Balancing act: Entertainment, informativeness, and irritation in dynamic in-game ads for indian gamers

This study investigates how Indian gamers perceive dynamic in-game advertising (IGA), using Ducoffe's advertising value model to understand their views on entertainment, informativeness, and irritation. Drawing on qualitative content analysis based on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 25 regular gamers the research uncovers eight major sub-themes that influence user experience. The findings suggest that while dynamic IGA can positively impact player engagement by offering useful product information and enhancing the realism of gameplay, it can also lead to frustration, especially when ads are intrusive or disrupt gameplay flow (like unskippable ads). This study adds to the growing body of IGA research by emphasizing cultural factors that shape how ads are received in different markets. It also provides practical guidance for advertisers on improving ad relevance, placement, and timing. However, the research is limited by its small and gender-imbalanced sample, highlighting the need for broader and more diverse future studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods.