Online gaming, especially MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) such as World of Warcraft, are dominating the Internet space. With the huge numbers that online games draw, advertisers are turning their attention to in-game ads. Even Barack Obama had an in-game advertisement for his electoral campaign. Well if it’s good enough for Obama it’s good enough for us to investigate. 


From TechCrunchies – Internet Statistics and Numbers: Overview of the Online Gaming Sector (02 Feb 2009) 

• Free online games have picked up momentum thanks to the downturn and avid gamers are seeking cheaper alternatives.
• In December 2008, 86 million people visited online gaming websites with a 27% increase month-on-month.
• 4.9% of the American’s total time spent on the internet is on online gaming websites.

From (Nielsen wire): Wii Attracting Young Boys, Older Women in Droves (February 2009)

Metered usage data covering the 2008 fourth quarter (October – December) reveals:

• The Xbox 360 is the most popular gaming console in terms of usage minutes amongst males and females.
• In the male category, the Xbox 360 is most popular amongst 12-17 year olds but in the female category, the Xbox 360 is most popular amongst 18-24 year olds. 

From (Nielson wire): World Of Warcraft, Playstation 2 Continue Most Played Gaming Trend (March 2009)

Top 10 PC Game Titles: March 2009

From TechCrunchies – Internet Statistics and Numbers: Which firms have a presence in Virtual Worlds? (27 Dec 2008)

• Microsoft, Starwood Hotels, Reuters, CBS, CSI (franchise) all have a presence in the MMORPG Second Life.

From Games Campus Times: Microsoft’s Massive Brings On In-Game Ads In Force (Dec 2008)

• According to Microsoft’s Massive, exposure to a brand via in-game advertising improves its perception by 31 percent.
• 60% of gamers remember ads that they see in a game.
• Massive made headlines with the recent presidential election, when Barack Obama’s campaign team introduced in-game ads in some Xbox 360 games.

From GamesIndustry.biz: A Revolution In Online Game Advertising Served Up By British Company GameJacket (06 March 2008)

According to a recent study from comScore:

• Online games stats account for more that 25% of all internet traffic, a figure that is still on the up and up.
• The top 10 online Flash games destination sites attract over 217 million unique visitors every month and a conservative estimate puts the number of worldwide game portals at more than 20, 000 sites, generating a huge worldwide audience.

From comScore: Game On! Online Gaming Surges as Gamers Seek Out Free Alternatives in Tight Economy (28 Jan 2009)

• From November 2007 to November 2008, the total number of display ad views in the Online Gaming category grew 29 percent to 8.6 billion.
• The increase in display ad exposures is due primarily to the increasing number of visitors to the category (up 30 percent), while the average person’s frequency of exposure has remained relatively constant at 127 ad views per person.
• Another positive trend is that the number of display ads per page view – a measure of “ad clutter” – has actually declined 17 percent.

Also check out:

• Google Launches AdSense for Games
• The World of Virtual Goods Hits a New Level
• Computer Nerds Really are the New Cool