PlayerWON
PlayerWON is a New York-based rewarded video advertising platform for free-to-play console, PC, and cloud games, serving game developers with free API/SDK integration and brand advertisers with direct and programmatic video ad buying.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What PlayerWON does
PlayerWON is an engagement and monetization platform purpose-built for free-to-play (F2P) console and PC games, operating as a division of Simulmedia, Inc. and headquartered in New York. The platform enables game developers to monetize their titles by serving opt-in, TV-quality brand-sponsored video ads to players during gameplay downtime (between matches, in game queues, or other idle moments), and rewarding players with in-game content for watching to completion. Underlying technology includes a lightweight ad library accessible via an API-first, SDK-optional integration model, an official Unreal Engine SDK distributed on Epic Games' FAB Store, and a cloud gaming pre-roll integration with NVIDIA GeForce NOW that achieves a 95% completion rate. The platform is sold on both sides of a two-sided market: to game developers and publishers as a free integration with revenue share on ad impressions, and to brands and agencies via direct insertion orders and programmatic buying through DSPs, with reporting and viewability tags delivered through a TV+ reporting portal. PlayerWON reports a current reach of 2.5 million monthly active users, a 96% rewarded video completion rate, and a 90% Gen Z or Millennial audience composition, and cites partnerships with publishers including Hi-Rez Studios, Gameloft, Ubisoft, Activision, and Electronic Arts. The company is led by President Dave Madden (formerly of Electronic Arts and WildTangent), with Adam Keaney as GM and Jamar Graham as Sr. Product Manager. Revenue, funding, and headcount are not publicly disclosed, and the company does not appear to have external venture or growth capital based on the available data.
PlayerWON firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PlayerWON
- Legal name
- Simulmedia, Inc.
- Website
- https://playerwon.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- PlayerWON is a New York-based rewarded video advertising platform for free-to-play console, PC, and cloud games, serving game developers with free API/SDK integration and brand advertisers with direct and programmatic video ad buying.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PlayerWON industry classification
Industry- Product category
- In-Game Advertising Platform
- NAICS
- Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creator Economy & Monetization Tools for UGC (tips, subs, rev share, payouts) (MPAFAIAI)
Keywords
Where PlayerWON is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PlayerWON business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Brand Video Advertising: PlayerWON generates revenue by enabling brands to serve TV-quality video ads to gamers within free-to-play console and PC games. Brands pay for impressions and video completions. Advertisers can buy via direct insertion orders or programmatically through DSPs.
- Cloud Gaming Advertising: Revenue from pre-roll ads served to NVIDIA GeForce NOW free tier users, where gamers watch ads to reduce or eliminate wait times.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Direct ad buying for PlayerWON inventory including NVIDIA cloud gaming |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Rewarded video for game developers |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
PlayerWON product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PlayerWON is an engagement and monetization platform for free-to-play (F2P) console and PC games. It enables players to opt in to watching brand-sponsored, TV-quality video ads during gameplay downtime in exchange for in-game rewards. The platform also extends to cloud gaming pre-roll advertising via its NVIDIA GeForce NOW partnership, providing brands a channel to reach Gen Z and Millennial gamers.
Product overview
PlayerWON is a unified in-game advertising platform consisting of a core technology platform plus multiple integrated modules and solutions. The core PlayerWON platform (playerwon.com) serves as the central hub, supplemented by specialized offerings: Rewarded Video for Developers provides API and integration tools for game studios; In-Game Advertising for Brands offers campaign management for marketers; Cloud Gaming Advertising (via NVIDIA GeForce NOW partnership) extends reach to cloud gaming audiences; the Unreal SDK enables Unreal Engine developers; and a Gamers module engages players. The platform enables free-to-play game developers to monetize through opt-in brand-sponsored video ads shown during player downtime, with players earning in-game rewards in exchange for their attention.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PlayerWON Core Platform The primary in-game advertising platform that enables console and PC game developers to monetize through opt-in rewarded video ads. Players earn in-game rewards for watching brand-sponsored videos during downtime.
- Rewarded Video for Developers A developer-focused solution providing Ad Server API documentation and integration tools for game studios to add rewarded video capabilities to their free-to-play games, driving engagement, retention, and revenue.
- In-Game Advertising for Brands Brand-facing advertising solution enabling marketers to reach gaming audiences through premium, CTV-quality video ads within console and PC games, with messaging guarantees and campaign management.
- Cloud Gaming Advertising In partnership with NVIDIA GeForce NOW, enables pre-roll advertising in cloud gaming sessions, allowing brands to reach Gen Z and millennial males with ads that reduce wait times for free-tier users.
- Unreal SDK Software Development Kit for Unreal Engine that enables game developers to seamlessly integrate rewarded video advertising into their games, provided free of charge via the FAB Store.
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% video completion rate (industry average is much lower)
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use PlayerWON
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
PlayerWON technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
PlayerWON partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- GameloftcorePlayerWON integrated with Gameloft's Asphalt Legends Unite and Dragon Mania Legends. Players earn in-game rewards (customization options, upgrades, gems, free items) by watching brand-sponsored videos. Integration designed to boost engagement, retention, and monetization.
- NVIDIA GeForce NOWflagshipPlayerWON partnered with NVIDIA GeForce NOW to deliver cloud gaming pre-roll ads. Free tier subscribers watch two minutes of ads to reduce or eliminate wait times. Players can stream on PCs and through Connected TV apps. Advertisers can buy directly or programmatically via DSPs.
- UbisoftcoreExisting partnership with Ubisoft for in-game advertising integration across their game titles.
- Epic Games (FAB Store)corePlayerWON's Unreal SDK is available on the FAB (Fantastic Arcade Bazaar) Store, Epic Games' marketplace for game developers to discover and distribute assets and tools.
- Hi-Rez StudioscoreHi-Rez Studios (developer of Smite, Paladins, Rogue Company) partners with PlayerWON for rewarded video integration. VP of Corporate Strategy provided video testimonial about the platform.
- ActivisioncoreMajor game publisher partnership referenced in company materials for in-game advertising integration.
- Electronic ArtscoreMajor game publisher partnership referenced in company materials for in-game advertising integration.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PlayerWON competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- AdInMo: AdInMo is an in-game advertising platform focused on intrinsic, non-intrusive ad formats across mobile and increasingly PC/console. Overlaps with PlayerWON's brand-funded engagement model for game developers.
Others
- Moloco: Moloco is a programmatic advertising and ML platform focused on performance and monetization for apps and games. It is adjacent infrastructure that competes for the same brand/programmatic demand as PlayerWON's DSP integrations.
- Simulmedia: Simulmedia is PlayerWON's parent company, focused on cross-screen TV and video advertising. It is comparable as the operational and capital parent for PlayerWON's advertiser-side relationships and TV+ reporting infrastructure.
Broad incumbents
- Liftoff: Liftoff (post merger with Vungle) operates rewarded video and creative optimization for mobile apps and games. It is an ad-tech incumbent with overlap in rewarded video mechanics and brand-monetization workflows.
- Unity Ads: Unity Ads is the dominant rewarded-video monetization platform in mobile gaming through Unity's engine and SDK ecosystem. It is a broader incumbent that could expand into console/PC to compete with PlayerWON.
- AppLovin (ironSource): AppLovin, post the ironSource merger, operates a major rewarded-video mediation and monetization stack across mobile games. Larger and broader incumbent with capability and incentive to move into console/PC advertising.
- Digital Turbine (AdColony): Digital Turbine, which acquired AdColony, runs rewarded video and in-app advertising at scale across mobile, with ambitions in connected devices. It is a broader ad-tech incumbent adjacent to PlayerWON's rewarded video model.
Direct peers
- Bidstack: Bidstack provides in-game advertising through dynamic ad placement in PC and console games, working with publishers and SSPs. Competes with PlayerWON for the same console/PC publisher inventory and brand budgets.
- Anzu: Anzu is an in-game advertising platform focused on PC and console games, offering intrinsic and programmatic ad formats. It is one of the closest direct competitors to PlayerWON in the same console/PC rewarded-video category.
- Frameplay: Frameplay offers intrinsic in-game advertising on PC, console, and mobile, with a focus on programmatic and brand-safe placements. Directly comparable to PlayerWON's rewarded video and programmatic offering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PlayerWON social profiles
Digital presencePlayerWON financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PlayerWON leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
PlayerWON funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PlayerWON M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PlayerWON
What does PlayerWON do?
PlayerWON is an engagement and monetization platform for free-to-play (F2P) console and PC games. It enables players to opt in to watching brand-sponsored, TV-quality video ads during gameplay downtime in exchange for in-game rewards. The platform also extends to cloud gaming pre-roll advertising via its NVIDIA GeForce NOW partnership, providing brands a channel to reach Gen Z and Millennial gamers.
Is PlayerWON a public or private company?
PlayerWON is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was PlayerWON founded?
PlayerWON was founded in 2021.
Where is PlayerWON based?
PlayerWON is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does PlayerWON make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Brand Video Advertising is the primary driver. The others are cloud Gaming Advertising.
Who are PlayerWON's main competitors?
AdInMo is listed as an emerging player. Others are Moloco and Simulmedia. Broad incumbents are Liftoff, Unity Ads, AppLovin (ironSource) and Digital Turbine (AdColony). Direct peers are Bidstack, Anzu and Frameplay.
Does PlayerWON have an API?
Yes. PlayerWON offers an Ad Server API that allows game developers to integrate rewarded video ads into their games. The API enables seamless implementation with a lightweight ad library that does not consume virtual or physical memory. Documentation is available for download, and integration can be completed in a matter of hours according to their API guide. Developer documentation is at www.playerwon.com/playerwon-ad-server-api.
What industry is PlayerWON in?
PlayerWON's product category is In-Game Advertising Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAIAI, Creator Economy & Monetization Tools for UGC (tips, subs, rev share, payouts). Its NAICS code is 7131 and its SIC code is 7900.