Gaming

How Adtech Platform AudioMob Is Changing The Mobile Game Monetization Through Amazon Web Services

Published

3 years ago

November 29, 2021

Reading Time: 5 minutes

AudioMob was founded after we spotted a tremendous monetization opportunity for game developers.

Rewarded video ads in mobile games have made developers and publishers money, but always at the expense of interrupting games. Yet these interruptions don’t just irritate players, they can even push them away from a game entirely, thereby damaging retention. This can be incredibly frustrating for game developers, who have put time and craft into building games that they want to have thrive, both creatively and commercially.

In considering the solution to this challenge, the core AudioMob concept was born. We let advertisers reach their consumers and game developers monetize their games without interrupting gameplay by using audio ads. ‘In-game audio ads’ are what we do, and we’ve seen developers implement them in truly interesting ways.

Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

Larger tech companies, such as Facebook and Google, already offer ad platforms. This begs the question – why create a new platform?

The answer is straightforward. Existing Demand Side Platforms (or DSPs) cannot deliver audio ads in-game. Our Ad Platform enables advertisers to serve In-game audio ads with banners while users play their game. Therefore, players are given something to click on to head to a landing page or another app, should they feel engaged by the ad.

That potential is most powerfully demonstrated through an active example of AudioMob. Grammy award winning artist Nas and his label Mass Appeal created the following audio ad in order to promote his new album, King’s Disease II. They were confident that mobile games would expose them to wider audiences. This also presents an example of how personal and direct audio ads can feel.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) suite has proved to be a powerful tool in helping us achieve our vision for in-game audio ads as an option that is better for players, advertisers, and game developers.

Why Amazon Web Services?

What we’re doing is unique, so we needed to build a unique stack, and AWS matched our vision and ambition. Be it hosting everything from our user interface to providing a Content Delivery Network (CDN), AWS lets AudioMob serve audio content worldwide in milliseconds.

Meeting AudioMob Privacy Requirements with AWS

On the subject of digital advertising, undoubtedly you will notice the privacy conversation occurring around the world. We believe audio advertising makes it possible to respect the privacy of our users while ensuring the games and apps we love remain free to play.

We’ve deliberately built privacy-first adtech that places contextuality at its core. This approach allows for the ‘best of both worlds,’ letting ads find relevant audiences without utilizing personal data.

However, ad campaigns inevitably generate large amounts of data. This includes the data about a campaign’s success as well as aggregated contextual data held for 90 days and more. And that means we have data to keep safe beyond the data that is processed and stored so that it can be analyzed for insight.

AWS infrastructure aligns with our privacy stance and has achieved numerous internationally-recognized certifications and accreditations. It has demonstrated compliance with rigorous international standards, such as ISO 27017 for cloud security, ISO 27701 for privacy information management, and ISO 27018 for cloud privacy.

Meeting Advertiser Demand with EC2

Choosing the AWS product line started with building our own DSP. A DSP ultimately lets advertisers buy ad space within websites and apps. Ours is known as the AudioMob Ad Platform, and it lets advertisers create, manage, and set the targeting criteria of their advertising campaigns, thereby delivering the right ads to the right people, optimizing, analyzing success, and much more.

When artists or brands want to start a campaign through the AudioMob Ad Platform, they upload an mp3 file and a banner image that is instantly compressed through our internal code hosted on AWS. Compressing those larger file assets to a global average of 35KB, AudioMob can later distribute those ads without latency concerns and into countries with slower mobile data connection speeds. Rendering and content load issues become non-existent.

AWS Elastic Cloud Computing (EC2) provides instant access to server space, computing power, and various databases. Purpose-built to make web-scale cloud computing easier for developers like us, EC2’s accessibility in 25 regions and 81 availability zones globally allows for an efficiency never seen before.

As a leader within the adtech industry, we couldn’t build our own equivalents to what AWS offers. We’re motivated to deliver player-centric ads that impact equally well for advertisers and game developers. To do that well, we have employed the AWS stack knack for scalability and elasticity, global reach, and intelligent data storage options.

Delivering Ads with CloudFront

Over 2.8 billion mobile gamers spend an average of 26 minutes per day on gaming apps. This provides AudioMob the unique opportunity to quickly serve audio ads to around 40,000 games. Based on the last three months of internal data, this allows an average impression rate of 372,908 per day, leading to a 1,000% increase in click-through-rate as compared to traditional banner ads.

We let advertisers reach users based on age, gender, location, language, mobile device, and mobile carrier through our Ad Platform. The process works as follows: ad slots open in games and are filled in a fraction of a second, as multiple advertisers make a bid for the opportunity to connect with a player. This makes a Content Delivery Network essential, as our audio content must reach the end user in any location defined by our advertisers without delay.

Wherever we deliver an ad in a game, AWS’ Cloudfront’s vast geographic spread puts us anywhere globally, thereby ensuring that AudioMob fills the available advertising space extremely fast, and with minimal latency. Furthermore, this ensures that we fill ads in a timely manner, and can continue to deliver the non-interrupting audio ads into mobile games anywhere that advertisers have specified.

Before these developments, we handled many of these processes in-house, which was pretty costly to our bottom line. AWS’s Cloudfront integration allows data serving capabilities without transfer fees for origin fetches, and it offers custom Transport Layer Security (TLS) certification at no charge. Most importantly, the highly secure Content Delivery Network provides both the network and application comforting levels of security.

Meeting Reporting Requirements with S3, RedShift, and Glacier

Measuring creative engagement and providing campaign reporting is critical in advertising. We have built volume detection with selected partners, so that brands can be sure that players hear ads rather than mute them or set the volume extremely low. Furthermore, we can track whether users mute, close, or click on an ad. However, all of this requires data processing, storage, and reporting.

At AudioMob, we utilize Amazon S3 to store our campaign serving logs and RedShift for analysis. That lets us keep our data secure, while giving advertisers the power to optimise their audio ad campaigns based on the insights we provide using RedShift.

RedShift is a column-oriented DBMS database management system (DBMS) that stores data tables by column rather than by row and utilizes parallel processing to enable fast execution. This makes querying large amounts of data extremely fast and lets our advertisers query campaign data within milliseconds (0.7 seconds).

In addition, we utilize the AWS cold storage solution S3 Glacier. For data inquiries older than five years, this yields slower but reasonable query times (around 100x our RedShift query times). This is achieved by using Amazon Redshift Spectrum, which lets us query data from older campaigns directly from our log files stored on Amazon S3.

AWS facilitates the potential of audio

Ultimately, AWS has provided AudioMob with backend tools and services that greatly aid the performance of the ad format we’ve created. It’s been a perfect accompaniment to our rapid growth, helped us stay elastic and scalable, let us meet the needs of real-time international bidding, and support our data values and strategy. As well, of course, it lets our tech empower advertisers to reach wider audiences.

“The team here at AudioMob are extremely proud of everything we built ourselves, from the in-game audio ad concept to executing and expanding our company. We did those things ourselves – but AWS has facilitated our progress in myriad ways, and ultimately been a tremendous help in letting us deliver on our vision of in-game audio ads as a more user friendly and seamless advertising experience.” – Wilfrid Obeng, Co-Founder & CTO, AudioMob

Gaming

Physics-Based Strategy Meets Mixed Reality: Battle Orb Redefines Competitive Gaming

Published

6 days ago

May 7, 2025

George Miller

physics-based-strategy-meets-mixed-reality:-battle-orb-redefines-competitive-gaming

Reading Time: 2 minutes

MixRift unveils brand new strategic PvP arena gaming experience

MixRift, an innovative mixed reality (MR) gaming developer, today announced the official launch of Battle Orb, a competitive strategy game which invites players to challenge each other and transform their physical surroundings into dynamic battlefields. Available now for Meta Quest platforms, Battle Orb represents the next evolution in mutli-player MR gaming.

A first PvP game for MixRift, Battle Orb allows players to step into immersive arenas where physical and digital worlds collide. Skill meets chaos in this fast-paced multiplayer strategy game, which challenges players to aim, shoot, and dominate with speed and precision across customized battlefields, combining tactical thinking with physics-based gameplay. Every hit counts as players collide, strategise and outplay opponents from around the world, from the comfort of their own homes. Players can compete in 2-player or 4-player battles, earn trophies, unlock and upgrade powerful units, and master unique arenas to climb the leaderboard.

“With Battle Orb, we’re not just launching a game, we’re basically turning your living room into a fantasy battleground.” said Bobby Voicu, CEO of MixRift. “We wanted to create something where anyone can jump in and start having fun in seconds, but that you could also master and keep replaying. I think this is what the future of gaming looks like, and it’s a blast!”

Key Features:

HD Graphics: Cutting-edge MR design technology creates a truly immersive gaming experience
Creative Character Options: Choose from tens of monsters, creatures, and cartoons to play with – each one zanier than the last
Real-Time PvP Action: Face-off in 2-player or 4-player matches full of high-stakes action
Physics Meets Strategy: Master the perfect angle, power, and timing to outmaneuver opponents, and perfect your shots to climb through the ranks
Unique Units & Powers: Earn wins and open loot chests to unlock and upgrade special characters and abilities
Environmental Integration: Scale your battlefield to fit any space, turning living rooms into competitive arenas
Competitive Progression: Climb global leaderboards through a rewarding rank system and prove you’re the righteous winner

The game’s intuitive controls ensure players of all skill levels can jump in immediately, while the strategic elements provide long-term engagement for competitive gamers. Battle Orb’s intuitive and quick matchmaking system means players are matched with others in similar ranks within seconds.

Battle Orb has been designed with comfort and safety in mind, earning a “Comfortable” rating and PEGI 3 classification, making it appropriate for players of all ages while still delivering compelling gameplay for serious competitors.

“We’ve created Battle Orb to be a really special mixed-reality competitive experience,” said Voicu. “The way it transforms your physical environment into a strategic battlefield creates moments of gaming magic that simply aren’t possible in traditional formats.”

Availability:
Battle Orb is available now on the Meta Quest Store for Meta Quest 3S, Meta Quest 3, and Meta Quest 2 platforms. The game requires an internet connection for its online features.

For more information, visit https://mixrift.com/ or follow MixRift on social media for updates, tournaments, and community highlights.

The post Physics-Based Strategy Meets Mixed Reality: Battle Orb Redefines Competitive Gaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Asia

Gaming in India – The Rise of a New Billion-dollar Economic Powerhouse

Published

6 days ago

May 6, 2025

Peter Tolan

gaming-in-india-–-the-rise-of-a-new-billion-dollar-economic-powerhouse

Reading Time: 3 minutes

(In order of appearance from left to right)

India is on the brink of witnessing a gaming revolution that is shaping the global industry. With 590 million gamers and industry projections estimating the market to reach INR 66,000 crores at a growth rate of 14.5%, as compared to the global growth of 8% (CAGR). India is now poised to become a billion dollar gaming powerhouse outpacing growth globally.

A large contributor to this sea change is mobile gaming. India has now become the second-largest mobile gaming market by downloads, with figures 3.5 times higher than the US or Brazil. As per a recent Lumikai report, 23 million new gamers from the country joined in FY24, with weekly playtime shooting up by a notable 30%. Backed by $2.8 billion in investments and significant job creation potential, gaming is becoming a key pillar of India’s digital economy.

Nitish Mittersain, CEO & Joint MD at Nazara Technologies, says that the evolution exceeds beyond mere numbers. He underscores, “In a world where gaming is becoming a cultural and economic force, India is no longer just a consumer market, but also becoming a maker. With scale, talent, and strategic capital, Indian companies are rewriting the rules, growing from local leaders to global powerhouses.”

The country’s mobile-first ecosystem, enormous internet penetration, and tech-savvy youth have made it a fertile ground for gaming, while what’s also changing is how games are being made, distributed, and funded.

According to Anuj Tandon, Partner India & UAE at BITKRAFT Ventures, “The Indian gaming industry is experiencing a significant resurgence. A large talent pool and innovative narrative developers are fostering ecosystem expansion, leading to the creation of globally marketable games. Recognizing the emerging prominence of the Indian market, BITKRAFT is looking to make strategic investments to support its development as a vital contributor to the international gaming & entertainment sector.”

With the gaming sector in India empowering the larger community, content, and creators across the country, games are increasingly interactive among larger audiences, and platforms are working to intrigue new-age streamers and influencers from tier 2 & 3 cities in India.

Speaking about the shift in the Indian gaming market, Piyush, Founder & CEO of Rooter, “India has witnessed a significant surge in in-app purchases by gamers over the past three years, driving industry revenue growth at a 40% CAGR. Once a challenging market to monetize, improved micro-transaction behavior and effective pricing strategies are now encouraging gamers to spend more for enhanced experiences. Content creators are leveraging streaming platforms like Rooter to collaborate with publishers and raise awareness about games and their assets. Over the last two years, Rooter has unlocked multiple monetization channels, engaging with over 100 brands, numerous gaming publishers, global platforms, and gift card partners to create scalable revenue opportunities.”

The rise in engagement is paving the way for real business opportunities. Casual games particularly have opened new doors for monetization via in-app purchases, ads, partnerships, and sponsorships especially when game access is embedded seamlessly into daily routine platforms.

Yashash Agarwal, CEO & Co-founder of Gamezop, explains, “The world is waking up to where the real action in gaming lies, and that’s India. A projected revenue CAGR of 14.5% – nearly double the global average, is a clear sign that India is not just part of the global gaming story, we’re writing the next chapter.

Web gaming, in particular, is seeing explosive traction, and India is leading the charge. We’re witnessing a new wave of native users turn to web games for their accessibility, speed, and immersive play – no downloads, no wait time, just instant fun. What’s equally exciting is that India is not just consuming web games at scale; it’s also emerging as a powerhouse for web game development.

From an infrastructure perspective, we find ourselves in a better position than ever before. Devices are becoming smarter and faster, and with 5G technology, smartphones today have more capabilities than ever. As a result, people are spending more time online, leading to a surge of apps and websites across categories. At Gamezop, we’ve seen how seamlessly web games can plug into the everyday digital lives of Indian users across news, entertainment, utility, and fintech platforms. With the right regulatory and infrastructure support, India could very well define the future of web gaming.”

Meanwhile, on the development front, the industry is seeing a shift toward homegrown innovation. Indian studios have evolved from providing services like localizing global titles to creating original games that are performing well on the global stage.

Anurag Choudhary, Founder & CEO of Felicity Games, puts it plainly, “India is not just becoming a billion-player market, it’s emerging as a powerhouse for innovation in mobile gaming. With a young, connected population and a rapidly evolving developer ecosystem, we’re seeing global-quality titles being built and scaled from here. At Felicity Games, we’re proud to be part of this movement by publishing Indian games for global audiences, backed by strong unit economics and technology-led operations.”

With supportive regulation, sustained investment, and a stark rise in talent, India’s gaming sector is reportedly estimated to reach around INR ~500,000 Crores in value by 2034. India with the growth, innovation, and the large user base is set to emerge as a billion-dollar global giant, surpassing the global growth and setting new benchmarks.

The post Gaming in India – The Rise of a New Billion-dollar Economic Powerhouse appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Conferences in Europe

Portside Game Assembly announces talks and roundtables for June 27th’s premiere of the conference for indie game leaders

Published

1 week ago

May 5, 2025

George Miller

portside-game-assembly-announces-talks-and-roundtables-for-june-27th’s-premiere-of-the-conference-for-indie-game-leaders

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Gamecity Hamburg is setting sail with the premiere edition of Portside Game Assembly – a dedicated B2B conference for international indie game leaders – taking place aboard a ship cruising Hamburg’s famous harbour on June 27. With a carefully curated program of keynotes, impulse talks, and roundtables, the conference offers a rare opportunity for studio directors and decision makers to connect in a focused and collaborative setting. Designed to spark fresh perspectives and actionable insights, the event brings together voices from acclaimed indie studios worldwide like Benjamin Laulan (COO & Co-Founder Evil Empire), Philomena Schwab (Founder Stray Fawn Studio), Søren Lundgaard (CEO Ghost Ship Games), Mauricio García (Studio Director The Game Kitchen), Kevin Zuhn (Creative Director & Co-Founder Young Horses Inc.), and more speakers. Tickets for the full conference experience, including a Networking Brunch and the Games Industry Party, are available at portsideassembly.com.

As the premiere of the Portside Game Assembly on June 27 is approaching, the laser-focused program for indie game leaders takes shape.

Keynotes, impulse talks and roundtables: This is the program

By offering a confidential setting for studio directors, the Portside provides value through relevant conversations and strategic networking, which is also reflected in the diverse yet focused conference program. These are some of the program highlights:

Keynote: Benjamin Laulan (COO & Co-Founder Evil Empire): The “Triple-i Initiative Deep Dive” keynote on how to create your own announcement space and talk directly to your audience when you can’t really relate to other existing showcases.

Impulse Blocks:Impulse Blocks consist of two to three impulse talks, all of which relate to an overarching topic, followed by an open discussion about the perspectives shown and an opportunity for participants to share their own experiences. The discussions will be moderated by Mariève Beauchemin (Programs Director & Co-Founder Indie Asylum) and Andreas Suika (Creative Director & Game Designer).

Mining for Your Next Gem – How to Decide which Games to Develop

A defining and crucial decision for every indie game studio is: what of the (probably many) game ideas should be pursued? Where should studios allocate their resources – and what game will help a studio prevail? Three speakers will share their approaches to these questions in 10-minute impulse talks:

- Philomena Schwab (Founder Stray Fawn Studio): Game Idea Validation
- Jonas Tyroller (Founder Grizzly Games): You Don’t Need a Hook
- René Habermann (Director bippinbits): Don’t Ship the Wrong Game

Games Are Made by People – How to Foster a Good Company Culture

Founding and maintaining an independent game studio and managing a small to mid-size team comes with a lot of responsibility: from growing or having to downsize a team to maintaining a company culture where talent is nurtured, developed, and kept long-term.

- Mauricio García (Studio Director The Game Kitchen): Keeping the Indie Mindset while Going Big
- Kevin Zuhn (Creative Director & Co-Founder Young Horses Inc.): Hold Your Horses: Why Slow is How We Grow

From Dev to Dev – Why to Invest in Other Studios

More and more indie studios take the leap to market not only their own games but also put their resources and experiences on games from other developers. Two speakers will share their motivations and learnings from investing in games and studios that are not their own:

- Søren Lundgaard (CEO Ghost Ship Publishing): Developer by Day, Publisher by Night
- Christian Nyhus Andreasen (COO Fair Games): How to Lose 50% and Still Prosper – Angel Investment Lifestyle

Roundtables:

Roundtables have a more interactive concept than impulse blocks and encourage participants to discuss all aspects of the overarching question from the very beginning

Roundtable 1: Mobile Ports – When, Why & How? Moderated by Ali Farha (Senior Producer Star Stable Entertainment)
Roundtable 2: Stronger Together – Business Cooperations Between Indies. Moderated by Manny Hachey (Creative Director Positive Impact Games)
Roundtable 3: (Self-)Publishing – The Good, the Bad, the Ugly. Moderated by Sophie Atkin (Director & Founder Secret Sauce)
Roundtable 4: Longtail FTW – How to Make the Most out of Your Game. Moderated by Leonie Wolf (Associate Art Director Maschinen-Mensch)

The Portside Game Assembly website offers a detailed view on speakers, program topics and participating studios: https://portsideassembly.com/program/

The premiere of the Portside Game Assembly is supported by these great sponsors and partners: Photon and Twin Harbour Interactive!

Selection of already confirmed participants:

More than 60 studios from over 15 countries have already registered for the Portside Game Assembly conference on board the MS Princess. Besides already announced participants like Evil Empire, Stray Fawn Studio, The Game Kitchen, Toukana Interactive, Ghostship Publishing, and others, further acclaimed studios join the conference: