Two recent major partnerships, Roblox x Google and Overwolf x The Trade Desk, signal the next phase of gaming media. We’re moving beyond the era of experimental brand activations. Now, the focus has shifted to building the infrastructure for programmatic advertising at scale within gaming.
Together, these deals signal a broader shift: toward scale, standardization, and easier brand access to gaming audiences. Especially when it comes to reaching Gen Z.
Albane Prioux breaks down what these partnerships mean for marketers.
Let’s get into it. 👇
What does Roblox x Google mean for marketers?
Roblox’s partnership with Google represents its most impactful move yet to scale its advertising solution. By enabling Rewarded Video via Google’s ad stack, including Ad Manager and direct IO buys, Roblox is becoming accessible to buyers already running ad campaigns with Google.
The goal is simple: make immersive formats on Roblox as easy to buy as standard display ads on any digital platform.
1. Increased standardization, measurement, and brand safety.
Google’s integration brings standardization, measurement, and brand safety to immersive media buying. Advertisers can now track immersive ads on Roblox using the same KPIs and verification tools they already use across other platforms. This includes viewability, brand lift, and safety compliance tools.
2. New ad formats with proven return.
Early tests show Rewarded Video completion rates above 80%, with some exceeding 90%. These ads offer players tangible rewards, making them additive, not disruptive.
3. Tapping into Gen Z and Alpha audiences.
According to Roblox, more than 52 million of the platform’s 85 million+ daily active users are aged 13 and up. As Gen Z and Alpha shift away from platforms like TikTok and YouTube, Roblox becomes a critical touchpoint.
For Google, this is about future-proofing, embedding its ad tech into environments where Gen Z is already spending time.
What about Overwolf x The Trade Desk?
In parallel, Overwolf has partnered with The Trade Desk to make its advertising inventory accessible through programmatic media buying. That inventory includes both Overwolf’s in-game desktop app network and Nitro’s network of gaming websites. This will enable brands to reach over 100 million gamers monthly, both during gameplay and beyond.
Why do these partnerships matter – and why now?
Together, Roblox x Google and Overwolf x The Trade Desk point to a clear evolution. Gaming is no longer just a brand storytelling playground. It’s becoming a full-fledged media channel focused on performance marketing.
For marketers, here’s what’s changing:
1. Gaming is now performance-marketing ready.
Gaming is now infrastructure-ready. Platforms like Roblox are no longer just places for brand storytelling, they’re media environments with scaled inventory, audience segments, and standardized measurement.
2. Performance media is shifting to value exchange.
Instead of interrupting users, brands are now engaging players in ways that offer something in return, a value-add. This could include in-game rewards or other benefits. As a result, the interaction feels more rewarding and less disruptive. This means users are more receptive, and brand interactions feel more positive and memorable.
3. Gaming is no longer just for endemic brands.
In-game advertising used to be dominated by endemic brands. This refers to companies that create or sell gaming-related products, like developers or hardware manufacturers. Today, that’s changing.
We’re seeing a sharp rise in interest from non-endemic categories like entertainment, retail, and lifestyle. Why?
As platforms like Roblox and Overwolf become infrastructure-ready, these brands are buying media in gaming with the same expectations around targeting, measurement, and ROI as they would on any other performance channel.
4. Gaming will help reach fragmented audiences.
Per Meltwater’s latest Digital 2025 Global Digital Report, Gen Z uses an average of 7.7 platforms per month. To keep up, brands need to expand their media mix to include new digital touchpoints. Gaming offers one of the most relevant, high-attention channels for doing so.
5. Brand adoption will accelerate.
The IAB predicts that U.S. in-game ad revenue will reach $11.49 billion by 2027. With the right infrastructure now in place, we’ll likely see rapid adoption from brands looking to tap into this channel.
Key Takeaways
Gaming is no longer just a playground for experimental brand activations. It’s becoming a core pillar of digital media strategy. With Roblox and Overwolf integrating directly with Google and The Trade Desk, respectively, buying media in virtual environments is becoming as measurable and scalable as traditional display advertising. For marketers, this marks a turning point: the infrastructure is in place, the audiences are there, and the opportunity to run performance-driven campaigns in gaming has never been more accessible.
This is just the start.
To learn more about virtual strategies and brands in gaming, sign up to get access to our latest report, The State of Brands in Gaming & Virtual Worlds Part IV. 👇
