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Gaming & Connected Device Advertising

REACH THE
GAMER. NOT
JUST THE GAME.

Gamers are a borderless audience. Advertising across PlayStation, Xbox, Twitch, IGN and in-game environments in Canada, the UK and internationally — reaching gaming audiences where social media simply cannot follow. Proven experience with global publishers and indie launches alike.

Talk to Us About Gaming
23M+
Canadians Who Play Video Games
ESAC, 2023
61%
Canadian Adults Are Active Gamers
ESAC, 2023
7hr
Average Weekly Gaming Time — Canadian Adults
ESAC / Newzoo, 2023
6in10
Players Likely to Purchase After In-Game Ad
Anzu / Lumen, 2024
The Audience

GAMING IS
MAINSTREAM.
THE AUDIENCE
IS EVERYONE.

Gaming is no longer a niche medium. In Canada, it is one of the country's largest entertainment sectors — bigger than cinema — and it reaches audiences across every demographic that social media increasingly struggles to access cost-effectively.

23 million Canadians play video games — representing 61% of all adults and over half the total population. Canadian gamers spend an average of 7 hours per week gaming, with mobile gaming growing 18% year-on-year. 54% of Canadian gamers play daily or weekly, making this one of the most habitual and engaged entertainment audiences in the country.

For advertisers, gaming represents access to a genuinely captive, highly engaged audience in environments that most media plans completely ignore. Global in-game advertising is forecast to grow at 9% annually through 2030, and Canadian brands are significantly under-invested relative to where their audiences spend their time.

Our Approach

AUDIENCE-FIRST
ACROSS THE FULL
GAMING ECOSYSTEM.

Gaming advertising is not one channel — it is an ecosystem. PlayStation Network, Xbox, Twitch, IGN, in-game placements and gaming publisher display each reach different audience segments in fundamentally different mindsets and contexts. We start with the audience, not the platform: who are you trying to reach, where are they in the gaming ecosystem, and which formats will reach them in the highest-attention state?

We buy direct where it generates better value — PSN and Xbox direct relationships give access to first-party console audience data and premium placement positions that programmatic routes don't always match. For in-game placements and gaming publisher display, we use StackAdapt and other DSP routes where they extend reach efficiently. Twitch is bought directly via Amazon Ads for brand-safe, premium streaming inventory.

Campaigns run on a fortnightly performance review cycle — completion rates, viewability, post-impression site visits and, where relevant, downstream conversion. Creative rotation is built into the brief from day one: gaming audiences develop ad fatigue faster than most, and fresh creative is a core part of campaign maintenance. We report against what matters to you, in plain English, without the jargon.

Where We Buy

THE GAMING
AD ECOSYSTEM

PlayStation Network
PSN · Console Dashboard · In-Game · PS Store

PlayStation Network is one of the most premium advertising environments in gaming — reaching PS4 and PS5 owners at every touchpoint of the console experience. Dashboard advertising appears at the moment players power on, before they enter any game. In-game display formats reach players within specific titles. The PS Store reaches audiences at the point of active purchase intent.

Dashboard BannersPS Store PlacementsIn-Game DisplayGame TrailersSponsored Content
Premium console audience · High-value demographics · Active purchase intent environment
Xbox
Xbox Network · Game Pass · Dashboard · In-Game

Xbox advertising reaches players across Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and via Game Pass — Microsoft's subscription gaming platform with tens of millions of active subscribers. The Xbox ecosystem also connects to PC gaming through Microsoft's unified platform, extending gaming ad reach beyond console to Windows PC. Dashboard placements reach players at session start; in-game formats reach them mid-engagement.

Dashboard PlacementsGame Pass NetworkIn-Game DisplayPC / WindowsSponsored Tiles
Cross-platform reach — console and PC · Game Pass audience rapidly expanding
Twitch
Live Streaming · Esports · Gaming Communities

Twitch is the world's dominant gaming live-stream platform — with over 1.5 million active Canadian users and 70% of the global audience aged 18–34. Canadian users are among the most engaged, spending an average of 95 minutes per day on the platform — longer than most digital channels. Advertising reaches an audience actively choosing to watch gaming content, creating a high-attention, community-anchored environment that is uniquely receptive to brand messaging aligned with their interests. Learn more at Twitch Creator Camp.

Pre-Roll VideoMid-Roll BreaksDisplay BannersHomepage CarouselSponsored Streams
1.5M+ Canadian active users · 95 mins average daily time · 70% aged 18–34
IGN & Gaming Publishers
Gaming Media · Reviews · News · Video Content

IGN is one of the world's most visited gaming media destinations — reaching millions of Canadian readers and viewers actively researching game purchases, following esports and consuming gaming news and reviews. Gaming publisher display advertising places brands alongside content that audiences are actively seeking out, in a high-trust editorial environment. Also covers GamesRadar, Fandom, and other specialist gaming titles with strong Canadian readership.

Display AdvertisingPre-Roll VideoSponsored ContentNewsletter AdsReview Adjacency
High purchase-intent environment · Audience actively researching titles and hardware
In-Game Advertising
Intrinsic Ads · Dynamic Billboards · Native Placements

In-game advertising places brand creatives within the game environment itself — on virtual billboards, stadium hoardings, loading screens and native in-game surfaces. Research from Anzu and Lumen shows that in-game ads generate more attention than Facebook and Instagram in-feed formats, with 6 in 10 players reporting they are likely to make a purchase after seeing a relevant in-game ad. Available across mobile, console and PC titles.

Virtual BillboardsStadium HoardingsLoading ScreensNative PlacementsDynamic Ad Insertion
Higher attention than Facebook and Instagram in-feed · Non-intrusive · Growing inventory
Mobile Gaming
App Store · Mobile In-Game · Rewarded Video

Over half of Canadian internet users play games on their smartphones — the largest single gaming audience by device. Mobile gaming advertising spans interstitial video, rewarded video (where players opt in to watch an ad in exchange for in-game rewards), playable ads and display placements. Rewarded video achieves the highest completion rates in mobile advertising — audiences actively choose to engage.

Rewarded VideoInterstitial VideoPlayable AdsBanner DisplayOfferwall
50%+ of Canadian internet users play mobile games · Highest mobile completion rates in advertising
Why Gaming

THE AUDIENCE
SOCIAL MEDIA
CAN'T REACH

Genuinely Incremental
Gaming audiences are systematically under-reached by social and broadcast media. Younger male demographics in particular spend significantly more time gaming than watching traditional TV or scrolling social — making gaming the only way to reach them at scale.
Active Attention
Gamers are not passive. They are cognitively engaged with what is on the screen — making gaming one of the highest-attention advertising environments available. In-game ads generate more attention than Facebook and Instagram formats according to Lumen research.
Community & Trust
Gaming communities are among the most loyal and engaged online. Twitch streamers build audiences who trust their opinions and recommendations in a way that traditional media cannot replicate. Brand alignment with the right gaming content delivers authenticity that no ad unit alone can purchase.
Fast-Growing Market
Gaming ad spend in Canada is growing at 9%+ annually — and most brands are significantly under-invested relative to where their audiences spend their time. 61% of Canadian adults are gamers. Early movers build capability before the channel reaches full competitive maturity.
The Numbers

CANADIAN GAMING BY
THE NUMBERS

23M+

Canadians play video games — representing 61% of all adults and more than half the total population. Gaming in Canada is bigger than cinema by total audience.

Source: ESAC, 2023
7hr

Average time Canadian adults spend gaming every week — a significant and largely untapped advertising opportunity that most media plans continue to ignore entirely.

Source: ESAC / Newzoo, 2023
54%

Of Canadian gamers play daily or weekly — making gaming one of the most habitual entertainment activities in the country, more consistent than cinema, live sport and streaming combined.

Source: ESAC, 2023
$17.6bn

Forecast global in-game advertising spend by 2030, growing at 9% annually. Canadian brands investing now build competitive capability before the channel reaches full maturity.

Source: Statista / Newzoo, 2024
Ad Formats

HOW BRANDS
SHOW UP IN GAMING

Console
Dashboard & Home Screen
Advertising on the PlayStation and Xbox home screens — the first thing a player sees when they power on their console. High-impact, premium environment with a captive audience at session start before any content is consumed.
In-Game
Intrinsic In-Game Ads
Virtual billboards, stadium hoardings, loading screen placements and native in-game surfaces that place brand creative within the game world itself. Non-intrusive, native to the environment, and generating higher attention metrics than most digital formats.
Streaming
Twitch Video & Display
Pre-roll and mid-roll video ads alongside live gaming streams, plus display placements throughout the Twitch site. Reaches an audience that has chosen to watch gaming content — high engagement, high dwell time, community context.
Publisher
Gaming Media Display
Display and video advertising across IGN, GamesRadar, Eurogamer and specialist gaming publications — reaching audiences actively researching purchases, reading reviews and consuming gaming news in a high-trust editorial environment.
Mobile
Rewarded & Interstitial Video
Mobile gaming advertising including rewarded video (players opt-in to watch for in-game rewards — highest completion rates in mobile), interstitial video between game sessions, and playable ad formats that let players interact with creative.
Esports
Esports & Tournament Sponsorship
Brand integration within competitive gaming events — tournament sponsorship, team partnerships, broadcast advertising and branded activations. Esports events reach passionate, highly engaged audiences with a depth of brand attention that traditional sports sponsorship commands.
Our Gaming Work
Case Study

PAN-EUROPEAN
GAMING LAUNCH.
154 MILLION IMPRESSIONS.

We managed the pan-European media launch for a major global gaming title across five markets — planning and buying digital and OOH across the UK, France, Germany, Spain and beyond. The campaign reached 44 million gamers and delivered 154 million impressions across a coordinated multi-market plan. The work required deep knowledge of gaming audiences across different European markets and the ability to plan across channels that most agencies treat separately.

View Case Study
154M+
Total Impressions
44M+
Gamers Reached
5
European Markets
Digital +
OOH Combined
Common Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS

How many Canadians play video games?
Over 23 million Canadians play video games — more than 61% of adults and over half the total population (ESAC, 2023). Canadian gamers play an average of 7 hours per week, and 54% play daily or weekly. Gaming is not a niche youth activity: the average Canadian gamer is in their mid-30s, with significant representation across all age groups including 35–54 year olds.
What gaming advertising formats are available in Canada?
Canadian gaming advertising spans: in-game display ads (banners and billboards within game environments), rewarded video (players opt in to watch an ad in exchange for in-game rewards — very high completion rates), interstitial ads (full-screen ads between game sessions), branded gaming experiences (custom integrations or sponsorships within games), and esports/streaming sponsorships on platforms like Twitch. The right format depends on the game environment, your target audience, and campaign objectives.
Is gaming advertising only effective for brands targeting young men?
No. The Canadian gaming audience is far broader than the stereotype suggests. 61% of Canadian adults play games, including significant numbers of women (roughly 48% of gamers), parents, and 35–54 year olds. Gaming advertising is increasingly effective for financial services, automotive, CPG, and entertainment brands. The key is matching the right game environment and format to your specific audience segment.
How much does gaming advertising cost in Canada?
Gaming advertising costs in Canada vary by format. In-game programmatic display typically ranges from $5–$15 CPM. Rewarded video commands a premium at $15–$30 CPM, reflecting its high completion rates and opt-in engagement. Twitch sponsorships and influencer campaigns are typically negotiated on a fixed-fee basis depending on creator audience size. Canadian gaming ad spend is growing at 9%+ annually, meaning inventory costs are rising — earlier entry provides better value.
Which gaming platforms are most important for advertising in Canada?
Key Canadian gaming advertising channels include PlayStation and Xbox console advertising networks (reaching the largest console audiences), Twitch for live esports and gaming content, and mobile gaming networks which reach the broadest total gaming audience in Canada. Gaming media publishers like IGN also offer display and branded content opportunities. We identify the right combination based on where your specific target audience is most active.

Also from Simplicity

Social Media Ads → Digital Audio → Connected TV →

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