Following PubMatic’s attendance at Gamesforum, Lashanne Phang, VP of Mobile at PubMatic, shared the company’s perspective on the next phase of mobile monetization. According to Lashanne, the shift is already underway, and the next phase will belong to publishers who diversify beyond CPI, partner with platforms with access to new programmatic budgets, maintain control over inventory and creative experiences, and leverage AI while keeping human strategy at the core. Publishers who act now will define the next generation of monetization success.

As mobile apps become a primary driver of growth, where do you see the greatest untapped monetization opportunities for gaming publishers today?

The greatest untapped opportunity lies in diversification beyond CPI. While install-driven demand has been the foundation of mobile monetization, eCommerce and performance-driven brands are now entering the ecosystem with outcome-focused budgets that are growing faster than traditional UA spend. These advertisers optimize for action, purchase intent, and measurable ROAS, not just installs.

The challenge is structural: most monetization stacks were built for CPI, and capturing these new dollars requires rethinking how inventory is structured. Publishers who can effectively segment users, control creative experiences, and layer in partners with direct access to commerce and brand budgets will unlock significant incremental revenue without displacing their core CPI monetization.

From a supply-side perspective, what are the most effective levers gaming studios can pull to improve yield without increasing ad load?

The most effective lever is intelligent optimization powered by AI, guided by human strategy. At PubMatic, our Intelligent Yield drive smarter, incremental revenue with ML and AI-powered tools that maximize performance, boost operational efficiency, and deliver measurable value across every impression, all through one transparent and automated yield solution – enabling publishers to maximize yield within their existing ad load.

Additionally, behavioral user segmentation and LTV-centric monetization are critical. Rather than treating all users the same, publishers should tailor ad experiences based on user lifecycle stages, managing "cool down" periods and strategically balancing IAA and IAP to optimize revenue over time rather than chasing short-term eCPM spikes.

The outcome: improved revenue predictability and operational efficiency without compromising player experience.

How is programmatic demand evolving specifically for mobile gaming inventory, and what should publishers be doing now to capture higher-value demand?

Programmatic demand is shifting toward non-install, outcome-driven budgets. eCommerce advertisers and performance brands are entering mobile app environments with measurable objectives, and this spend is accelerating faster than traditional UA budgets.

To capture this higher-value demand, publishers need to:

· Diversify their demand stack beyond mediation-heavy CPI environments

· Partner with platforms that have direct relationships with commerce and brand buyers

· Offer creative flexibility that meets the expectations of performance-oriented advertisers

PubMatic's Creative Engagement Suite, for example, delivers performance-oriented ad experiences designed specifically for commerce buyers while preserving player experience. Publishers who experiment with multi-platform strategies now, layering in partners with differentiated demand, will be best positioned to capture this growth.

How can gaming publishers scale monetization globally while maintaining pricing integrity and protecting user experience?

Global scaling requires control over inventory allocation and creative experiences. Publishers need the ability to segment users effectively across regions, apply pricing strategies that reflect local market dynamics, and maintain flexibility in how ads are presented.

At the recent Gamesforum event, leading studios shared a common strategy: experimentation through diversification.

Rather than replacing existing monetization infrastructure, publishers are introducing multi-platform strategies — splitting inventory or user segments deliberately and layering in partners that bring differentiated demand.

This is where PubMatic plays a distinct role. With direct access to performance and eCommerce buyers, and a scaled SDK footprint that enables proprietary ad experiences, we enable publishers to tailor monetization strategies to specific user segments and geographies through signal depth and creative control. This allows for LTV-centric monetization that optimizes revenue over time while protecting retention goals.

What data signals are most underutilised by game developers when making monetization or pricing decisions?

Behavioral signals tied to lifetime value are significantly underutilized. Many publishers still optimize short-term eCPM rather than understanding user lifecycle stages, engagement patterns, and propensity for conversion or retention.

Additionally, signals that indicate purchase of intent or engagement with specific ad formats often go untapped. Publishers who leverage these signals can create more sophisticated segmentation strategies, tailoring ad experiences to user cohorts and maximizing yield without increasing ad load.

PubMatic's infrastructure is designed to amplify bid stream signals with audience & contextual signals, enabling smarter monetization decisions that align with long-term value creation. In addition, creating value for inventories towards buyers through curation approach.

Where do you see the in-app bidding ecosystem for games today in terms of maturity, and what operational shifts are required for publishers to fully capitalise on it?

The in-app bidding ecosystem is maturing but still fragmented. While adoption is growing, many publishers struggle with implementation complexity, lack of control over demand prioritization, and limited ability to integrate non-install demand sources effectively.

To fully capitalize, publishers need to:

· Move beyond mediation-only stacks and embrace multi-platform monetization strategies

· Partner with platforms that provide transparency and control over bidding dynamics

· Invest in infrastructure that supports creative flexibility and signal activation

The shift is underway, but the publishers who experiment now – testing inventory allocation, pricing strategies, and new demand streams – will define the next generation of in-app bidding success.

How should gaming companies think about monetization strategy differently in high-growth emerging markets versus mature regions?

In emerging markets, the opportunity lies in early adoption of diversified monetization strategies before CPI-only models become entrenched. These markets often have lower UA costs but rising programmatic sophistication, making them ideal testing grounds for performance-oriented and commerce-driven ad experiences.

In mature regions, the focus should be on optimizing existing user bases through LTV-centric monetization and intelligent segmentation. Rising UA costs demand that publishers extract maximum value from every user over time, balancing IAA and IAP strategically.

Across both, the principle remains: diversification and experimentation create optionality. Publishers who layer in new demand streams and creative formats now will be better positioned to scale globally while maintaining pricing integrity.

From a P&L ownership standpoint, how do you balance short-term revenue optimisation with long-term enterprise value creation in the mobile gaming ecosystem?

The balance lies in diversification without displacement. Publishers should not abandon what works – core CPI monetization remains critical. Instead, they should introduce multi-platform strategies that unlock incremental revenue from eCommerce, performance, and brand buyers.

At PubMatic, we help publishers achieve this by providing:

· Direct access to differentiated demand that doesn't compete with existing mediation stacks

· AI-powered yield optimization that enhances efficiency without requiring large internal teams

· Creative control and segmentation capabilities that enable LTV-focused monetization

Short-term revenue optimization feeds operational cash flow; long-term value creation comes from building optionality, pricing power, and strategic partnerships that position the business for sustained growth.

The publishers who experiment now: testing, learning, and scaling intelligently will capture disproportionate value as the ecosystem continues to evolve.