two & a half gamers 🤖 Ignore AI Ads now, regret it in 2026: AI creative trends
We go two and a half steps ahead into the new era of AI-generated creatives - dissecting what’s trending, which studios are using them, and what it means for the future of game marketing.
Key insights:
Adoption is rising
In 2024 only a handful of studios used AI for hooks.
By late 2025, top performers such as Lands of Jail, King Shot, and Rise of Castles will be fully embracing AI-assisted pipelines.
Jakub predicts 50% of all mobile ads will be AI-driven by end of 2026.
AI Creative Formats Taking Over
Hooks: 60–70% of AI output focuses on hyper-realistic or surreal opening shots.
Full Creatives: Only ~30–40%, limited by coherence and model smoothness.
Transitions are now indistinguishable from live action - especially in POV-style TikTok ads.
Contrast Art Styles: Realistic → cartoon → pixel mashups catch the eye.
POV Narratives: First-person sequences with “AI girlfriend” narration dominate TikTok.
Localization via AI: Same creative, instantly re-rendered for JP, KR, EN markets.
Freeze/Prison Metas: Prison Life-style “frozen prisoner” AI scenes trending hard.
“No Ads” UGC Spoofs: King Shot’s “no ads” meme now a running trend.
Brain Rot & Chaos: nonsensical motion = attention-grabbing hook.
AI Interviews: VEO3 and Kling 2.5 are redefining talking-head realism.
Kling 2.5 = new industry benchmark (4x cheaper, faster scene rendering).
2025: AI is mainly used for hooks.
2026: Half of all creatives will be AI-produced end-to-end.
Takeaway: AI creatives are here, fast, and chaotic. The best teams use them not to replace creativity, but to scale it.
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This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipg
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to AI Creatives
03:52 Current Trends in AI Creatives
06:24 The Evolution of Art Styles in AI
12:01 AI Creatives and Marketing Strategies
14:46 Localization and Cultural Adaptation in AI
22:52 The Rise of AI in Creative Content
28:01 The Evolution of Game Graphics and AI
31:21 The Future of AI in Advertising
37:38 Predictions for AI in the Creative Industry
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
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