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Industry · Video Games

Freelance Google Ads & Meta Ads For Video Games

A launch that takes shape weeks before release, players who discover a game by watching it before they play it, and installs that gain their value when the player comes back: advertising supports your game from the trailer to loyal players.

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Video Games In The UK, In Numbers

What your future players type into Google, month by month: video games in general, mobile games and consoles, each with its own calendar.

The Google Search Calendar

Index 100 = the most searched month of each line. Searches in the United Kingdom, in English, from October 2025 to September 2026.

  • Video Games
  • Mobile Games
  • Consoles

Most searched month: video games in December, mobile games in December, consoles in November and December. Consoles: November and December brings 2.7 times the searches of July.

Source: Google Ads Keyword Planner, monthly search volumes in the United Kingdom, in English, from October 2025 to September 2026, retrieved on 26 October 2026 from Théo Maupilé's Google Ads account. Searches measured: “video games”, “pc games”, “new video games”, “mobile games”, “android games”, “iphone games”, “best mobile games” and “game console”. Method: each line adds up its searches, then takes the value 100 in its highest month. Google rounds the volumes it returns: the line shows the rhythm of demand, not an exact volume.

See the chart data
MonthVideo GamesMobile GamesConsoles
October 2025829767
November 20259282100
December 2025100100100
January 2026929055
February 2026909745
March 2026928955
April 2026927945
May 2026907945
June 2026827945
July 2026757236
August 2026828345
September 2026828667

The Price Of A Click At The Top Of Google

What advertisers paid to appear at the top of the results, for the most searched query of each line, in the United Kingdom.

  • Video Games “pc games”€0.32 to €1.25
  • Mobile Games “best mobile games”€2.78 to €10.54
  • Consoles “game console”€0.14 to €0.86

Source: Google Ads Keyword Planner, top of page bid, low range and high range, in euros, in the United Kingdom, retrieved on 26 October 2026 from Théo Maupilé's Google Ads account. According to Google, the range runs from the 20th to the 80th bid out of 100: about 6 bids in 10 fall between the two amounts. It is an observed range, not a price list: the price of each click is set in an auction.

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Video Games · United Kingdom

Where Is Your Audience?

Your audience moves from one app to the next within the same day: they search on Google, watch YouTube, browse Discover and Gmail, scroll Instagram and Facebook, ask ChatGPT for advice. Tap an app to see where your ad meets them, and what the ad platforms measure in your industry.

  1. SearchingGoogle · Play
  2. WatchingYouTube
  3. DiscoveringDiscover · Gmail · Web
  4. ScrollingFacebook · Instagram
  5. AskingChatGPT

Searchinggoogle.com · Google app

Google

They type their need in their own words. This is when intent is at its clearest: your ad answers a question they have just asked.

27,100searches a month for “video games”, in the UK

Searches a month in your industry, in the UK

“video games”27,100
“mobile games”3,600
“game console”12,100

Source: Google Keyword Planner, searches in the United Kingdom, in English, monthly average from October 2025 to September 2026, estimated and rounded by Google, pulled on 26 October 2026.

Where Your Ad Appears

  • Google Search results
  • Google Images
  • Google Maps and the Maps app

Source: Google Ads Help, where Search ads can appear, read on 16 October 2026.

Get Found On Google

SearchingGoogle Play · Play Store app

Google PlayLooking For An App

They look for an app for a specific need and compare listings. Your app shows in the store’s results, among related apps or on the Google Play home page.

5 networksfor an App campaign: Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, Discover and the Display Network

In Your Industry

Google points to App campaigns for games and apps: a few lines of text and some assets are enough, and the ads aim for installs, in-app activity or pre-registrations.

Source: Google Ads Help, how Google Ads can work for your industry, read on 16 October 2026.

Where Your Ad Appears

  • Google Play search results
  • “You might also like” and “Related to this app”
  • Google Play home page, “Suggested for you”
  • Google Search, YouTube, Discover and partner apps

Source: Google Ads Help, about App campaigns, read on 16 October 2026.

Get Your App Installed

Watchingyoutube.com · YouTube app

YouTube

They watch a video they chose. Your ad plays before or during that video, or shows up in their suggestions: your brand gets known before the need is put into words.

6 sthe bumper format: a short message your audience sees in full

In Your Industry

For media and entertainment, Google recommends Video campaigns: your ads run on YouTube and on the websites and apps of Google video partners.

Source: Google Ads Help, how Google Ads can work for your industry, read on 16 October 2026.

Where Your Ad Appears

  • Before or during a video (in-stream)
  • Home feed, search and suggestions (in-feed)
  • YouTube Shorts
  • 6-second bumper

Source: Google Ads Help, video ad formats, read on 16 October 2026.

Get Seen On YouTube

DiscoveringGoogle app · Discover feed

Discover

They browse the feed of articles and videos the Google app suggests. Your ad slips in as one card among the others: they discover your offer before they even look for it.

3 feedsa single Demand Gen campaign places your ad in Discover, in Gmail and in YouTube’s feeds

Where Your Ad Appears

  • Discover feed
  • Gmail inbox
  • YouTube home and “What to watch next”

Source: Google Ads Help, campaign types, read on 16 October 2026.

Show Up In Discover

Discoveringgmail.com · Gmail app

GmailReading Emails

They open their inbox. Your ad shows among their messages, with your brand as the sender and your offer as the subject.

4Google Ads campaign types can place your ad in Gmail: Display, Shopping, Demand Gen and Performance Max

Where Your Ad Appears

  • Gmail inbox

Source: Google Ads Help, campaign types, read on 16 October 2026.

Show Up In Gmail

Discoveringmillions of websites and apps

Websites and appsReading An Article

They read an article or use an app. Your banner shows next to the content: your brand stays top of mind, and people who already visited your site see you again.

Millionsof websites and apps where a Display campaign can show your ad, on top of YouTube

Where Your Ad Appears

  • Websites
  • Mobile apps
  • YouTube

Source: Google Ads Help, create a Display campaign, read on 16 October 2026.

Stay Visible Across The Web

Scrollingfacebook.com · Facebook app

FacebookCatching Up

They catch up with friends, groups and their local area. Your ad slots into that feed, or into Marketplace when they look for something nearby.

35.2 to 41.5 millionpeople aged 18 and over reachable in the UK on Facebook

The whole country’s audience, platform by platform

Instagram31.1 to 36.6 million
Facebook35.2 to 41.5 million

Source: Meta, audience size estimate from the Marketing API, one platform at a time (reach optimisation), aged 18 and over, United Kingdom, pulled on 16 October 2026. A Meta estimate, best read as an order of magnitude.

Where Your Ad Appears

  • Feed
  • Stories
  • Marketplace
  • Video feed
  • Search results

Source: Meta, Marketing API, placement targeting, read on 16 October 2026.

Get Seen On Facebook

Scrollinginstagram.com · Instagram app

Instagram

They scroll their feed, stories and reels to unwind. The image takes the first step: your offer gets discovered here, and people who already visited your site find you again.

31.1 to 36.6 millionpeople aged 18 and over reachable in the UK on Instagram

The whole country’s audience, platform by platform

Instagram31.1 to 36.6 million
Facebook35.2 to 41.5 million

Source: Meta, audience size estimate from the Marketing API, one platform at a time (reach optimisation), aged 18 and over, United Kingdom, pulled on 16 October 2026. A Meta estimate, best read as an order of magnitude.

Where Your Ad Appears

  • Feed
  • Stories
  • Reels
  • Explore
  • Search results

Source: Meta, Marketing API, placement targeting, read on 16 October 2026.

Get Discovered On Instagram

Askingchatgpt.com · ChatGPT app

ChatGPT

They ask their question and read a full answer. The ad appears below that answer when the topic of the conversation matches what you offer: the need is already detailed, constraints included.

31European countries in the expansion announced by OpenAI, France and Spain included

Where Your Ad Appears

  • Below the answer, in the conversation

Source: OpenAI, ad platform documentation, conversation context targeting, Expansion and eligibility pulled on 1 September 2026, targeting read again on 16 October 2026.

Be Present On ChatGPT
Théo Maupilé, freelance Paid Media

Video Game Marketing With Google Ads & Meta Ads

I'm Théo, a freelance Paid Media specialist with 100+ clients on Google Ads & Meta Ads. For a video game, I build campaigns around your release calendar: pre-registration, launch, then the updates that bring interest back. The method is the same for an independent studio, a publisher or a mobile game, with creatives that show the game as it is played, shown where players already watch, and tracking that follows players inside the game, reviewed every week. I work directly with you.

The 3 Paid Media Projects For Video Games

A Launch Prepared Before Release Day

A game builds anticipation long before it comes out. For an Android game, Google Ads offers an App campaign for pre-registration, which promotes the game before it is released on Google Play. The trailer goes out on YouTube at the same time, and the release date sets the calendar for the whole campaign.

Players Who Come Back

According to Google's guide for media and entertainment, an App campaign can aim for installs, in-app activity or pre-registration. Google Analytics provides events built for games: a level started or finished, a level gained, an achievement unlocked. Once measured, they teach the campaign to look for players who make progress in your game.

Players Who Watch Before They Play

For media and entertainment, Google points to Video campaigns on YouTube and its partners, audience segments such as action game fans or gamers, and the YouTube Masthead to make a release known to as many people as possible. I recommend starting from the game's own footage: a gameplay video shows what the player is about to experience.

The Method, Applied To Your Game

  1. 1

    An Audit Of Your Game

    Your platforms, your release date, your current players and the events already measured in the game.

  2. 2

    One Campaign Per Launch Stage

    Pre-registration before release, installs at launch, then in-app activity with each update.

  3. 3

    Creatives That Show The Game

    The trailer and gameplay clips on YouTube, as Reels on Meta and in App campaign ads.

  4. 4

    Players Measured Inside The Game

    Installs, levels completed and achievements unlocked, reviewed every week next to your app store figures.

Start With Your Numbers (Free Tools)

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What you can pay for a player, based on what that player brings in.

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What a player brings in over their whole life in your game.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Video Games

How Do You Promote A Video Game Before Release?

With three levers that start together. For an Android game, the Google Ads App campaign for pre-registration promotes the game before it is released on Google Play. On YouTube, the trailer reaches the audience segments Google lists for entertainment, such as action game fans or gamers. And every visitor to your game's page joins an audience you can reach again on launch day. I recommend starting the campaign a few weeks before release, so that audience has time to build up.

Which Google Ads Campaign For A Mobile Game?

The App campaign. According to the Google Ads Help Center, it shows your ads on Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, Discover and the Display Network from a few lines of text, a bid and your assets, and it comes in three versions: installs, engagement of current players and pre-registration. My recommendation is to choose based on where your game stands: pre-registration before release, installs at launch, engagement once your player base is there.

How Do You Know Which Players Come From Advertising?

By measuring what they do in the game. Google Analytics provides recommended events for games: level_start and level_end for a level started or finished, level_up for a level gained, post_score for a posted score, unlock_achievement for an unlocked achievement. Once they are sent, these events become conversions Google Ads can aim for, and you see which campaign brings players who make progress.

What Happens After You Click

  1. 1

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  2. 2

    A 20-Min Call

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  3. 3

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  4. 4

    Building Your Strategy

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Google PartnerSuperMalter (top 10%)61 five-star reviews on Malt and LinkedIn100+ clients
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