Frameplay

Frameplay operates as a marketing technology company specializing in intrinsic in-game advertising, headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company was co-founded in 2018 by Jonathon Troughton and Eric Rossi. The inspiration for Frameplay reportedly came when the founders noticed a branded energy drink in the game PUBG, which was later removed in a patch, highlighting a missed advertising opportunity. This led to the creation of a platform designed to seamlessly integrate advertisements into video games without disrupting the player's experience.

The company's business model centers on providing a self-serve platform for advertisers and a monetization tool for game developers. For advertisers, Frameplay offers the ability to deploy targeted ad campaigns within various game genres, reaching engaged audiences. For game developers, Frameplay provides a software development kit (SDK) that allows them to designate ad spaces within their games, creating a passive revenue stream without compromising gameplay. The company generates revenue by facilitating these ad placements. Frameplay serves a range of clients, from advertisers and brands like Microsoft, Disney, and PepsiCo to game developers across PC, mobile, and console platforms.

Frameplay’s core service is its intrinsic in-game advertising platform, which allows for the placement of ads that appear as natural parts of the game environment, such as billboards in a virtual city or posters on a wall. The company coined the term "intrinsic" in 2019 to describe this non-disruptive ad format. A key feature is the proprietary metric "Intrinsic Time-in-View," which measures the duration an ad is viewable during gameplay, providing advertisers with data on attention and engagement. In October 2024, Frameplay launched the Frameplay Exchange, a platform designed to unify in-game advertising inventory from multiple companies, including competitors like Adverty and AdInMo, to provide media buyers with a single point of access. The company has secured $8 million in a Series A funding round led by Hiro Capital, with participation from Razer's zVentures and Kona Venture Partners, to scale its operations.

Keywords: intrinsic in-game advertising, video game monetization, adtech platform, in-game ads, digital advertising, game developer tools, brand advertising, self-serve ad platform, Frameplay Exchange, player experience, advertising analytics, non-disruptive ads, mobile game advertising, PC game advertising, console game advertising, ad monetization, Jonathon Troughton, Eric Rossi, programmatic in-game ads, virtual advertising