Interstitial after fail: documented host rules vs design habit
Separate AdMob transition-point guidance from the design habit of showing interstitials immediately after every fail.
“Interstitial on every fail” is a design habit. AdMob’s public implementation page talks about transition points and accidental-click risk — not a mandate to monetise every death screen.
What the host docs say
Implementation guidance asks publishers to place ads where engagement is lower — for games, between levels or activities — and to avoid accidental clicks. Users must not be encouraged to click ads. Fixed space should be reserved so late-loading ads do not shift controls under a finger.
If the post-fail surface is a rewarded interstitial, reward policies require an introductory screen with a working “no / don’t accept” option and enough time to opt out.
Checklist
| Gate | Pass / fail |
|---|---|
| Fail → interstitial delay | Documented cool-down in product spec (your rule, not AdMob’s numeric law) |
| Control collision | Retry / revive buttons not under the ad close hit-target |
| Forced watch framing | No copy that equates declining the ad with blocked progression (beyond stated game rules) |
| Format choice | Standard interstitial vs rewarded interstitial labelled correctly in mediation |
| Children / Families | Separate Families ads rules if children are in target audience |
Facts versus limits
| Field | Evidence or limit |
|---|---|
| After-fail as policy requirement | **Not** stated |
| Transition-point guidance | Stated |
| Exact cool-down seconds | Operator decision; re-test invalid-traffic and retention |
Treat “after every fail” as a hypothesis to measure, not a compliance checkbox.
