Roku is about to launch a weekly trivia game on its home screen.
Starting Tuesday, users of the streaming company's mega-popular TVOS platform can play a round (or more) of trivia that tests their knowledge of entertainment.
Roku says that those who play the weekly game will find “a little help from Roku City characters and Easter eggs.”
Also Read: Max’s Dragons Seen Flying Over Roku City Promoting Season 2 of ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel
“We are focused on expanding monetization of the Roku Home Screen, bolstering programmatic ad capabilities, and growing Roku-billed subscriptions,” Roku CEO Anthony Wood wrote in the company’s Q1 2024 letter to shareholders.
“Advertisers seeking to maximize ROI need ad solutions with significant reach and innovative ad technology — our business remains well-positioned to capture the billions of dollars in traditional-TV ad budgets that will shift to streaming,” Wood added
Roku grew its platform revenue to $755 million in the first quarter of 2024, up 19% year over year.
And while the company hasn’t released specific figures on how much money it makes from ad deals, Wood said Roku generated its revenue “primarily from the sale of advertising.”
The company, which launched Roku City in 2018 as a way to integrate advertisements into virtual billboards, has already leveraged that forum in order to expand its ad offerings.
“Our ongoing enhancements to our Home Screen are helping to drive engagement, with Streaming Hours originating from the Home Screen Menu more than doubling YoY in Q1,” Wood also wrote. This growing engagement creates more monetization opportunities.
And while its new trivia feature lacks an immediate commercial element, the more eyes Roku has on its home screen, the more bargaining power its gains in future negotiations.
Roku has already had ad partnerships with key players in the streaming industry like Max and Paramount Plus, and currently has plans in the works to develop video ads for Roku City.
