• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, April 1, 2025

Google will expand immersive ads to many more publishers across AdMob and Ad Manager on the online game platform Roblox.

The partnership, announced Tuesday, streamlines implementation for app publishers in video formats, 2D and 3D.

Roblox has expanded the collaboration through a suite of measurement tools and partnerships with Integral Ad Science (IAS) and Kantar, as well as verification companies DoubleVerify and Nielsen. It is intended to support purchase intent, frequency metrics, brand lift, fraud prevention and more.

These immersive ads -- powered by Google and bought programmatically -- aim to help publishers monetize content in ways that were not previously possible. They are intended to create additional revenue streams for publishers and developers. In the game, still or video billboard ads on racing tracks, for example. The responsive ads mean that publishers can use their existing creative.

“Immersive ads let publishers open opportunities for advertisers to reach audiences in a way that seems intrinsic, embedding the ad in the game,” said Scott Sheffer, vice president of global partnerships at Google, pointing to creating brand awareness.

Dozens of ads and studios already use immersive ads today, which is why the companies are comfortable expanding the partnership.

Stephanie Latham, vice president of global brand partnerships at Roblox, said advertisers can buy Roblox and immersive formats to reach the company’s more than 85.3 million daily active users who spend 2.4 hours on the platform each day.

She said having that time with users means so much more than a “few-second scroll.”

More than 61% of users are 13 years of age or older. Latham said this age group is challenging to reach through ads.

“We’ve done extensive research with our community, and on our platform, we found that 87% of users had a possible view of introducing rewarded ads to Roblox,” she said. “We are seeing on average between 80% and 90% completion rates, and on top experiences over 90%.”

Players get a choice through an opt-in of seeing the ads through, clearly defining the payoff, she said. The duration is up to a 30-second video ad.

Developers on Roblox have the ability to control the part of gameplay to include Rewarded Video ads in and deploy them to create experiences benefiting users and advertisers, while improving engagement and retention.

For example, an option to view an ad can appear somewhere in the menu where users typically shop for in-game perks or items. It also may serve up after failing a level and needing extra supplies.