IAB PlayFronts and Advertising Week Europe 2025 Recap

At IAB PlayFronts and Advertising Week Europe 2025, Activision Blizzard Media took the stage to deliver a clear message to advertisers: gaming is no longer confined to one device or one kind of player. Today’s players are cross-platform natives, seamlessly shifting between mobile, console, and PC based on their needs, motivations, and the moment of the day. To keep up, brands must think player-first and platform-specific.

A New Era of Player Engagement

In New York, Jordan Shlachter, Head of Gaming Business Success, spotlighted findings from the newly launched Gaming’s Next Level: Power of the Platforms research. The study reveals that 96% of weekly gamers play on at least one of the three core platforms—mobile, console, or PC—and most use multiple. Players aren’t just playing more often; they’re playing differently throughout the day. They start the morning with mobile for quick cognitive engagement, shift to console or PC in the evening for deeper, more social experiences, and move between platforms as their needs evolve​.

A day later in London, Chris Bailes, Head of EMEA Sales, joined client partner Lisa Boyles of giffgaff and moderator James Chandler of IAB UK to extend the conversation at Advertising Week Europe. The panel highlighted that brands must rethink engagement in light of shifting attention dynamics. Bailes reinforced that gaming is one of the few environments where attention is both sustained and immersive—making it one of the most valuable channels in the marketing mix​.

From Attention to Action

Across both events, Activision Blizzard Media emphasized that attention isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the foundation of performance. Research shows that immersion in gameplay predicts brand outcomes with 80% accuracy, outperforming social and online video environments. But capturing that attention requires respect for the player experience. Ads need to be non-disruptive, offer value, and align with the moment—whether that’s a Rewarded Video during a mobile break or a rich, immersive format on console​.

Tailored Solutions for Every Screen

Brands were reminded that the power of gaming lies not only in scale—3.4 billion players globally and 86% of the U.S. population—but in its flexibility. The King portfolio offers dynamic, rewarded mobile ad formats that engage during “me-time” moments. Xbox delivers immersive storytelling on the biggest screen in the home, while Microsoft Casual Games bridges mobile and PC with brand-safe inventory and high reach. Each platform offers distinct opportunities to connect with players when they are most attentive​.

3 Key Takeaways:

1. Think Platform-Specific: Players move fluidly across platforms based on mindset and context. Effective brand strategies must align creative and messaging to these shifts. One-size-fits-all messaging no longer applies. Instead, brands need to adapt their creative and media approaches to align with distinct platform behaviors and player motivations—delivering relevant experiences that resonate across every touchpoint.

2. Prioritize the Player Experience: Players are open to advertising—as long as it enhances rather than interrupts. Opt-in formats, rewards, and native integrations win attention and drive results. The most successful campaigns are built around choice and relevance—Rewarded Video, Playables, and contextual in-game formats that enhance rather than interrupt. 

3. Gaming Is a High-Attention Channel: Gaming offers one of the rarest commodities in media today: sustained, active attention.  For advertisers looking to drive meaningful results—whether recall, favorability, or conversion—gaming delivers not just reach, but true impact across the marketing funnel.
   

For brands seeking to meet players where they are—and how they play—the future of advertising is already here. It’s immersive, it’s cross-platform, and it’s powered by play.