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Everything we know about playable ads: what they are, the specs for every network, how to test and iterate them, and what they cost.

Getting started with playable ads

Basics · 5 min readWhat is a playable ad?A playable ad is a short interactive slice of a game shown as an ad. How playables work, where they run, how they're built, and when they beat video.

Guide · 11 min readHow to make a playable ad from your own game (without rebuilding it)Three ways to turn your game into a playable ad: engine export, HTML5 rebuild, or building from your APK. Steps, specs, testing and mistakes to avoid.

Guide · 7 min readYour first playable for your first AppLovin campaignA starter guide for small studios: budget, creative mix, how to build and test your first AppLovin playable, and what to do in the first two weeks.

Basics · 7 min readAnatomy of a playable ad: hook, tutorial, fail state, end cardThe five parts of a playable ad, what each one has to do, how long it should take, and what the data says about lead-in video, tutorials, win vs fail and end cards.

Glossary · 8 min readPlayable ads glossaryPlain definitions of MRAID, end card, IPM, D7 ROAS, creative fatigue, reskin, misleading ads and more, written for mobile game UA and creative teams.

Specs by network

Spec · 7 min readPlayable ad specs by network (2026): size limits, MRAID and file formatFile size, format, MRAID and click-out code for AppLovin, Meta, Google, TikTok, Unity, Mintegral, Moloco, Liftoff and Snapchat. Verified Sep 2026.

Spec · 6 min readAppLovin playable ad requirements and how to test before you uploadAppLovin's 2026 playable rules: 5 MB single HTML, MRAID 2.0, mraid.open. Plus how to test with Playable Preview and fix common rejections.

Spec · 6 min readMeta playable ad specs: Facebook, Instagram and Audience NetworkMeta's 2026 playable ad rules for Facebook, Instagram and Audience Network: 5 MB HTML or ZIP, no mraid.js, FbPlayableAd.onCTAClick, placements and testing.

Spec · 6 min readGoogle Ads and AdMob HTML5 playable specsGoogle's 2026 rules for HTML5 playables in App campaigns and AdMob inventory: 5 MB ZIP, ExitApi.exit, orientation meta tag, allowed libraries and validation.

Spec · 5 min readTikTok playable ad specsTikTok's 2026 playable rules: ZIP under 5 MB with index.html and config.json, the TikTok Playable SDK, window.openAppStore, orientation and testing.

Spec · 7 min readWhy is my playable ad over 5 MB? How to cut file sizeWhere playable ad file size really goes (base64, video, fonts, engine code) and how to get under 5 MB, with 2 to 3 MB as the practical target.

Strategy and performance

Guide · 8 min readYour playable is fatiguing: how to iterate a winning playableHow long playables last, what to change first when performance drops, and the 70/30 split top studios use between variations and new concepts.

Guide · 7 min readWhat to track inside a playable adThe in-playable events UA teams should ask for, what AppLovin, Mintegral and Unity let you track, and how to connect engagement to D7 ROAS.

Strategy · 6 min readHow many playables should you test a month?How many new playables to ship a month by budget and stage, the 70/30 split between variations and new concepts, and how much data each test needs.

Comparison · 6 min readPlayable vs video vs interactive end card: which to use whenWhen to run a video ad, an interactive end card or a full playable in mobile game UA, what each costs to make, and how the three work together.

Guide · 7 min readVideo-to-playable: when it works and when it doesn'tWhat video-to-playable tools actually produce, which videos convert well into playables, where the approach breaks, and how to go from a winning video to a real playable.

Policy · 7 min readFake vs real playable ads: what Google Play, Apple and the ASA allowWhat regulators and app stores now say about misleading mobile game ads, the Playrix and Evony rulings, and why real gameplay is the safer bet.

Choosing tools and budget

Pricing · 7 min readHow much does a playable ad cost in 2026?What playable ads cost from freelancers, agencies, in-house teams, self-serve tools and network studios in 2026, and the hidden cost most teams miss.

Comparison · 10 min readBest AI playable ad tools in 2026: an honest comparisonSett, Layer, Playable Factory, Segwise, PlayableMaker, Playbox, Playturbo, Playworks and Genie Playable compared: how each works, who it fits, what it costs.

Comparison · 8 min readUnity Playworks and Playable Factory alternatives in 2026What Unity Playworks and Playable Factory do well, when teams look elsewhere, and the alternatives in 2026: AI generators, template builders, packaging tools and in-house.

By genre

Genre · 9 min readWhich games work as playable ads? A genre-by-genre guidePuzzle, casino, bingo, merge, RPG, 4X, racing and narrative games: what to show in a playable ad, what fails, and how to borrow mechanics honestly.

Genre · 8 min readPlayable ads for social casino and bingo gamesWhat to show in social casino and bingo playables, the ad policies of Meta, Google, AppLovin and Unity, the ASA's rules on "big win" visuals, and how to keep the brand consistent.