Monetization in Yandex Games
Yandex Games provides multiple options for monetizing your games and generating revenue:
- Enable external or internal monetization and earn revenue by placing ad units.
- Enable in-game purchases and earn revenue by providing paid services.
- Sign up for the referral program.
Ad units
Note
Ads can only be served to users playing online (with an established internet connection). When the user plays offline, no ad units are served and neither impressions nor clicks/taps are counted.
Interstitial units
Interstitial ad units completely cover the app background and are shown at certain points (for example, when transitioning to the next game level).
They pop up in the center and can occupy only part of the screen, but the background of the ad unit covers the game completely.
This unit is automatically created when you enable monetization.
Interstitial unit
Rewarded videos
Rewarded videos are ad units that users can view at their will in exchange for a reward or in-game currency.
This unit is automatically created when you enable monetization.
Rewarded video
Sticky banners
A sticky banner is an ad banner that remains displayed during the entire course of the game. By default, banner display is managed via the Yandex Games platform, but you can use the Yandex Games API to hide or show a banner if needed.
You can set up sticky banners in the Yandex Games Console:
- For mobile devices, you can specify the banner's position for portrait and landscape orientation.
- For desktops, you can enable banner impressions — it'll appear on the right.
Banner on mobile devices (portrait orientation)
Banner on mobile devices (landscape orientation)
Banner on desktop computers
Internal and external monetization
You can enable both internal and external monetization:
-
Internal monetization is provided by the Yandex Advertising Network (YAN) that leverages real-time bidding (RTB) for selling and buying ad impressions in real time. RTB maximizes your revenue from ad impressions, because it's based on an auction model and automatically selects the most profitable offer from advertisers.
Internal monetization works on the following Russian and CIS domains: yandex.ru, yandex.kz, yandex.uz, and yandex.by.
To learn more about internal monetization, go to Ad monetization.
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External monetization is enabled in the YAN interface but works through other ad networks, such as Google or myTarget.
External monetization works on the yandex.com domain for all countries.
To enable external monetization:
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Go to the YAN partner interface.
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In the Connect external advertising networks banner, click More.
There is no banner in the YAN interface
Possible reasons:
- External monetization is already enabled.
- Your legal entity is a Russian non-resident. In that case, enabling external monetization takes longer, and the banner will appear in a few working days.
-
Click Enable. External monetization will start working automatically.
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Receiving revenue
Internal monetization
Statistics on purchases, impressions, and clicks for ad units start to be collected immediately after the units are added to the game. Calculations are based on the data from the Yandex statistics system. You can view statistical reports in the YAN partner interface.
The amount, threshold, payment method, and payment period depend on your legal status and country of residence. For more information, see How to receive remuneration in the YAN Help.
Note
Ad blocks generate revenue from visible impressions. An impression is considered visible if at least 50% of the block's area is within the visible zone of the screen for at least two seconds. Multi-stage filtering technology recognizes fraudulent and mistaken clicks on banners, and in such cases, revenue is not credited for those impressions. For more details, see the section Advertiser Protection of Yandex Advertising Network Help.
External monetization
Once enabled, external monetization works automatically. The partner doesn't need to do anything. The payout threshold is set at RUB 3000 or USD 150, depending on the currency of the contract. When revenue reaches the threshold, an invoice is sent to the partner's email. The payment is automatically transferred to the partner's bank account based on the details entered in the YAN Partner Interface, within 20 working days of the following month. External monetization statistics are only available in invoices and accounting documents that are sent to the partner's email.