Instant Games

Interstitial Ads

Updated: Mar 3, 2026
Copy for LLM
Interstitial ads are full-screen advertisements that cover the entire game view and are shown at natural transition points in your game.

When to Use Interstitial Ads

The key to effective interstitial ads is timing. Show them at moments when the player expects a pause in the action:
  • Between levels — After completing a level and before the next one begins.
  • After game over — On the game-over screen, before returning to the main menu.
  • During screen transitions — When switching between major sections of your game (e.g., from the shop back to the menu).
  • After completing an objective — When the player finishes a challenge, mission, or quest.
  • On app resume — When the player returns to the game after being away (use with caution).

When NOT to Show Interstitial Ads

  • During active gameplay — Never interrupt a player mid-action. This is the fastest way to drive players away.
  • Immediately at game start — Let the player engage with your game before showing any ads. Showing an ad before the first play session is a very poor experience.
  • Too frequently — The platform enforces a minimum 30-second interval between interstitial ads. Even if the platform allows it, showing ads every 30 seconds will frustrate players. Aim for natural breaks that occur every 1-3 minutes at most.
  • During time-sensitive moments — Do not show ads right before a boss fight, during a countdown, or at any moment where the interruption would feel disrespectful of the player’s investment.

Creating an Interstitial Placement

Set up your interstitial placement in Monetization Manager:
  1. Go to the Monetization Manager⁠.
  2. Select your app.
  3. Click Create Placement.
  4. Choose Instant Games as the platform.
  5. Select Interstitial as the ad format.
  6. Give the placement a descriptive name (e.g., “Between Levels Interstitial” or “Game Over Interstitial”).
  7. Save and note the Placement ID.
Consider creating separate placements for different locations in your game (e.g., one for between levels, another for game over). This lets you track performance per location and optimize your strategy.

SDK Integration

Interstitial ads follow the create, preload, show pattern.

Creating an Ad Instance

var interstitialAd = null;

FBInstant.getInterstitialAdAsync('YOUR_PLACEMENT_ID')
  .then(function (interstitial) {
    interstitialAd = interstitial;
    console.log('Interstitial ad instance created.');
  })
  .catch(function (error) {
    console.error('Failed to create interstitial instance:', error.code);
  });

Preloading the Ad

Once you have an ad instance, preload it so it is ready to display immediately:
interstitialAd.loadAsync()
  .then(function () {
    console.log('Interstitial ad preloaded and ready to show.');
  })
  .catch(function (error) {
    console.error('Failed to preload interstitial:', error.code);
  });
Preload as early as possible. The best time to preload your first interstitial is during game initialization, right after FBInstant.startGameAsync(). Preloading can take several seconds (especially for video ads), so you want the ad ready well before you need it.

Showing the Ad

When the player reaches a natural break, show the preloaded ad:
interstitialAd.showAsync()
  .then(function () {
    console.log('Interstitial ad shown successfully.');
    // The ad instance is now spent - preload a new one
    preloadNextInterstitial();
  })
  .catch(function (error) {
    console.error('Failed to show interstitial:', error.code);
  });

Important: Ad Instance Lifecycle

Each ad instance can only be shown once. After calling showAsync, the instance is consumed and cannot be reused. You must create and preload a new ad instance for the next impression.
Create instance --> Preload --> Show --> [Instance is spent]
                                              |
                                              v
                                    Create new instance --> Preload --> Show --> ...

Complete Integration Example

Here is a full implementation showing how to manage interstitial ads throughout a game session:
var interstitialAd = null;
var isInterstitialReady = false;
var lastAdShownTime = 0;
var MIN_AD_INTERVAL = 60000; // Show at most one interstitial per 60 seconds

// Preload an interstitial ad
function preloadInterstitial() {
  isInterstitialReady = false;

  FBInstant.getInterstitialAdAsync('YOUR_PLACEMENT_ID')
    .then(function (interstitial) {
      interstitialAd = interstitial;
      return interstitialAd.loadAsync();
    })
    .then(function () {
      isInterstitialReady = true;
      console.log('Interstitial ready.');
    })
    .catch(function (error) {
      isInterstitialReady = false;
      handleInterstitialError(error, 'preload');
    });
}

// Show an interstitial if one is ready and enough time has passed
function showInterstitialIfReady() {
  var now = Date.now();

  // Enforce a minimum interval between ads
  if (now - lastAdShownTime < MIN_AD_INTERVAL) {
    console.log('Too soon since last ad. Skipping.');
    return;
  }

  if (!isInterstitialReady || !interstitialAd) {
    console.log('Interstitial not ready. Skipping.');
    return;
  }

  isInterstitialReady = false;
  lastAdShownTime = now;

  interstitialAd.showAsync()
    .then(function () {
      console.log('Interstitial shown successfully.');
      // Immediately preload the next ad
      preloadInterstitial();
    })
    .catch(function (error) {
      handleInterstitialError(error, 'show');
      // Try to preload again for next time
      preloadInterstitial();
    });
}

// Handle errors
function handleInterstitialError(error, phase) {
  switch (error.code) {
    case 'ADS_NO_FILL':
      console.log('No interstitial ad available. Will retry later.');
      setTimeout(preloadInterstitial, 30000);
      break;
    case 'ADS_FREQUENT_LOAD':
      console.log('Interstitial load too frequent. Backing off.');
      setTimeout(preloadInterstitial, 60000);
      break;
    case 'ADS_TOO_MANY_INSTANCES':
      console.log('Too many interstitial instances.');
      break;
    default:
      console.error('Interstitial ' + phase + ' error:', error.code, error.message);
      setTimeout(preloadInterstitial, 30000);
  }
}

// --- Game lifecycle integration ---

// Call during game initialization
function initializeGame() {
  FBInstant.startGameAsync().then(function () {
    // Start preloading the first interstitial immediately
    preloadInterstitial();
    // ... rest of initialization
  });
}

// Call when the player completes a level
function onLevelComplete(levelNumber) {
  showResults(levelNumber);

  // Show an interstitial at this natural break
  showInterstitialIfReady();

  // Continue to the next level after a short delay
  setTimeout(function () {
    startLevel(levelNumber + 1);
  }, 2000);
}

// Call on game over
function onGameOver() {
  showGameOverScreen();

  // Show an interstitial at this natural break
  showInterstitialIfReady();
}

Frequency and Timing

Getting the frequency right is critical. Too many interstitials drive players away; too few leave revenue on the table.

Platform Enforcement

The Instant Games platform enforces a minimum 30-second interval between interstitial ad impressions. If you attempt to show an interstitial less than 30 seconds after the previous one, the showAsync call will fail.
While the platform minimum is 30 seconds, most successful games use a longer interval:
Game TypeRecommended IntervalRationale
Casual / Hyper-casual
60-90 seconds
Short sessions mean fewer natural breaks, so each one should count.
Mid-core / Puzzle
90-120 seconds
Longer levels mean more time between ads. Players are more invested and more sensitive to interruptions.
Story / RPG
2-5 minutes
Deep engagement means interruptions are more disruptive. Show ads at chapter or scene boundaries.

Frequency Capping Strategy

Implement your own frequency cap on top of the platform minimum:
var adShowCount = 0;
var MAX_ADS_PER_SESSION = 10; // Cap total interstitials per session

function shouldShowAd() {
  if (adShowCount >= MAX_ADS_PER_SESSION) {
    return false; // Player has seen enough ads this session
  }
  if (Date.now() - lastAdShownTime < MIN_AD_INTERVAL) {
    return false; // Too soon since last ad
  }
  return isInterstitialReady;
}

Preloading Strategy

Effective preloading ensures ads are ready exactly when you need them. Here is the recommended strategy:
  1. Preload during initialization. Start preloading your first interstitial as soon as the game starts.
  2. Preload the next ad immediately after showing one. When an ad is shown, the player will be in a menu/transition screen for a few seconds — use that time to start preloading the next ad.
  3. Preload during gameplay. While the player is actively playing, preload the next interstitial in the background. The preload happens asynchronously and does not affect game performance.
  4. Retry failed preloads. If preloading fails (e.g., no fill), retry after 30-60 seconds. Do not retry immediately in a tight loop.

Error Handling

Error CodeMeaningWhat To Do
ADS_NO_FILL
No interstitial ad is available.
Retry after 30-60 seconds. This is normal and not a bug.
ADS_FREQUENT_LOAD
You are requesting ads too quickly.
Wait at least 30 seconds between load requests.
ADS_TOO_MANY_INSTANCES
Too many ad instances have been created.
Only maintain one interstitial instance at a time. Discard old instances before creating new ones.
ADS_NOT_LOADED
You called showAsync before the ad finished loading.
Check that loadAsync resolved successfully before calling showAsync. Use a flag like isInterstitialReady.
INVALID_PARAM
The placement ID is invalid.
Verify the placement ID in Monetization Manager.
RATE_LIMITED
Ads are being shown too frequently.
Increase the interval between ad impressions.

Best Practices

Respect the Player’s Time

  • Always show interstitials at natural breaks — moments where the player is already expecting a pause.
  • Never interrupt active gameplay, even for a brief moment.
  • After showing an ad, give the player a clear and immediate return to the game. Do not stack multiple ads.

Signal the Ad

  • Consider showing a brief “Loading...” or transition screen before the interstitial. This manages expectations and prevents the jarring feeling of content suddenly disappearing.
  • After the ad completes, return the player to exactly where they were before the ad appeared.

Do Not Punish Players

  • Never make the game harder or slower to force more ad opportunities.
  • Do not create artificial waiting periods just to show ads.
  • If a player’s session is going well (long play time, high engagement), they are generating more ad opportunities naturally — do not undermine that positive experience.

Track Performance

  • Create separate placement IDs for different locations (between levels, game over, etc.) so you can compare eCPM and engagement across placements.
  • Monitor your retention metrics alongside ad revenue. If retention drops after increasing ad frequency, dial it back.

Combine with Rewarded Ads

  • Interstitials and rewarded ads complement each other well. Show interstitials at mandatory break points and offer rewarded ads as an optional, player-initiated action at different moments.
  • Do not show an interstitial and then immediately offer a rewarded ad — space them out.

Next Steps