Citigroup: In-game ads to reach $1 billion in 2014
Analyst claims in-game advertising is growing substantially, in terms of revenue and advertiser 'appetite'
In-game advertisement revenue may reach USD 1 billion by 2014, according to Citigroup.
As reported by Gamasutra, Citigroup says that the current in-game advertising market generates USD 600 million annually, and expects a 40 per cent growth in the next seven years.
The Citigroup report says that in-game ads "have higher engagement" than traditional online advertisements, and that "advertisers' appetite for in-game marketing appears to be increasing."
The group sees the highest growth in the online gaming space. According to its research, the average age of a videogame player is 35, and 40 per cent of what it defines as "total gamers" are female.
Citi's in-game ad forecast is not quite as ambitious as that of PricewaterhouseCoopers. While Citi sees USD 1 billion in revenue by 2014, PwC is predicting USD 1.4 billion by 2013.