In the third quarter of 2023, the advertising landscape witnessed a remarkable surge in growth and creativity, marking a two-year peak compared to the previous year. SocialPeta, a globally recognized advertising and marketing platform, recently released a comprehensive report exploring various facets of the Indian mobile game market.

1. Explosive Growth in Advertiser Numbers and Creative Releases:

• Q3 2023 recorded a 94.10% increase in advertisers launching new creatives compared to the previous year.

• A staggering 10.8 million new creatives were released, constituting 80% of all active creatives, showcasing a substantial uptick from Q3 2022.

• Southeast Asia led in the average monthly volume of creatives, while South Asia and Europe secured the fourth position with an average monthly creative count of 122.

• Noteworthy was the finding that launching creatives during the pre-registration phase was more prevalent in mature markets, and ads featuring real people yielded optimal results.

2. Android Dominance and Focus on Casual Games in India:

• In India, the average volume of creatives on Android surpassed the global average, while iOS fell below, signaling Android’s prominence in advertising mobile games.

• Casual games took the lead in creative output, experiencing a year-on-year increase, while RPG ad creatives lagged behind the global average.

3. Declining Appeal of Video Creatives to Indian Players:

• Despite videos being the preferred format for advertisers in India, Q3 2023 witnessed a 70% decline in average video impressions.

• Short videos, lasting 30 seconds or less, were prevalent, with square image creatives also extensively used.

4. Marketing Strategies Across Popular Game Genres in India:

• Mini-game creatives emerged as the most effective strategy in India, capturing audience attention within the first 3 seconds using dramatic situations and captivating live-action short videos.

• Action games like MOBA and Battle Royale gained popularity due to their blend of

socialization and gameplay, and the integration of popular cartoons attracted non-core gamers.

• Cash casino games relied on high cash rewards, emphasizing continuous wins through exaggerated slogans and live-action dubbing or acting.

In summary, Q3 2023 witnessed a surge in the global mobile game market, with India showcasing increased advertiser interest in casual games. The advertising landscape saw a strategic shift, particularly in the declining appeal of video creatives to Indian players compared to the previous year. SocialPeta’s insights provide a nuanced understanding of the dynamic trends shaping the Indian mobile game advertising industry.

Source: adapted from an article by Mobidictum.