⭐ I Spent $5,000 surveying whales about Fake Ads: Here’s what the industry has completely Wrong
Why they work, why they don’t, and why the industry keeps getting it wrong
Fake ads aren’t winning because players enjoy being misled. Fake ads are winning because the economics make them almost impossible for some studios to ignore.
And after spending $5,000 surveying real players, including whales about fake ads, here’s the uncomfortable truth:
75% uninstall immediately when the game doesn’t match the ad
40% leave negative reviews
27% request refunds
But 17% of whales still stay… and still spend
In this article, I’m going to show you:
The real player reactions from all eight survey questions
The psychological split between what players say and what they actually do
Quotes that reveal why some players forgive deception
How deceptive ads impact trust, retention, reviews, and refunds
And most importantly:
The exact formula that tells you whether fake ads will scale your game or destroy your ROAS
If you work in UA, product, or growth, this may be the most uncomfortable and useful thing you read in 2025. Prepare for what is coming in 2026.
The entire debate comes down to one inequality:
If CPI from fake ads is lower than the revenue from surviving payers, fake ads work. If not, they tank your ROAS.”
If you stop reading here, you’ll miss the part that actually determines whether fake ads will scale your game or destroy your ROAS.