Microsoft announces the launch of Playable Ads in the Windows Dev Center

Microsoft has launched “Playable Ads” for Preview users in the Windows Dev Center. This feature completely switches up the way that users are engaged with app advertisements – ones that could benefit both developers and users. Put simply, users will no longer be brought to an app’s store page when they click on an ad – instead, the app will be streamed to their device. No download required.

Here are the advantages that Microsoft sees with this feature:

• Users can experience the app live before installing it.
• Users will not leave the current app context after ad click since these are inline expandable ads.
• Users can abandon the app stream at any point of time based on the quality of the game. He/she is not blocked until the end of the game play.
• Developers can create an engaging experience during the first few minutes of a game to better explain its capabilities compared to screenshots.
• Users who install the game after three minutes of engagement are more inclined to use the game/app than those who just installed the app based on the product description page.

This feature requires no extra work from developers who want to test it out. All you have to do is create a new campaign under the “Promotions” tab in your dashboard, and you’ll be able to set yourself up for Playable Ads.