Report: U.S. In-Game Ad Spending to Hit $650 Million in 2012

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 4, 2008 - 9:09am.

New York - Bolstered by a video game industry enjoying unprecedented growth, spending on advertising within video games in the U.S. is expected to increase from $295 million in 2007 to $650 million in 2012, according to a report from market research firm eMarketer.

The survey -- which excludes advergames and ads on mobile games -- predicts that ads in Web-based games alone, including sponsored sessions and display ads in or around the online game space, will increase by 133% between 2001 and 2012.

"At a time when other sectors of the digital entertainment industry are struggling with lagging sales and rampant piracy, the U.S. video game business is booming," said eMarketer senior analyst Paul Verna.