In-Game Formats
Part of Advertising inside games
In-game ads versus esports sponsorships
Compare player-facing game ads with esports sponsorships by audience, rights, delivery evidence and campaign goal.
Use an in-game ad to reach someone playing a game. Use an esports sponsorship to reach people following a competition, team or broadcast. The same title may be involved, but the audience, contracted assets and proof of delivery can differ.
Compare the contact you are buying
| Decision | In-game ad | Esports sponsorship |
|---|---|---|
| Primary setting | A player's game session | A match, event, team channel or related fan experience |
| Possible asset | A game-world surface, app display unit or ad at a break | Agreed branding or activation, such as an event segment |
| Buying question | Which games, devices and ad opportunities are eligible? | Which rights, events, channels and dates are included? |
| Evidence to request | Defined ad delivery and, where available, viewability | Proof that each contracted asset ran, plus audience reporting for its channel |
These are planning categories, not fixed packages. An esports sponsor can also buy ordinary ads. A logo in a match stream does not show that the brand appeared on the game screen of everyone playing at home.
Check the audience behind the name
Players of a competitive title and viewers of its tournaments are not interchangeable audiences. For an in-game proposal, request the eligible ad audience for the particular game, device and market.
For a sponsorship, ask who can encounter each contracted event or channel asset. If the campaign is limited to Australia, request an Australian estimate with its method and period. A global fan figure is not an Australian player estimate.
For example, a brand seeking recognition among Australians playing a casual mobile game would need evidence that a tournament partnership reaches those people. A brand seeking association with a named competition would need that association among its sponsorship rights; a generic in-game impression would not supply it.
Audience considerations for Australian campaigns
- Global fan figure
- Not an Australian player estimate
- Australian audience estimate required
- Request method and period for local data
- Brand recognition in casual mobile games
- Requires evidence of reach among Australian players
- Association with named competition
- Needs proof of sponsorship rights in Australia
Read the rights and reporting separately
An in-game media proposal should specify the placement, creative behaviour, targeting rule and counted event. For an in-game placement, ask what counts as an impression and what evidence shows it was viewable.
For a sponsorship, request a schedule of deliverables: where branding will appear, which segments or activations are included, who controls the creative and how substitutions are handled. Ask for evidence that each agreed item ran and audience reporting with stated coverage. Signing an agreement is not proof of delivery.
A Riot Games announcement about an esports partnership listed proposed custom segments, event activations, hospitality promotions and giveaways. For any proposed asset, confirm its status, delivery date and evidence in the agreement and post-campaign report.
Steps to verify delivery and rights
- For in-game adsConfirm what counts as an impression and viewability evidence
- For esports sponsorshipsRequest schedule of deliverables and control over creative
- Confirm status and delivery dateVerify each proposed asset in agreement and post-campaign report
Make the choice on the campaign goal
For defined player exposure, compare available in-game placements on audience fit and delivery evidence. For a visible relationship with a team or event, assess the relevance of that property and the contracted rights.
A campaign can use both approaches, but report their audiences and deliverables separately. Neither a viewable ad nor a delivered sponsor logo alone proves a change in brand preference.
