Sulake is a social entertainment company focused on providing a safe and fun online service for self-expression through its products, Habbo and Hotel Hideaway.
With over 10M downloads, Hotel Hideaway is not just a popular game but also a Metaverse Virtual World, which offers players the opportunity to explore and socialize in a virtual environment. The game allows players to customize their avatars and interact with other players from around the world.
Enhancing players’ virtual experience
Alongside the virtual socializing experience, Sulake is also keen to offer a realistic environment that connects the virtual world with the real one. Therefore, they introduce In-Play™ ads in Hotel Hideaway, which serve that purpose perfectly.
In-Play™ ads appear as standing billboards and posters, just like what you find in the real world. By featuring real branded ads, it creates a non-disruptive, real-world environment and enhances players’ social adventure experiences.
“Player experience is very important for us. In-Play ads create a non-disruptive real-world experience for our players in the Metaverse Virtual World in Hotel Hideaway, and complement the more traditional formats well without sacrificing immersion”, says Valtteri Miettunen, Senior Growth Specialist at Sulake.
11+ million branded ads contribute 15% of total advertising revenue
In-Play™ ads in Hotel Hideaway have been a resounding success. The Sulake team reports that In-Play™ ads have had zero impact on the retention rate, indicating that players do not find them intrusive. In-Play™ ads now contribute 15% of the total advertising revenue for the game, which is a significant achievement. Sulake now features 11+ million branded ads each month inside Hotel Hideaway, demonstrating the format’s potential to drive incremental revenue.
In-Play™ ads in Hotel Hideaway have been a game-changer for Sulake. The immersive format has allowed the company to generate revenue without impacting the player experience negatively. In-Play™ ads have now become an essential part of the advertising strategy for Hotel Hideaway, and their success demonstrates how real branded ads make a virtual world more realistic. This success story is an excellent example of how innovative advertising formats can benefit brands, gaming studios and players in the gaming industry.
