Abstract

Mobile games are now important media on which advertisers or brands will place advertisements. Placing an independent in-game video advertisement which covers the interface without being incorporated into the game has become a trend. This study conducts two field experiments to examine the effects of different types and contents of in-game video advertisements. We collaborate with a local mobile game developer and release two experimental games on Google Play Store. The results show that before players view the advertisements, the appearing of reward-based advertisements affect players more than permission-based ones, and effectively facilitate players' viewing decisions and attitudes toward the game (i.e., the media host). This effect is stronger under the condition of failed (vs. successful) game outcomes. After players view the advertisements, different advertisement types (reward-based advertisements vs. permission-based advertisements vs. interstitial advertisements) and advertisement contents (dramatized versions vs. real game scenes vs. mixed versions) will evoke different levels of curiosity and affect players' attitudes and download intentions toward the advertised games. This study proposes a holistic framework for improving the advertising effects before and after players view the commercials; enriches the information gap theory; and emphasizes the importance of curiosity in the context of mobile game advertisements. The results provide important suggestions for practitioners about designing in-game advertisements and selecting the appropriate timing to place them.  

Keywords

mobile gamesin-game advertisementsreward-based advertisementscuriosityinformation gap