Unity–Index integration opens access to 2.9B gamers, extends in-game data across mobile, CTV, and web

A new partnership between Unity and Index Exchange is expanding how advertisers can reach gaming audiences, combining in-game behavioral data with programmatic infrastructure to enable cross-channel activation beyond mobile environments.

The integration brings Unity’s first-party audience data and mobile gaming inventory into Index Marketplaces, allowing marketers to target users across multiple screens, including mobile, connected TV (CTV), and the open web. The move introduces a broader application of gaming-derived signals, which have historically been limited to in-app environments.

Unity’s scale underpins the partnership. The company’s technology supports 71% of the top 1,000 mobile games and reaches billions of users globally. Through this integration, advertisers can now access audience segments built on real-time gameplay behavior—such as session patterns, in-app purchase activity, and engagement signals—and apply them across non-gaming channels.

This marks a shift in how gaming data is used within programmatic advertising. Instead of being confined to gaming inventory, these signals can now inform audience targeting across broader media buys, aligning gaming behavior with omnichannel campaign strategies.

The partnership reflects growing demand for curated, cross-channel deals that unify inventory and data across formats. By linking Unity’s audience graph with Index Exchange’s supply-side platform, advertisers can activate campaigns across mobile apps, streaming TV, and premium digital placements without requiring additional integrations.

This approach also aligns with increased adoption of omnichannel strategies, where advertisers seek consistent audience targeting across multiple touchpoints. Gaming audiences—once treated as a niche segment—are now being positioned as a scalable and addressable cohort spanning demographics and devices.

A key component of the collaboration is the use of Unity’s first-party data, generated directly from gameplay interactions rather than inferred through third-party tracking. This includes signals around player preferences, monetization behavior, and ad engagement, which can be used to build high-intent audience segments.

The integration also leverages identity frameworks to enable cross-device matching, allowing advertisers to reach the same users across different environments. This supports retargeting and frequency management across screens, areas that have been more difficult to execute with gaming audiences in the past.

Advertisers accessing Unity inventory through Index Marketplaces will be able to deploy a range of formats, including full-screen video, playable ads, and shoppable units. These formats are designed to align with interactive user behavior typical in gaming environments, while also supporting performance-driven objectives such as installs, conversions, and purchases.

For publishers and developers, the partnership introduces additional demand sources by connecting gaming inventory to broader brand and agency budgets. This could diversify monetization opportunities beyond traditional in-app advertising channels.

Despite the scale of gaming audiences, the channel remains underrepresented in media budgets. Industry estimates suggest gaming accounts for a small share of total digital ad spend, even as user engagement rivals that of social and streaming platforms.