Hakuhodo DY and ARROVA Survey Finds In-Game Ads Drive Purchase Intent and Word-of-Mouth in Communities

Hakuhodo DY Holdings and ARROVA conducted an “In-Game Advertising Survey” of 3,000 consumers aged 15 to 49 across Japan to understand the media effectiveness of advertisements placed within game and metaverse service content, as well as current consumer awareness and behavior. The survey found that ads displayed within game and metaverse spaces stimulate purchase intent and strongly encourage word-of-mouth sharing within communities. Regarding awareness of in-game advertising, users of smartphone games, game-oriented metaverse services such as Roblox and Fortnite, and social VR services such as VRChat were asked whether they had seen ads in games. Awareness of in-game ads, defined as respondents who said they had definitely seen them or felt they had seen them, reached around 80% among smartphone game and social VR users, and around 50% among game-oriented metaverse users, confirming the strong presence of this ad format. The survey also found that in-game ads deliver attitude-change effects after ad exposure that are equal to or greater than those of conventional digital ads. Social VR in particular showed a high rate of sharing with acquaintances. The same trend appeared in purchase intent: social VR ads displayed on spatial walls, signboards, and buildings scored 11.3%, the highest among all segments, about 1.7 times the score of in-app banner ads in conventional digital advertising, which stood at 6.8%. In terms of acceptance, 11.3% of smartphone game users said ads displayed on walls or signboards inside game content felt “persistent or unpleasant,” far below the 19.4% for general pop-up ads shown while launching apps. The figure was 11.2% for game-oriented metaverse users and 10.0% for social VR users. Spatially placed ads are considered easier for users to accept because they do not interrupt gameplay, unlike pop-up ads shown during app use. The survey also identified different reasons for acceptance among user groups. Among paying smartphone game users, 65.7% agreed that ads are acceptable if they fit the game’s world view, indicating that contextually matched ads are more readily accepted. Among paying users of game-oriented metaverse services, 66.7% agreed that ads are acceptable if they help keep the game operating, showing a strong understanding of ad models that support free-to-play culture. Among paying social VR users, 66.5% agreed that receiving items or currency in exchange for watching ads is a good mechanism, while 65.8% agreed that ads are acceptable if they fit the world view, suggesting that contextual relevance is a key factor. Overall, users with in-game spending experience showed higher acceptance of advertising. Persona analysis showed clear differences by platform. The smartphone game ad-exposed segment is centered on young male office workers who casually play games during spare moments. They frequently browse social media, but are not highly inclined to purchase based on social media information and are more susceptible to mass media influence. The game-oriented metaverse ad-exposed segment is centered on students and working adults with children who like RPGs and action games and play for refreshment or stress relief; their purchases are more likely to be triggered by in-store and digital advertising. The social VR in-game ad segment skews toward men in their late 20s who are knowledgeable about technologies such as VR and AI, prefer strategy games, actively gather trends and information on their own, and are positive toward streaming and posting, giving them a creator-like profile. In conclusion, the survey confirmed that in-game advertising in game spaces has awareness levels comparable to conventional digital advertising, is less likely to be perceived as persistent or unpleasant, and can be expected to improve purchase intent and drive word-of-mouth after exposure. At the same time, because in-game advertising is still an emerging medium, it faces challenges such as smaller reach compared with conventional digital ads and immature measurement methods. Therefore, when using in-game ads, the report recommends complementing these issues by combining them with conventional digital ads to secure reach and conducting brand lift studies to measure effectiveness. As the in-game advertising market expands and these challenges are resolved, its importance as a media channel is expected to grow. Hakuhodo DY Group and ARROVA stated that they will continue to actively pursue research and service implementation with this future in mind. Survey outline: The survey was conducted online in January 2026 among men and women aged 15 to 49 across Japan. The research agency was Macromill. Valid sample sizes were 50,000 for the preliminary screening survey and 3,000 for the main survey. Analysis was conducted by MRS Advertising Research.