Why Game Studios Should Use CTV | Unity

Summary

Connected TV (CTV) is emerging as a viable channel for mobile app user acquisition, driven by the growth of free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services. With 225.7 million US viewers and 60% of CTV households using FAST, CTV offers access to audiences not reachable via mobile or social media. Benefits include less competition per impression, ability to use existing MMP partners, and full-funnel performance marketing capabilities.

However, CTV comes with challenges: high CPMs ($35-$65) compared to mobile, lower conversion rates due to longer funnel (ads don't link directly to app stores), and cross-device measurement issues (IP-based attribution leads to false positives/negatives). CTV is best suited for midsize to large studios with high-LTV apps (e.g., puzzle, casual, mid-core, hard-core games) targeting the US market, where CTV is most mature. A minimum test budget of $30-50K is recommended.

Key actionable takeaways: ensure your app has above-average LTV for its genre, leverage CTV's targeting capabilities (demographics, ACR data, frequency capping), and be prepared for measurement limitations. As Unity's Director of Sales notes, CTV is poised to evolve into a powerful direct-response channel as attribution improves.