A new Unity report called, “In-Game Advertising the Right Way: Monetize, Engage, Retain” indicates that any preconceptions one might have about rewarded video ads being unpopular among mobile game players has no basis. In fact, according to the report, rewarded video ads are well on their way to becoming the new monetization norm.

The study, which you can download here, summarizes and assesses a November 2015 survey based on the input of over 2,000 mobile game developers and players. The survey reveals that rewarded video ads have enormous potential as a way to monetize games. And that’s without negatively affecting either IAP or the lifetime value of players, mind you. Here are a few highlights.

Rewarded video ads bring home the most bacon

When it comes to monetization, it seems as though rewarded video ads are currently the hottest revenue generator — at least according to the developers who participated in the study. Over half said that rewarded video ads are providing them with the highest revenue per user compared to any other type of in-game advertising.

What’s more, the players surveyed said that they actually prefer rewarded video ads to other types of payment. Almost two-thirds stated that they always or sometimes choose to engage with a video ad for an in-game reward, given the chance.

The Secret recipe that players can’t get enough of

The fact that the study discovered almost 80% of players confirmed they are open to engaging with video ads for in-game rewards doesn’t surprise Made With Unity client Futureplay, makers of the hit Farm Away!. Co-Founder and CEO Jami Laes said, “Our secret to success is focusing on creating a monetization method that has positive reinforcement. We give our players a choice when they want to watch rewarded video ads, stirring engagement.” Mika Rahko, Co-Founder and Head of Development, continued, “Even more amazing is that we’re seeing an average of 22 rewarded video ads watched per install. And this engagement is sending our revenue through the roof – driving $0.15 average revenue per player per day in the US market.”

You’ve got ’em, how do you keep ’em?

The implication then is that rewarded video ads don’t just earn short-term revenue, but they can be designed to extend the players’ lifetime value for the game maker. This is confirmed by the responses in the study, which indicate that rewarded ads can improve (or at the very least, do not negatively impact) retention. In fact, less than 1-in-10 developers saw any drop in retention at all after introducing rewarded video ads.

Find out what works and what doesn’t

Not only does the study present the results of the ads survey, but it digs into the numbers, interprets the implications of the results, and presents the details of what works and what doesn’t.

To get insight into how rewarded video ads might work for your studio, game, and audience, download the free study: In-Game Advertising the Right Way, Monetize, Engage, Retain.

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