Bidstack Group PLC (AIM:BIDS, OTC:FTBGF), the native in-game advertising group, has launched a new ad format for brands with its new 'in-menu' offering.
The mobile format offers clickable display banners that allow brands to deliver integrated ads into game menus, user interfaces and loading screens.
Bidstack says the ads blend seamlessly into the game’s user interface and can be placed by advertisers on a programmatic basis. The ad appears as an in-game banner alongside other menu items and players can click on the ad to discover more or ignore it if they wish.
For game developers, in-menu ads mean that they can now run integrated campaigns across two separate locations within the game with Bidstack, with one ad campaign appearing in the gameplay and another on clickable interactive ads in menus, loading screens and other user interfaces.
Bidstack said the new format opens an entirely new revenue stream for game developers globally. Bidstack's gaming partners will also be able to monitor ad performance via their analytics and reporting service, AdConsole, which will track impressions, clicks and revenue generation.
A number of games publishers within Bidstack's portfolio have already signed up and integrated the in-menu software development kit (SDK) including Motionlab Interactive. The first campaigns are expected to run in the coming weeks in the run-up to the festive period.
"I believe the launch of our in-menu ad format is a material step change in how Bidstack is able to generate cash by having ‘always-on’ open marketplace revenues for the first time.
"The work our publisher acquisition and technology teams have put into this launch has meant we already have multiple game studios signed up to this new monetisation product,” said James Draper, the chief executive officer of Bidstack.
"We expect to be able to announce the release of other ad formats in the near future which we expect will further add to the significant growth in intrinsic in-game advertising revenues we are currently experiencing. Our team is highly motivated as its great work over the last few years is now translating into revenue growth across multiple territories, genres, advertising verticals and products,” he added.