A playable ad is an interactive ad that lets people try a slice of a mobile game before they install it. Instead of watching a video, the player taps, swipes or drags through a short moment of the game, usually 30 to 60 seconds, and ends on a screen with a button to the app store. Unity defines playables as ad units that offer "a snippet of interactive gameplay, letting users try out the advertised app before installing." They run mostly as full-screen interstitial and rewarded ads inside other apps, and increasingly on Meta, TikTok and Snapchat.
- A playable ad is a try-before-you-install ad: a short, interactive slice of the game.
- It's a small HTML5 file, about 5 MB at most, that runs inside the ad network's container.
- Playables doubled their share of game ad creatives in a year, to about 13% in 2025 (Sensor Tower).
- Most follow the same shape: hook, tutorial hint, interaction, win or fail, end card.
- Genie Playable builds playable ads from your own game and exports them for ten networks.
How does a playable ad work?
A player in another app reaches an ad break. Instead of a video, a mini version of your game appears. It usually runs like this:
- 1Hook: a two to three second lead-in, often video, that sets up a problem.
- 2Tutorial hint: a hand or arrow shows the first move.
- 3Interaction: the player makes a few moves.
- 4Win or fail: the moment resolves, often with a near-miss that makes them want more.
- 5End card: a call to action sends them to the store.
Technically, it's a self-contained HTML5 file. Everything it needs (art, sound, code) is packed inside, because ad networks don't let playables load anything from outside. Each network has its own rules on size, format and how the store button works. See Playable ad specs by network.
Where do playable ads run?
| Where | How it shows up |
|---|---|
| In-app ad networks (AppLovin, Unity Ads, Mintegral, Moloco, Liftoff, Digital Turbine) | Full-screen interstitial or rewarded ads inside other games and apps. This is where most playable volume runs |
| Google (App campaigns) | HTML5 playables across Google's inventory, including AdMob |
| Meta | Facebook and Instagram Feed, Stories and Reels, plus Audience Network |
| TikTok and Snapchat | Playables inside their ad formats, including TikTok's ad network |
AppLovin carries the largest share of playable traffic, around 59% according to AppAgent's analysis of Apptica data.
Why are playable ads so popular?
Because players get to try before they commit, and that filters for people who actually like the game. The shift has been fast:
- Playables went from about 6.7% to 13.3% of game ad creatives between 2024 and 2025, according to Sensor Tower's State of Gaming 2026.
- Sett reports that one in three new game creatives in May 2026 was a playable.
- At the studios Matej Lancaric works with, playables now take 40% to 60% of creative spend.
What's the difference between a playable ad and a video ad?
| Video ad | Playable ad | |
|---|---|---|
| Player role | Watches | Plays |
| What it shows | Gameplay, story, characters | A moment the player controls |
| Build | Edited in a video tool | Built in HTML5, packaged per network |
| Production effort | Hours to days | Days to weeks, depending on how it's built |
| Common today | Still the majority of creatives | Growing fast; nine in ten now open with a video lead-in |
They're not rivals. Most playables now start with a few seconds of video, and an interactive end card on a video ad is the lightest form of playable.
When should I use a playable ad?
- When you run on AppLovin or other in-app networks. Playables are a core format there.
- When your game has a moment a stranger understands in three seconds. Almost every genre does.
- When you need quality installs, not only cheap ones. Players who enjoyed the playable chose your game on purpose.
- When your video creatives are fatiguing. A playable built on your best video's hook gives the concept a new life.
How are playable ads made?
Three common routes: export a scene from your engine (for example with Unity Playworks), rebuild the moment in an HTML5 framework like Cocos or Phaser, or use a tool that builds the playable from your game's build and assets. External studios typically charge $3,000 to $8,000 per playable and take two to four weeks. Our full guide: How to make a playable ad from your own game.
Where does Genie fit?
Genie Playable builds playable ads from your game: your APK or HTML build plus the assets, narrative and live events in Genie. You can also start from a format that's already working, or from a brief to Genie Agent. Every version stays on brand through Genie Core and exports for Meta, Google, TikTok, AppLovin, Unity Ads, Mintegral, Liftoff, Moloco, Snapchat and Digital Turbine from one source. Try it free on your game.
FAQ
What is a playable ad in simple terms?+
An ad you can play. It gives people a short, interactive taste of a mobile game, then sends them to the app store.
How long is a playable ad?+
Usually 30 to 60 seconds. Sett's data shows average play time of about 35 to 40 seconds, with successful playables reaching 70 to 80.
What is the file size of a playable ad?+
About 5 MB at most on every major network. Aim for 2 to 3 MB in practice.
Are playable ads only for games?+
Mostly, but not only. A growing share of playables promote non-gaming apps such as finance, VPN and photo apps.
Which networks support playable ads?+
AppLovin, Unity Ads, Mintegral, Moloco, Liftoff, Digital Turbine, Google, Meta, TikTok and Snapchat all support them.