While high-profile in-game ad networks Double Fusion and Massive build scale to get onto the next generation of consoles, the oldest name in the space, WildTangent, has
quietly developed a huge game-vertising network. WildTangent Games Network grew 296 percent in July, according to comScore Media Metrix, with more than 6.2 million monthly users across 250 titles.
"All inventory is sold out at the moment," says Alex St. John, WildTangent's CEO. "We were sold out this quarter and last quarter."
The
traffic spike is a big payoff from deals with hardware manufacturers, which bundled WildTangent's ad-supported desktop game console with more than 20 million new PCs.
Video and banner ads wrap around the game console and its downloadable free game trials. Sponsors place brands in and around the games or serve as multiplayer tournament hosts. The network reported
150 million gaming sessions in July and now has about 250 million impressions a month.
The company has relied on distribution via PC manufacturers and portals. It has
also achieved inventory scale by partnering with third-party game publishers, such as casual gaming kingpin PopCap and the massive multiplayer role-playing game "RuneScape."
Thus the network profiles users across a wide range of titles, tastes, and demographics. Top advertisers like Coca-Cola, Honda, and Nabisco can target everyone from fan boys to
middle-aged women. Indeed, the "lost boys" demographic isn't the only target, St. John says. "The other huge demo is 35 and up, who watch less TV and play games more."
Or do both: Ever see a soccer mom juggling her "Bejeweled" and Food Network habits? Someday there will be rehab for that.