Use video to find the hook, an interactive end card to add one moment of play to a video that already works, and a full playable when the network rewards interaction and your game has a moment worth trying. In 2026 they aren't separate choices so much as three steps of the same creative. About nine in ten new playables open with video, and the interactive end card sits between the two. Video is still the majority of mobile game creatives, but playables doubled their share in a year, and on in-app networks like AppLovin they're now a core format.
- Video is the cheapest way to test a hook. Most winning playables start from a winning video.
- An interactive end card adds one or two taps to the end of a video. It's the lightest playable.
- A full playable gives the player control for 30 to 60 seconds, and it's where in-app networks put the most weight.
- Leading teams run about one playable for every 16 videos. The industry average is closer to one in 41.
- Genie Playable turns your game's winning moments into playables and interactive end cards from the same source.
What's the difference between the three?
| Video ad | Interactive end card | Playable ad | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the player does | Watches | Watches, then taps once or twice | Plays for 30 to 60 seconds |
| Typical length | 15 to 30 seconds, up to 60 | Video plus a few seconds of play | 30 to 60 seconds |
| Built with | Video editor | HTML5 on top of the video | HTML5, packaged per network |
| Production effort | Hours to days | Hours to a few days | Days to weeks, depending on how it's built |
| Best at | Testing hooks and angles fast | Adding interaction to a proven video | Letting players try the game before install |
| Where it shines | Every network | In-app networks, rewarded and interstitial | In-app networks like AppLovin; growing on Meta and TikTok |
Which performs better: playable or video?
On in-app networks, playables often convert better per impression, but the comparison is easy to misread. In one public test of 360 creatives on an AppLovin-heavy mix, Matej Lancaric saw playables at about 21.75 installs per thousand impressions against 2.75 for video and 1.88 for static. That's one game, not a benchmark. Liftoff's widely quoted "8x" install uplift for playables mostly reflects where playables run (rewarded and SDK placements), not the format itself, and it doesn't carry over to Meta or TikTok.
The same test showed the other side: the creative with the best IPM wasn't the one that paid back best. Judge on D7 ROAS, not on format.
When should I use each format?
| Situation | Start with |
|---|---|
| You don't know which angle works yet | Video. Test five hooks cheaply |
| A video is winning and starting to fatigue | An interactive end card on that video, then a playable built on the same hook |
| You're launching on AppLovin or other in-app networks | Videos plus at least one playable from day one |
| Your game has a moment players understand in three seconds | A full playable |
| Your game is hard to show in an ad (racing, narrative) | Video with an interactive end card, then a small playable moment |
| You're mostly on Meta or TikTok | Video first; test playables once they work on in-app networks |
How do the three work together?
Think of them as one creative at three depths. The video finds the hook. The interactive end card tests whether players want to touch it. The playable lets them live it. Around nine in ten new playables already embed video, and eight in ten open with it (AppAgent and Apptica), so the line between formats keeps blurring. A practical loop:
- 1Test hooks in video.
- 2Take the winner and add an interactive end card.
- 3Build a playable on the same hook and art.
- 4Iterate the playable: new hook, new ending, new skin. See how to iterate a winning playable.
- 5Feed what you learn back into the next videos.
How many playables versus videos should I run?
Sett's analysis of top games puts the industry at about one playable for every 41 videos, and leading teams at about one for every 16. Playables made up about 13% of game ad creatives in 2025, up from about 7% the year before, while video held around 54% (Sensor Tower). The honest read: most teams still under-invest in playables because they're harder to make, not because they work worse.
Where does Genie fit?
Genie Playable builds playables and interactive moments from your game (your APK or HTML build plus the assets, narrative and live events in Genie), from a format that's already working, including your best video hook, or from a brief.
Genie Core keeps video, end card and playable on the same brand, and every version exports for Meta, Google, TikTok, AppLovin, Unity Ads, Mintegral, Liftoff, Moloco, Snapchat and Digital Turbine. Try it free on your game.
FAQ
Are playable ads better than video ads?+
On in-app networks they often convert better per impression, but that's partly because of where they run. Judge both on D7 ROAS for your game.
What is an interactive end card?+
A short interactive screen at the end of a video ad. The player taps or swipes once or twice before the store button. It's the lightest form of playable.
Should I replace my video ads with playables?+
No. Use video to find hooks and playables to extend the winners. Most playables now open with video anyway.
How many playables should I run compared to videos?+
Leading teams run about one playable for every 16 videos, against an industry average of about one in 41.
Do playables work on Meta and TikTok?+
Yes, both support them. Playables run at their biggest scale on in-app networks like AppLovin, so many teams prove them there first.