The news: Child safety concerns are mounting as several platforms face heightened scrutiny over lacking moderation capabilities. Google settled a lawsuit on Tuesday over claims that it violated children’s privacy through YouTube by collecting personal data for targeted ads without parental consent, though the company denied wrongdoing in its decision to settle. Our take: Heightened scrutiny over where advertisers spend and what they promote is a must-have amid current concerns over child safety online, and brands must practice caution when implementing strategies that could be perceived as targeting minors.

The news: Gamers are more involved in gaming content than ever before, thanks in large part to titles like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite. And they’re not keeping that interest solely on-platform. 46% of gamers say their time spent creating in-game video game content has somewhat or significantly increased over a year ago, per Bain & Company’s Gaming Report 2025. About 20% say they spend less time. 27% of gamers’ social media time and 25% of their streaming video time is spent focused on gaming-related content. Our take: The gaming audience is growing, and it’s not focused on a single platform or console. Gamers’ interests reach through the game and into social media, streaming, TV, and audio, giving marketers a wide path to reach gamers where they are.

Video games now reach players of all ages, but kids and teens remain key to growth. Recent data shows who's gaming, what revenue forecasts look like, and gamers' sentiments about ads.

The news: Roblox debuted a licensing platform in collaboration with companies like Netflix and Lionsgate to give IP rights holders the ability to partner with Roblox creators. Launched on Tuesday, the platform allows brands to connect with Roblox creators and set parameters for use of their IP. Launch partners include Netflix, LionsGate, and Sega, offering access to IP like “Squid Game,” “Stranger Things,” “Saw,” “Twilight,” “Divergent,” and more. Our take: Roblox’s move could give the platform a better chance of achieving its 10% goal—but success hinges on whether the licensing platform can enhance, rather than interrupt, the gamer experience.

The news: Dentsu recently launched Robmix, a new business embedding itself in Roblox’s culture and users, per a Dentsu press release. Robmix is a platform created with the goal of “discovering and developing the next generation of creators” on Roblox and focuses on entertainment opportunities related to Roblox users. Our take: Dentsu’s latest move gets ahead of the in-game wave, capitalizing on the future of marketing where creators and advertisers are increasingly turning to gaming as a critical opportunity to reach audiences when they’re most engaged.

The news: Gen Z’s media habits are changing fast—and most brands aren’t keeping up. New data shows Gen Z spends hours on social media daily, but not passively: they’re engaging in participatory, creator-led environments where trust and relatability matter more than production polish. Fifty-two percent say they feel closer to creators than celebrities. Gaming platforms like Roblox are central, with adults 25–34 averaging 100 minutes per session. Our take: legacy ad formats don’t cut it anymore. To earn Gen Z’s attention, brands need to integrate into native experiences, empower creators as collaborators, and measure more than just impressions.

The news: Despite its massive reach, gaming still accounts for less than 5% of worldwide media investment, per Dentsu’s 2025 Gaming Trends report—indicating a disparity between where audiences spend their time and where advertisers invest. Our take: Concerns about brand safety with in-game advertising linger, but brands that are willing to take the risk stand to gain through an approach that considers that simply investing in the format isn’t enough to drive results.

The news: The gaming industry is doubling down on handheld consoles. Nintendo’s Switch 2 shattered single-day sales records with an estimated 3 million units sold at launch, outpacing the Sony PS4’s historic numbers. Meanwhile, Microsoft announced its first handhelds—the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X—partnering with Asus to blend Xbox and PC gaming in a portable format. They’re expected to launch during the holidays. Our take: As cloud and console experiences merge into portable form, game design and ad models are set to evolve fast—opening up fresh real estate for marketers, game studios, and tech platforms alike.

The news: Roblox’s lack of third-party measurement tools is becoming a hurdle for advertisers. The platform has minimal independent insights into standard metrics like reach and performance outcomes, per Digiday. As a result, potential customers are hesitant to start investing in ads on Roblox, which could dampen company growth. Our take: Roblox commands enormous engagement, especially with younger users, and it has a wealth of assets to attract advertisers and bolster its revenue. However, without accessible measurement offerings that meet industry standards, Roblox’s growth as a major ad channel may remain limited.

AR/VR continues to evolve as a tool for marketers and retailers to develop deeper consumer engagement. Long-term growth will be helped by AI integrations and demographic shifts. And while gaming is still the top use case, smart glasses are on the rise.

This could give Chime access to more Gen Alpha and Gen Z customers.

With video ad completion rates topping 80% and new measurement partners onboard, Roblox is positioning itself as a premium ad platform for younger audiences.

Roblox has been popular with young game players for years. It brings in tens of millions of players every day. As more marketers explore activations on the platform, best practices are starting to take shape.

Despite new restrictions and parental tools, the platform couldn’t block off-platform contact attempts, spotlighting its challenges in protecting underage users.

Their ROOST initiative could pressure platforms to adopt stronger protections, reshaping digital safety and providing brand-safe environments for advertisers.

From avatars to real-life purchases: Roblox’s branded worlds deliver deeper consumer interaction and emerging 3D ad standards for marketers.

Nearly three-quarters of Gen Alphas (ages 1 to 12) are online. This means they will likely be more adept than their predecessors at navigating digital spaces and using tech.

Infinite Reality’s latest move suggests the metaverse isn’t done just yet: The company is buying virtual shopping platform Obsess in a move aimed at reimagining how brands connect with consumers online.

Beauty’s run of strong retail sales growth is winding down, but new audiences and sales channels will offer opportunities for savvy brands and retailers to regain momentum.

In 2024, some of our newsletter team’s predictions included that attention metrics would gain more momentum in measurement, and Gen Alpha would steal some of Gen Z’s appeal among marketers. This year, we’re expecting a surge in AI ethics campaigns, email marketing troubles, rising browser competition, as well as some innovation in the world of gaming. Our analysts have already shared many of their predictions for 2025, but here are a few more from our newsletter team.