AdSense for games allows you to earn money from your HTML5 web games using Google’s Interactive Media Ads (IMA) SDK. The Google IMA SDK allows developers to make ad requests to the AdSense network, interpret ad responses and render ads. Many of the leading gaming publishers use Google’s IMA SDK to request and display in-game ads.
RequirementsAd formats
Integration options
Additional resources
Requirements
If you want to integrate AdSense for games into your HTML5-based web games, you’ll need to make sure that you adhere to the following prerequisites:
- Ensure you're compliant with the AdSense program policies, including these specific games policies.
- Utilize a game launcher capable of Google IMA SDK integration and/or compliant with VAST 3.0 and VPAID 2 JS.
- Utilize a HTML5-based game launcher: AdSense for games is only available for HTML5 web game content.
- Have a high volume of games content, i.e., greater than 70% games content with over 1 million games impressions monthly.
Get started with AdSense for games
Ad formats
The Google IMA SDK supports the following ad types:
- Video: A video ad that appears while the game loads, between game levels or at the end of the game (i.e., pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll).
- Standard: Non-skippable video ads that can serve in pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll slots.
- TrueView: Skippable video ads that allow users to skip the ad after approximately five seconds. TrueView ads can serve in the pre-roll position or mid-roll in-between levels.
TrueView skippable video ads are only available to AdSense for games publishers who meet additional policies. For more information, see the video-specific guidelines for AdSense.
Figure 1: Example of a video ad
Figure 2: Example of a TrueView video ad
- Full-slot: A text, image, or rich media ad that usually appears while the game loads, between game levels or at the end of the game. Full-slot ads includes a countdown timer, visible ad text, and close button. The full-slot ad also automatically closes after displaying for 15 seconds.
Figure 3: Example of a full-slot ad
Integration options
You can choose the AdSense for games integration option that best suits your business model:
- Simple
The easiest way to integrate AdSense for games with your HTML5 games is to use the simple integration option. This option provides is a quick to implement solution that provides all of the features and ad formats available across AdSense for games. For publishers looking to use this simple integration option, you may register your interest.
- Advanced
For publishers looking for a more advanced and custom integration, the IMA HTML5 SDK should be implemented with your HTML5 game. This option provides additional flexibility such as certain features available via Google Ad Manager, but also keep in mind that this option brings additional complexity.
To get started with the advanced option, you will need to integrate the IMA HTML5 SDK by following the steps provided in the setup guidelines and technical quick-start guide. These two pages will help guide you through the required steps.
Additional resources
- Policies: AdSense for games publishers are required to adhere to the product’s specific policies and to the general AdSense program policies. You can read the product specific policies from our product policy page.
- Best practices: You can find optimization tips and best practices for your AdSense for games account in the best practices section.
- Frequently asked questions: Please visit our AdSense for games FAQs.
