Playable Ads

Frequently asked questions

What is a playable ad?

A playable ad is a short interactive HTML5 mini-game served inside a standard ad slot, usually 15 to 60 seconds long. Users tap or swipe through a sample of the advertised app or experience before being prompted to install or click through. Playables consistently outperform static and video ads on CTR and install rates in casual gaming verticals.

What file-size limits apply to playable ads?

Limits vary by network. Facebook Instant Experience caps at 5 MB total (HTML + assets, inlined or external). Google Ads (UAC) caps at 5 MB. AppLovin allows up to 10 MB. Unity Ads and Vungle generally allow up to 10 MB. Mintegral and IronSource each have their own packaging requirements (zip + manifest format). Designing for the 5 MB tier keeps a single build deployable across networks.

Which engine should I use for a playable ad: Cocos, Phaser, or PixiJS?

Cocos Creator is strongest for asset-heavy playables with complex scenes and animation; it has built-in playable ad export plugins for major networks. Phaser 3 is best for fast 2D arcade-style mechanics and has the largest community for tutorials. PixiJS is a lower-level renderer ideal when you need bare-metal control over the canvas and the smallest possible bundle. Three.js applies for 3D playables. The answer depends on the mechanic, not the brand.

How much does a playable ad cost to build?

Custom playable ad development typically ranges from USD $1,500-8,000 per build depending on mechanic complexity, asset volume, number of network variants, and language localizations. Simple one-mechanic playables with provided art come in lower; multi-scene narrative playables with custom 3D, multiple language builds, and end-card variants come in higher. Reach out via the contact page for a project-specific estimate.

What MRAID version do playable ads need to support?

MRAID 2.0 is the practical baseline; MRAID 3.0 is preferred when available. The relevant events to wire up are mraid.isViewable(), mraid.addEventListener("ready"), mraid.open() for the install click, and resize/expand events for in-feed playables. Most networks abstract this for you via their build templates; raw MRAID handling matters mostly when shipping to programmatic exchanges directly.