In-Game Formats
Part of Gaming advertising formats
Comparing intrinsic in-game placements with display overlays
Compare game-world surfaces with app display overlays by player view, interaction, visibility evidence and risk of covering controls.
An intrinsic placement puts an ad on a surface in the game world. A display overlay sits above the app interface, while an ordinary app banner may occupy a reserved area. Choose according to whether the message must appear in the scene or give a clearer interface-level invitation to act. Ask to see the exact unit: sellers may use “overlay” for different behaviours.
Identify the surface being sold
| Check | Intrinsic placement | App display unit or overlay |
|---|---|---|
| Position | A virtual board, sign or screen within the scene | A reserved interface area or a unit expanding above content |
| What changes the view? | Camera movement, distance, angle and obstruction | Screen layout, orientation, controls and expansion state |
| Message suited to the space | A short, recognisable brand message | A short message with a tap action if the unit supports one |
| Main buying risk | The player may not get a useful view | The unit may cover content or sit too close to controls |
Google describes an anchored banner as a top or bottom app placement; a collapsible banner is a larger overlay that reduces to banner size. Ask for the supplier’s format name, expanded and collapsed states where relevant, and a capture from normal use.
An overlay on a game stream reaches a viewer of the stream. It is a different placement from an ad in the player’s app.
Intrinsic placement versus app display overlay
- Intrinsic placementAd on a surface in the game world. Position: virtual board, sign or screen within the scene. View changes with camera movement, distance, angle and obstruction. Suited to a short, recognisable brand message. Main risk: the player may not get a useful view. IAB gaming creative guidance describes conventional intrinsic display surfaces as non-clickable.
- App display unit or overlayReserved interface area or a unit expanding above content. View changes with screen layout, orientation, controls and expansion state. Suited to a short message with a tap action if the unit supports one. Main risk: the unit may cover content or sit too close to controls. Google describes an anchored banner as a top or bottom app placement; a collapsible banner is a larger overlay that reduces to banner size.
Decide what the message can do
IAB gaming creative guidance describes conventional intrinsic display surfaces as non-clickable. Keep the message brief and recognisable while the scene moves. Do not assume a button pictured on a virtual board opens a destination; if a seller offers an interactive game-world object, ask how it works.
An app display unit may provide a destination action, depending on the unit. Check the tap area and landing page. For an expanded unit, check how it collapses or closes.
Google says its collapsible banners belong on static interface screens and should not appear during gameplay. Its wider banner guidance warns about accidental clicks near interactive elements. These are Google implementation limits, not findings about a proposed placement.
Ask the right visibility question
For served intrinsic display inventory, the IAB/MRC guidelines require at least half of the intended creative to be visible for one continuous second after rendering. The visible portion must cover at least 1.5% of the screen before a display impression can qualify as viewable.
Further conditions apply. A booked slot or game session alone does not establish a viewable impression. The guidelines’ direct scope does not include ordinary interstitials, web banners or hard-coded branded objects.
For an app display unit, ask which measurement method applies rather than borrowing an intrinsic figure. Request a player-view capture on the intended device and orientation. A preview can reveal obstructed controls or unreadable copy, but it is not a report of delivered impressions.
Make the selection conditional
Choose an intrinsic surface when a short, usually non-clickable message suits the brief and the seller can explain the player view and delivery method. Choose an app display unit when the message needs an interface-level action and the seller can show a suitable placement. For either proposal, ask which games and devices are eligible, what creative specifications apply and what reporting is unavailable.
Choosing between intrinsic and display
- Choose an intrinsic surface whenA short, usually non-clickable message suits the brief and the seller can explain the player view and delivery method.
- Choose an app display unit whenThe message needs an interface-level action and the seller can show a suitable placement.
- Ask for either proposalWhich games and devices are eligible, what creative specifications apply, and what reporting is unavailable.
