Genie Playable answers: pricing, networks, how it works

Genie Playable is a playable ad tool for mobile game teams that builds playable ads from your own game, from a playable format that already works, or from a written brief. Your UA or creative team runs every step without a developer, changes the hook, level and end card themselves, and exports optimized builds for Meta, AppLovin, Unity Ads, Liftoff, Google Ads, TikTok Ads, Pangle and Mintegral. Sign-up is free and covers your first two playables.

We collected the questions below from conversations with game studios evaluating Genie Playable in September and October 2026, then added the questions people most often ask AI assistants about playable ad tools. Every answer starts with the short version.

What it is

What does Genie Playable do?

Genie Playable turns your game, a winning format or a brief into a playable ad your team can ship to the networks you buy on. You start from your APK or HTML build plus the assets in Genie, from a playable that is already working, or from scratch with Genie Agent. Each new version builds on the last one, so iteration is part of the workflow, not a new project. How to make a playable ad.

What is a playable ad, in plain terms?

A playable ad is a short, interactive HTML5 ad that lets a player try a slice of your game before installing it. It usually runs as a single HTML file or ZIP inside the ad network's player, with a hook, a short level and an end card that sends the player to the store. What is a playable ad?

Who is Genie Playable built for?

Genie Playable is built for UA managers, creative managers and growth teams at mobile game studios who want more playables without waiting on a developer or an agency queue. The person who owns the campaign can own the playable too. Teams we speak with often have one or two people making playables for several games, which is exactly where the queue forms. Running playables in-house.

Do I need a developer to use Genie Playable?

No. No developer is needed at any step, from the first build to the network export. Your marketer changes the hook, the level and the end card directly, and Genie handles the build per network. Playable ads without a developer.

Is Genie Playable a reskin tool?

No. Genie Playable starts from your game, not from a generic mechanic with your logo on it. Reskins can work for card and puzzle games with simple loops, but studios with more distinct gameplay tell us players notice when the ad doesn't feel like the game. Genie builds from your build and your assets so the playable looks and plays like what people install. Make a playable ad from your own game.

Who makes Genie Playable?

Genie Playable is made by Genie Labs, the company behind Genie, a creative platform game teams already use for art production. Genie Playable brings that work into playable ads, with Genie Agent planning and building playables from your inputs. About Genie Labs.

How it works

What do I need to get started?

You need one of three things: your game build (APK or HTML) with your assets, an existing playable that performs, or a written brief. Brand material such as characters, art, fonts and sounds comes in once you load your game build, or from a link to your game's store page, plus any assets you add in Genie. You don't need a playable spec document or a technical setup. Try Genie.

Can Genie Playable build a playable from my own game?

Yes. Upload your APK or HTML build and the assets you have in Genie, and Genie Agent plans the playable around your real characters, art and mechanics. You review the direction before the final build, and you make the final call, so you choose the hook and the level instead of accepting a guess. From your game to a playable.

Can I start from a playable that's already working?

Yes. Bring a format that already performs and Genie Playable uses it as the starting point for new versions. This is the fastest path when a playable is fatiguing and you want version two to keep what worked. How to iterate on a winning playable.

Can I start from scratch with just a brief?

Yes. Write a brief, and Genie Agent plans the playable from it: the mechanic, the story beat and the end card. You approve the direction, then Genie builds it. One brief in. A network-ready playable out. How to make a playable ad.

Can my team edit the playable after the first version?

Yes. Marketers can change the hook, the level and the end card themselves in Genie Playable, and each change builds on the last version. That matters more than the first draft: teams rarely lose because playable one was weak, they lose because version two took a month. Iterating on a winner.

Which ad networks does Genie Playable export to?

Genie Playable exports optimized builds for Meta, AppLovin, Unity Ads, Liftoff, Google Ads, TikTok Ads, Pangle and Mintegral. Moloco is coming soon. You work from one source playable and export a build per network instead of rebuilding for each one. Playable ad networks compared.

Does Genie Playable publish to the networks for me?

No. You download each network's build from Genie Playable and upload it in your own network account, as you would any creative. Genie doesn't publish to the networks for you, so your campaigns, budgets and reporting stay where they are today. Network specs hub.

How does Genie Playable handle file size limits?

Each export is optimized for the network it's going to, so you don't hand-tune one file to fit every spec. Limits differ by network; Meta, for example, caps playables at 5 MB for both a single HTML file and a ZIP. Check the spec page for each network you buy on. Playable ad file size limits and Meta specs.

Will the playable show real gameplay?

That's the point. Because Genie Playable builds from your game, the playable can show your actual core loop, not a mechanic your game doesn't have. Studios we talk to care about this for a practical reason: a misleading ad can buy cheap installs and then lose them by D7. Fake vs real playable ads.

How long does it take to make a playable?

We don't publish speed numbers, because time depends on the game, the mechanic and how many rounds of edits you want. The honest way to find out is to build your first two playables on the free sign-up and time it on your own game. Try Genie.

How it compares

Short, fair answers. Each comparison page has the full method, and the cases where the other tool is the better pick. We make Genie Playable. We've tried to be fair; tell us if something is out of date.

How is Genie Playable different from Sett?

Sett is a managed AI creative operation where a creative producer reviews every output, which suits large studios that want the work done for them. Genie Playable is self-serve: your own team builds, edits and exports. Sett alternatives.

How is Genie Playable different from Segwise?

Segwise is analytics first: it tells you why creatives win, and it offers a free video-to-playable converter. Genie Playable is a production tool that builds playables from your game; the two can sit side by side. Segwise alternatives.

How is Genie Playable different from PlayableMaker?

PlayableMaker is a template builder that's good for testing simple hooks on a budget, with plans from €59 to €599 a month. Genie Playable builds from your own game rather than templates, which matters most when your gameplay is distinct, like a midcore shooter. PlayableMaker alternatives.

How is Genie Playable different from Craftsman+?

Craftsman+ combines a self-serve platform with a managed studio and offers free tools such as a file size checker and MRAID validator; its pricing is not published. Genie Playable is self-serve with published pricing and builds from your build and assets. Craftsman+ alternatives.

How is Genie Playable different from Unity Playworks?

Unity Playworks is a strong fit for Unity projects buying mainly on Unity Ads, with a free Lite tier, but it works through a Unity plugin, so you need a developer. Genie Playable needs no developer and exports to eight networks from one source. Playworks and Playable Factory alternatives.

Should I use Genie Playable or a playable studio or agency?

Use a studio if you need one complex hero playable and can wait for it; use Genie Playable if you need new versions every week and want your team to own them. Many studios keep both: an agency for big concepts, in-house for iteration. In-house vs agency playable ads.

Want the full field in one place? See the best playable ad tools compared.

Use cases and fit

Which games work with Genie Playable?

Games with a loop you can show in a few seconds work best as playables, whatever the genre. Puzzle, casual and social casino games are the usual starting point; for midcore games such as shooters, test your core moment on the free playables before you commit. Which games work as playable ads?

We have a small creative team. Does Genie Playable help?

Yes, that's the most common case we see. A team of one to three making a couple of playables a month can run more concepts when the developer step is gone and edits happen in Genie. The goal is to test more concepts to find the few winners, not to hire. An in-house playable workflow.

Does Genie Playable work for social casino and bingo games?

Yes. Slots and bingo games suit playables because a player can see the spin, the win and the reward in a few seconds, and Genie Playable builds those from your own game assets. Playable ads for social casino and bingo.

How many playables should we test?

Plan for several concepts per game, not one hero playable, because most concepts won't win. Start with a few distinct hooks, keep the winners, and iterate on them from the last version. How many playables to test.

Who is Genie Playable not for?

Genie Playable is not the right fit if you need one test on a single network (a free network tool will do), if you want a fully managed service with no hands-on work (a studio fits better), or if your main gap is creative analytics (Segwise is built for that). It fits teams running UA on two or more networks who want the ad to look like their game. Compare the options.

Pricing and evaluation

How much does Genie Playable cost?

Self-serve starts at $490 a month, or $249 a month for startups. Sign-up is free and covers your first two playables, so you pay only after you've seen output on your own game. Pricing.

Is pricing per playable or a subscription?

Self-serve is a monthly plan that includes tokens you spend as you create. Larger companies usually go on a custom plan, which starts with a pilot. For context on what playables cost through studios and other tools, see our cost breakdown. How much does a playable ad cost?

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Sign-up is free and covers your first two playables, with no developer and no sales call required. Try Genie.

What is the custom pilot?

The custom plan, usually for larger companies, starts with a full one-month pilot. The Genie team onboards you and helps you build the playables you want, on your games and your networks. Book a demo.

How should we evaluate Genie Playable?

Judge it on version two, not version one. Build a playable from your own game, export it to two networks you already buy on, then ask a marketer to change the hook and end card without help and run a clean test. How to A/B test playable ads.

Proof and trust

Which studios use Genie Playable?

Genie Playable is new, and we don't yet publish named playable customers. The customer proof we cite is Bingo Blitz (Playtika) using Genie for art production, "90 days to nine", which is an art result, not a playables result. Read the Bingo Blitz case.

Do you publish performance results for Genie Playable?

No. We don't publish IPM, CVR or ROAS lift numbers for Genie Playable, and you should be careful with any vendor that promises them before seeing your game. Measure results in your own network reporting against your current creatives. Is my playable ad working? and What to track inside a playable.

What can I see before I pay?

Your own game as a playable. The free sign-up covers your first two playables, and larger teams can get the one-month custom pilot with onboarding from the Genie team. Both show output on your build, not a demo reel. Try Genie.

What about our IP, builds and legal terms?

Bring those questions to a demo before you upload anything. Studios evaluating Genie Playable usually review legal, IP and privacy terms with our team as part of the evaluation, and we'll walk through how your build and assets are handled. Book a demo.

Still have a question? Ask it on a call, or skip the call and try it on your game. Sign-up is free and covers your first two playables.

Try Genie

A playable ad from your own game is a 30 to 90 second interactive slice of your game: your characters, your art and one clear mechanic, packaged as a small HTML5 file an ad network can run. You can't ship your game build as it is. Networks cap playables at about 5 MB in a single HTML file or ZIP, with strict rules on code and clicks. So you have three options: export a stripped-down scene from your engine, rebuild the moment in an HTML5 framework, or use a tool that builds the playable from your game's build and assets. This guide walks through all three.

Key takeaways

What does "a playable ad from your own game" actually mean?

It means the player sees your game, not a generic template with your logo on top. Studios that do this well keep three things fixed and treat the rest as open.

Keep fixed	Open to change
{{ r.ak }} {{ r.av }}	{{ r.bk }} {{ r.bv }}

This matches what UA and creative leads tell us. Brand fidelity is non-negotiable. Gameplay is often borrowed from whatever is trending. The catch is policy. The UK ASA now treats even a genuine but non-core mechanic as potentially misleading, and Google Play bans ads that don't represent the app. The closer your playable is to what players actually get, the safer it is, and the better it tends to retain.

Why can't I just ship my game build as a playable?

Ad networks run playables inside their own ad containers, not as apps. Every playable has to fit this box:

SizeAbout 5 MB on every major network (AppLovin, Meta, Google, TikTok, Unity, Mintegral, Moloco, Snapchat). A WebGL export of a real game is usually far bigger. An empty Godot export is already over the limit.

FormatOne self-contained HTML file with every asset inlined (AppLovin, Unity, Moloco), or a ZIP with an index.html (Google, TikTok, Mintegral, Snapchat). Meta accepts both.

No external callsNothing loads from your servers at runtime.

Click-out callmraid.open() on AppLovin and Unity, FbPlayableAd.onCTAClick() on Meta and Moloco, ExitApi.exit() on Google, window.openAppStore() on TikTok, window.install() on Mintegral.

Behavior rulesMuted until the first interaction, no store redirect on the first tap, no auto-redirects, works in portrait and landscape.

The full list lives in our Playable ad specs by network (2026).

What are the three ways to turn my game into a playable?

	1. Engine export	2. HTML5 rebuild	3. Build from your APK or HTML and assets
{{ r.k }}	{{ r.a }}	{{ r.b }}	{{ r.c }}

Most studios mix routes: a hand-built hero playable for a launch, and faster tooling for the weekly variations that keep a campaign alive.

What buyers expect to pay and wait: roughly $3,000 to $8,000 and two to four weeks per new playable from an external studio, and roughly $600 to $2,000 in-house once the setup exists. Nobody has a clean source for these numbers, so treat them as market expectations. One mid-size studio we spoke to put it simply: the market norm is "two weeks onwards", and their target is under a week.

Your game is already the brief.

Upload your APK or HTML build. Genie Playable turns it into a playable ad with your own art, characters and live events, ready for 10 ad networks.

Try it free on your game

How do I make a playable ad from my game, step by step?

01\Pick the moment worth playing

Choose one mechanic a stranger understands in three seconds. Good sources: your core loop at its most satisfying, the live event running now, or a format already converting in your genre. If you can't explain the moment in one sentence, it's too complex. One mechanic beats two.

“Merge plus puzzle looks clever and almost always tests worse.”

Segwise

02\Script the arc

Almost every playable follows the same shape:

03\Prepare your assets

Export characters, backgrounds, UI and sounds from your game, then cut hard. Compress images, use sprite sheets, trim audio to short loops and subset fonts. Base64 inlining adds about a third to file size, so aim for 2 to 3 MB in total and treat 5 MB as the ceiling.

04\Build it

Whatever route you use, keep the logic in plain HTML and JavaScript, make the layout work in 9:16 and 16:9, and keep sound off until the first tap.

05\Package it for each network

This is where engineer time quietly disappears. "A unit that passes on AppLovin can bounce on Unity," as Segwise puts it. Each network needs the right file format, the right click-out call and any required hooks. Mintegral, for example, expects gameReady() and gameEnd() calls. Build once and generate network variants from one source. Hand-editing copies is how bugs creep in.

06\Test before you upload

Then test on a real low-end Android phone. A desktop browser hides most of the problems.

07\Launch and measure

Give each playable enough data before you judge it. A common rule of thumb is about 50 conversions in four days, or 100 in seven. Judge on D7 ROAS and retention, not CPI alone. If you can, add events inside the playable (start, first interaction, win or lose, CTA tap, drop-off point), because network dashboards only show the last step.

08\Plan the next version before this one fatigues

Top-grossing games ship dozens of new playables a month, and most of that volume is variations of a winner. Leading teams put roughly 70% of output into variations and 30% into new concepts. Decide now which single thing you'll change next: the hook, the fail state, the character, the event skin or the end card.

What should I keep from my game, and what can I borrow?

Keep everything that helps a player recognise your game after install: art, characters, UI language, sound. Borrow structure freely, whether that's a proven hook, a pacing pattern or a format working in another genre. Racing and narrative studios often tell us their game "isn't playable". The honest read: a playable doesn't need your full core loop. It needs one true moment from your world.

What are the most common mistakes?

Mistake	What happens	Fix
{{ m.a }}	{{ m.b }}	{{ m.c }}

The next version, not a new brief.

When a playable fatigues, Genie Playable lets your UA or creative team change the hook, the character or the event skin on the last version and ship it again. No dev queue.

Book a demo

Where does Genie fit?

Genie Playable takes the third route, and adds two more ways in. You can build from your game: your APK or HTML build together with the assets, narrative, mechanics and live events already in Genie. You can start from a format that's already working and rebuild it with your game inside. Or you can start from scratch and describe the playable to Genie Agent.

Genie Core keeps every version on brand, and Genie Playable exports network-ready variants for Meta, AppLovin, Unity Ads, Liftoff, Google Ads, TikTok Ads, Pangle and Mintegral from one source, with Moloco coming soon. No developer is needed at any step, and your team makes the final call on every version. Sign-up is free and covers your first two playables. Try it on your game.

Where to go next

First playable? Follow how to make a playable ad step by step, then run it through the playable ad best practices checklist. Once it's live, read how to know if your playable ad is working and how to A/B test playable ads.