple, one-tap games designed for quick, addictive play, usually free to play.

Hybrid-casual games — A mix of casual and more complex gameplay, featuring upgrades and missions but still easy to pick up (e.g. Subway Surfers; Clash Royale).

Casual games — Easy to learn but with more complex designs, made for short, relaxing play sessions and often monetised through in-app purchases. They can include story-driven games, simulation games, and adventure games (e.g. FarmVille, The Sims 3, Florence).

Answering all the questions we have is not easy, so we turned to someone with the expertise and willingness to help. Alexander Rysev, a Motion Designer and Marketing Artist with over three years of experience in the industry, will guide us through the unknown world of game advertising.

How do mobile games make money?

In the mobile gaming industry, there are three main genres, and the way they generate revenue is directly linked to both the game itself and its business model.

Hyper-casual games are extremely simple — these are the “tap-to-play” games that are quickly developed and rely almost entirely on advertising for revenue. The only way these games make money is through in-game advertisements that users watch.

Hybrid-casual games are a newer trend. They remain simple and advertisement - heavy but also include in-app purchases as an additional revenue stream.

Casual games are more complex and expensive to produce, featuring better art design and a more developed in-game economy. As a result, they rely less on advertisements and more on in-app purchases such as boosts, upgrades, coins, and diamonds, making users more likely to spend money. Examples include Monopoly Go, Golf Clash, and Clash of Clans.

Why are the most of mobile game advertisements so simple but catchy?

The key reason is that simplicity makes advertisements effective. To work well, an advertisement does not need much — just a simple banner, clear gameplay, and a strong hook right at the start. This is especially crucial for hybrid casual and hyper-casual games.

Another reason is that simplicity is cost efficiency. If a hyper-casual game (developed in a week by a small team) tried to use a high-end, cinematic 3D advert, it simply would not perform well. The cost-per-acquisition (CPA) would be too high, making the campaign unprofitable.

The rule is simple: casual and hyper-casual games need direct, straightforward advertisements — complex ones just drive up costs and reduce effectiveness.

Why do some advertisements look silly or weird?

Because they work. The mobile gaming market is driven by regular players — the people who actually engage with these games. If an advertisement looks bizarre, it is not a mistake. It is designed that way because it gets results.

No gaming studio says, “Let us make a ridiculous ad and throw millions at it just for fun.” Advertising is expensive — even small or mid-sized studios can spend millions on campaigns.

Photo: Midjourney x Sandy Times

Why do some games still have complex, high-quality advertisements, if it is nor profitable?

There are usually two reasons for it.

The developer is willing to invest in high-value users — players who return to the game repeatedly and are more likely to spend money.
The game with these advertisements likely monetises beyond advertisements, offering in-game purchases like skins, passes, and premium features, meaning it can generate more revenue per user.

For example, in the United States, users are more expensive to acquire but are also more likely to make in-game purchases (such as buying an ad-free version or digital items). That’s why for high-value users and more complex games — those with battle passes, customisation options, and advanced systems — more polished, high-quality advertisements can be worth the investment.

Why do some advertisements let us play a short part of the game?

The goal of these advertisements is to engage users by letting them experience the game firsthand. They are called playable advertisements (or playables) — they allow users to interact with a simplified version of the game before downloading it.

These advertisements often appear at key moments, such as when you pause a game or reach an intense scene, to grab your attention and encourage you to download the application. They are typically lightweight, HTML-based versions of the full game.

Why do some games look different from their playable advertisements?

Many playable advertisements are misleading — they do not fully reflect the actual gameplay but still perform well in attracting downloads.

This creates a trade-off:

Misleading playables get more downloads at a lower cost.
Retention rates suffer — users quickly realise the game is different from what they expected and stop playing.

If an advertisement is highly engaging but does not match the real game, players might download it, feel disappointed, and never return. While this approach can be effective for short-term installs, it is not sustainable for long-term player engagement.

Photo: Midjourney x Sandy Times

What games are trending right now?

Hybrid casual games — simple yet deep — are dominating the market. Think Subway Surfers, Clash Royale, and Angry Birds 2. Puzzle games are also big. The overall trend? A shift toward more complex gameplay.

But trends change. The games that attract the most players vary by season. Alexander shared, that when he started his career, it was the golden age of hyper-casual games — super simple concepts like choosing the right gate for a character’s body size or controlling flying sausages. Studios would test hundreds of prototypes weekly, and marketing was effortless: just gameplay footage with a bold banner — “Only 1% reach level 50!”. With cheap advertisements and low cost-per-install (CPI), it worked really well.

What tricks do designers use to grab users attention?

Mobile game marketing is packed with clever tactics. Pink is a massive attention-grabber — even if it does not match the game’s theme. Other tricks? Rainbow effects, bold outlines (the "cardboard effect"), and lens flares.

Alexander recalls a wild strategy called “the creative killer” — combining all these flashy elements into one advertisement. It worked incredibly well for hyper-casual games. Today, new trends are emerging. Watermelons are suddenly appearing everywhere in game advertisements, and black-and-white backgrounds are being used a lot. These choices are not necessarily logical, but they are highly effective.

Are games and their advertisements designed for specific age groups?

Not exactly. It is not about saying, “Let us target people over 30 years old” or “This is for teenagers”. Instead, the audience reveals itself during ad campaigns.

Alexander shared an example: if a creative advertisement unexpectedly attracts a 35+ audience, developers adjust it to get more users with the same characteristics — tweaking colors, voices, music, and visuals to better suit that demographic. In game marketing, the market sets the rules. If something performs well with a certain age group, the developers lean into it. If a particular approach is not working, they adapt and find something else that might.

Does game advertising vary by country?

Not really. One of the most interesting things about the gaming industry is that a studio’s location does not define its market. Whether you are in Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, or the UAE, the focus is always on reaching paying players — and they can be anywhere in the world.

Studios often test advertisements in countries like Mexico or Brazil just because it is more cost-effective, but there is no strict regional targeting.

In this job everything is in English, no matter where you stay — videos, banners, buttons, even the UI. Gaming is a global industry. A game designed just for the French market, for example, would not be profitable. The only slight difference? French studios might prioritize translating their games into French a little earlier. But if a game is successful, it will eventually be translated into multiple languages, no matter where the studio is based.

Can cultural differences affect advertisements?

Yes, cultural nuances matter. In Saudi Arabia, for example, gambling is strictly banned, so even a small detail like a roulette wheel or casino-style feature should be avoided in advertisements — it would not sit well with the audience.

However, aside from cultural sensitivities, the core principles of gaming and marketing remain the same worldwide.

Photo: Midjourney x Sandy Times

Does this job lead to professional deformation?

Absolutely. You start seeing the psychology behind every design choice — why a game suddenly gets harder at a certain point or why a feature exists. It is no longer just about playing for fun; it becomes an analysis of mechanics and strategy.

Alexander shared his the example from his life — when he and his wife, Ksenia played Split Fiction, after a cutscene, she instinctively moved the camera around, looking for the next path. But in game design, the camera is usually positioned to guide players — using subtle cues like highlighted colours or attention-grabbing elements. And when he finds himself in a huge, empty arena, his immediate reaction is, “Here comes the boss fight!” It is all about how designers shape the experience.

What kind of games do game developers play?

Alexander shared he mostly plays big console games in my spare time. But since his job is in mobile gaming, he also play mobile games — both his own and competitors’ — to analyse mechanics, test updates, and record gameplay for advertisements. When he was a child, he used to play Snake on his mum’s Nokia as a kid, and she’d get annoyed, thinking he was running up charges. Now, playing games is literally his job.

by Barbara Yakimchuk