HTML5 games have become a gold standard for mobile game development, but how well does it reel in cash? Here’s a complete guide on why monetizing HTML5 games is rewarding and how services such as Applixir are a catalyst for it.
The world of gaming has come a long way from being a niche market in a certain age bracket to become a global industry worth billions of dollars. While the initial push came from PC-style and console gaming cultivated by Microsoft and Sony, the mobile phone industry’s evolution ushered in a new era for mobile gaming. The portability angle has been a significant compeller for the mobile gaming industry, which has picked up on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store’s popularity.
Unlike mainstream game titles that manage to reel in gamers right at the door, mobile gaming works best on a freemium model. The progress has been outlandish, with mobile gaming being an industry in itself, expected to hit $100 billion this year alone, according to chief analysts at App Annie. Mobile gaming is one sector of the market that has benefited enormously from the COVID-19 pandemic, with an upwards gain in console and PC gaming and a meteoric rise through in-app purchases.
Why Monetizing HTML5 Games is a Tough Nut to Crack
The power of HTML5 games and the cross-compatibility they offer is the very reason why developers flock towards it. When you take the simplicity of developing and deploying an HTML5 game into the equation, the picture becomes crystal clear to why HTML5 games are all the rage right now. Even with the perfect HTML5 game in your grasp, how do you put it out there, and more importantly, monetize it to its full potential?
Users Hate Badly Implemented Ads
Millennials are all too familiar with the idea of advertisements, but the Gen Z that has witnessed on-demand media content is not overly susceptible. Consumers are responsible enough to understand that adverts are a necessary evil since it keeps the creators fed while leaving their favorite YouTube videos and mobile games free to play. Game developers themselves aren’t too excited about packing game titles with ads since it does affect the gameplay experience.
The problem isn’t inherently with advertisements, but how they are inserted into the gameplay or the way they are displayed. The lack of an incentive to click on the ad, massive full-screen ads that take over the screen without a clear-cut method of closing them, and individual ads that project extensive profane or sexually explicit content for higher engagement is a big NO.
Common Ads Placement Practices
Now that you know some wrong ways of implementing ads in an HTML5 game, it is essential to look at the right ones. Most HTML5 games are designed to be free to play (F2P), where you want to keep the advertisements limited and implemented with the proper practices. Betting that the user would like to upgrade to an ad-free version of the game by leveraging annoying ads would be walking a fine line. There is always another viral game around the corner, so your best bet is carrying out an effective ad placement strategy.
The idea of using the ad as a reward has become relatively widespread, where viewing a short video add could score you another life or revert extra loot or coins. The ideal practice would be adding pre-roll ads where a short video plays right before the gameplay begins or opening a freebie unlockable. Running banner ads when the user is already engaged makes it more likely for them to sit through it, resulting in a good eCPM.
Pre-roll Ads and Gaming Experience
Based on a survey performed by IPG Media Lab and YuMe back in 2017 over digital video ads, users reportedly favored pre-roll ads significantly. Only 17 percent of smartphone users considered pre-roll ads intrusive, compared to 60 percent for out-stream and a whopping 72 percent for mid-roll adverts.
Pros:
- Usually shorter ads, which makes them less intrusive, to begin with.
- Placed before the core content, thus increase the likelihood of being watched until the end.
- Being ads that are non-skippable makes pre-roll ads a more robust way to increase eCPM.
Cons:
- The inability to skip even a shorter ad might not settle in with all users.
- You still need the user to click on the advertisement for it to generate revenue.
Why Reward Video Ads Model Works Best with HTML5 Games
There is no argument over the fact that the most effective format for advertising nowadays is video. Rewarded video ads are incredibly successful among mobile game developers since such advertising items have opt-in characteristics. Users can pick whether to watch a video or skip it, and those who click to watch an ad are likely to be more engaged with the content when viewing the ad.
This can help brands to communicate their main idea to the consumers more effectively. In-app video ads that are incentivized can significantly enhance user retention. Users engaged with rewarded ads are more likely to make in-app purchases as well.
How AppLixir is Making HTML5 Games Monetization Easier than Ever
Applixir is among the leading HTML5 games distribution service, offering you a platform to monetize your HTML5 game. We work with long-time publishers to provide a robust HTML5 games affiliate program with a handsome revenue share. Applixir is among the fastest-growing games publishing platform out there with thousands of monthly active users. We enable you to distribute your independent HTML5 games to various companies, game websites, and even publishers.
- A completely automated optimization dashboard for the highest eCPM through multiple ad networks.
- Tracking of campaign performance with ROI and Lifetime Revenue Monitoring.
- Cross-platform promotion with premium ad hosting services.
- A unified reporting system with Video Ad reports updated every 24 hours.
- Connecting developers to a vast network with global reach.
- Support multiple ad formats.
Final Words
A significant chunk of the revenue gained by mobile app developers in 2020 was not through high-graphic action games but through casual gamers looking to kill some time. Causal-play games such as Candy Crush Saga have been riding the wave of success with an expected to gross almost $1 Billion through digital goods alone. What allows Candy Crush Saga to enjoy this unprecedented success is that it can be seamlessly played not just on Android and iOS but also online.
We at AppLixir hope to recreate similar success for your HTML5 games with a monetization strategy that is custom-tailored to your app. – www.applixir.com / info@applixir.com
