What should a playable ad show?
Choose one action that represents the game: merging objects, aiming a shot, taking a corner or solving a puzzle. Someone unfamiliar with the game should understand the task without learning its progression systems. Show the result, then provide a clear route to the store.
For example, a puzzle creative could present one missing connection, let the player move a piece and show the outcome. This is a design example, not a reported campaign. If the full game offers a different experience, the creative may attract people who will not enjoy it.
Choose the ad network before production
Confirm the destination network, accepted format and store-opening API before building. Check package limits, orientation, audio rules and external asset restrictions. A working HTML page is not necessarily a valid ad creative.
For example, Google Ads documentation for playable assets covers asset packaging, responsive layouts and audio starting only after interaction. Check the current requirements for each intended placement before delivery.
How should you run the first test?
Start with one playable scene. Ask someone outside the team to use it: do they know what to do, do the controls work on a small screen, and does the call to action open the correct store? Add polish and further variants once those basics work.
When comparing against video, keep audience, market, campaign period and objective as similar as possible. Changing the format and audience together makes the result difficult to interpret. Test meaningful changes separately, such as the opening task or when the call to action appears.
Which results matter?
- Inside the ad: interaction starts, task completion and store visits, where the platform exposes those events.
- At acquisition: installs and acquisition cost, interpreted using the chosen attribution rules.
- After installation: player returns and revenue, using the same observation period for each group.
A higher click-through rate does not automatically mean a better campaign. A creative can draw attention while promising gameplay the installed game does not deliver. Lower acquisition costs also need to justify the cost of producing and maintaining the creative.
When should you try another format first?
Consider a simpler video test if the appeal depends on story, long-term progression or systems that are difficult to demonstrate in a short scene. A playable also needs a budget for testing, revisions and placement-specific changes. Delivering one creative does not remove that work.
If the objective is to promote a brand rather than a game install, see our guide to branded games and advergames. The user journey and success criteria are different.