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.

Discord’s platform is built for participation, not passive content: Brands face high standards—and high rewards if they succeed.

More than just a cloud leader: Microsoft ad revenues surged 21%, gaming stabilized, and LinkedIn grew, too.

Amid dizzying policy unpredictability and a grab bag of unpleasant economic possibilities, precise ad spend forecasting is challenging. A scenarios-based approach can help clarify potential outcomes.

Game developers, martech platforms, and agencies are increasingly trying to convince advertisers that consumers playing mobile games are worth reaching.

Over half (53%) of US video game players who mostly play story-driven, single player games say that advertising in games or game-related promotions has at least somewhat of an impact on their purchasing decisions, according to March data from CivicScience.

Reward-based video ads are increasingly effective at reaching younger consumers, particularly those who play games.

It's been a year since the messaging app Discord launched its own reward-based ad format called "Quests" for PC and game console users, and they're ready to celebrate its success.

YouTube has more users than Facebook, Netflix, or Spotify. But its advertising revenues do not match its vast reach. This report contextualizes the opportunities and scope for growth in various media spheres.

Gaming opportunities for advertisers flourishing: IAB PlayFronts unveiled insights into how marketers can meet gamers where they’re at.

Timing ad buys to seize on key engagement windows: Our Industry KPI data reveals Gen Z has predictable spikes in searches for apparel, gaming content.

Gaming is up, but marketers must pick their spots: Most casual gamers ignore ads, but players in story-driven and open-world titles are more likely to engage.

This year’s festival highlighted a maturing creator economy, a reality check for AI, and bigger and bolder brand activations and marketing trends.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch later this year. Though a firm release date has not been set, it's positioned to sell millions of units and put a whole generation of new Nintendo games in front of worldwide audiences.

As customers grab the same grocery staples they have for decades, Walmart is betting that gamifying the experience will challenge those habits. The retailer plans to launch Walmart Unlimited, a three-part miniseries that features the entrepreneurs behind its products. Launched last month on Spatial, the game includes full commerce integration that enables in-app purchases.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how some teachers think young people should be approaching GenAI, the differences between younger and older teenagers’ social media usage, and how engagement with digital gaming is changing. Tune in to the episode with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Analyst Paola Flores-Marquez, and Vice President of Research Jennifer Pearson. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Twitch expands sponsorship opportunities: While the change might attract creators, whether brands will buy in is debatable.

The BNPL provider has made strong inroads in the US but faces steep obstacles in growing its market share

While many users sell products via Twitch livestreams, Amazon has yet to position the platform as a rival to other social video commerce sites like TikTok Shop.

Non-retail commerce media channels typically mean payments, travel, and intermediaries that overlap with retail. But more nontraditional commerce media networks have been popping up from places like Mohegan’s casinos, RE/MAX’s real estate websites, and Planet Fitness’ gyms.