iion vs Overwolf

Havas Play Partners with iion for Playable Ads in APAC

Havas Play has selected iion as its technology partner to launch a new playable advertising offering across the ANZ and APAC regions. The collaboration integrates iion's playable ad technology into Havas Play's media offerings, enabling brands to create interactive, game-like ad experiences to boost engagement. The partnership aims to expand the use of playable formats beyond gaming into mainstream brand advertising. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

• Havas Play partners with iion for playable advertising.
• The service will be available across ANZ and APAC.
• iion provides the technology for interactive ad formats.

ChinaJoy 2026 Signals Gaming's AI and Monetisation Shift

ChinaJoy 2026, themed "Level up with AI", highlighted AI's pervasiveness in game development and operations and signalled several industry shifts: Western publishers still under-index China, Vietnam and mini-games; direct-to-consumer (DTC) approaches are evolving from user-acquisition tactics into monetisation strategies; AI combined with new hardware (AI PCs, phones, glasses, companions) is emerging as a new computing frontier; publishers are prioritising brand and lifetime value (LTV) over cost-per-install (CPI); and smart TVs/CTV are becoming strategic platforms for gaming distribution, advertising and monetisation. The show emphasised shorter ad-tech supply chains and tighter integration of product, marketing, monetisation and AI.

• ChinaJoy 2026 ran under the theme "Level up with AI" and covered AI across ideation, coding, art, UA, ad creative, live ops, support and analytics.
• The article warns many Western publishers have limited exposure to China, Vietnam and the rising mini-games distribution ecosystem.
• Direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels (web-to-app, game hubs, direct payments, communities, creator ecosystems) are converging into monetisation strategies that capture first-party data and player relationships.

IAB PlayFronts 2026: Gaming Advertising at an Inflection Point

The 2026 IAB PlayFronts event, held on September 17th, 2026, showcased the growing maturity and investment potential of gaming as an advertising channel. Key themes included the shift from experimental to investable, the unique cross-platform attention ecosystem, the importance of player-first creative, and the ability to drive the full marketing funnel. With 212.3 million US gamers, platforms highlighted programmatic inventory, rewarded video, and third-party measurement. The industry's main hurdle is systemic - educating brands and agencies on gaming's nuances - not consumer adoption.

• The IAB PlayFronts event took place on September 17, 2026.
• 212.3 million Americans play games regularly, with 67% of 5-90-year-olds playing at least an hour per week.
• Presenters highlighted LIVAD's virtual product placements, Overwolf's In-Game Audience Discovery Map, and Zynga's Ads+ 'Game Path Optimization'.

Overwolf Ads Launches the In-Game Audience Map

This week, exclusive on Variety and unveiled live at IAB PlayFronts 2026, Overwolf Ads launched the In-Game Audience Map: a free tool that shows brands exactly where their audience is playing, across 5,000+ of the world's biggest games.

Gaming Platforms Seek Omnichannel Integration at IAB PlayFronts

At the fifth annual IAB PlayFronts, gaming platforms showcased efforts to align with standard omnichannel buying while emphasizing unique gaming attributes. IAB CEO David Cohen urged resisting adaptation of old models, yet many platforms, including Overwolf, Zynga, and IGN, introduced tools and networks that mirror traditional media channels. Overwolf launched an In-Game Audience Map for media planning across 5,000 game titles. Zynga Ads+ extends its publisher network to third-party apps. IGN partnered with AI platform Firsthand for interactive display ads for AMD. The industry highlights a significant mismatch between gaming's audience and ad spend, with gaming attracting only 2.4% of media spend despite 67% of Americans gaming weekly. Experts advocate for treating gaming as a distinct channel with unique value, as demonstrated by Sam's Club's rewarded video campaign on Roblox, which drove store sales.

• IAB PlayFronts 2026 highlighted gaming's push for omnichannel integration.
• Overwolf launched an In-Game Audience Map for targeting across 5,000 game titles.
• Zynga introduced Zynga Ads+, a third-party publisher network for mobile apps.