Google Ads API Update Adds PMax Benchmarks, New Control Levers for Gaming and Entertainment Brands

For CMOs overseeing paid acquisition for gaming, esports and entertainment brands, granular control over Performance Max (PMax) campaigns has long been a top unmet need. The AI-powered campaign type, which automates ad placement, bidding and creative optimization across Google’s entire inventory, drives strong conversion results for many brands, but its “set it and forget it” structure often leaves little room for the brand-specific guardrails that regulated, high-visibility verticals require. Teams have historically had to rely on manual dashboard adjustments and post-campaign reporting to correct misaligned ad placements or missed performance targets, adding hours of work to already stretched paid media teams.

According to a widely circulated industry update from ContentGrip, Google has rolled out new additions to its Google Ads API that directly address these longstanding pain points: official performance benchmarks for PMax campaigns, plus expanded control parameters for advertisers running high-stakes campaigns in brand-sensitive verticals. The update is the latest in a series of Google moves to balance the power of its automated ad tools with the need for advertiser oversight, a priority for gaming and entertainment brands that face strict brand safety requirements and volatile, time-sensitive campaign timelines. The updated Google Ads API now includes official, vertical-specific performance benchmarks for Performance Max campaigns, a first for the platform’s public API. Advertisers can now adjust PMax asset group performance thresholds and exclude specific search themes directly via the API, no manual dashboard adjustments required.

For teams less familiar with the campaign type, PMax leverages Google’s machine learning to serve ads across Search, YouTube, Display, Discover and Maps, using advertiser-provided creative assets and audience signals to target users most likely to convert. Historically, advertisers had limited ability to adjust PMax’s behavior mid-campaign, with most controls limited to high-level budget and audience targeting settings. The new API updates change that in two key ways. First, the inclusion of official performance benchmarks gives advertisers a clear, data-backed target for campaign performance, rather than relying on generalized industry reports that don’t account for the unique user behavior of gaming and entertainment audiences. Second, the expanded control parameters let advertisers set performance thresholds for individual asset groups, exclude specific search themes or topics from ad serving, and adjust bidding strategies for high-value audience segments, all via the API without needing to navigate Google’s web dashboard.

Gaming, esports and entertainment brands operate in a uniquely high-stakes paid acquisition environment. Campaigns are often tied to hard deadlines: new game launches, esports tournament ticket drops, streaming platform exclusive content releases, and holiday sales windows that drive the majority of annual revenue for many brands. A misaligned PMax campaign that serves ads alongside inappropriate content, or fails to hit conversion targets during a launch window, can cost brands hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue and reputational damage. Before this update, CMOs had to choose between the efficiency of PMax’s automation and the control needed to protect their brand and meet performance goals. The new API updates eliminate that tradeoff. With API-accessible benchmarks, teams can integrate vertical-specific performance targets directly into their internal reporting and optimization workflows, rather than manually cross-referencing Google’s quarterly public benchmark reports that are often generalized across all advertiser verticals. The expanded controls let teams set brand safety guardrails directly in their ad tech stacks, eliminating the need for constant manual dashboard monitoring to catch misaligned ad placements before they damage brand reputation.

While the update is rolling out to all Google Ads API users immediately, early reports indicate that vertical-specific benchmarks for gaming, esports and entertainment will be fully available in the next 4 to 6 weeks, as Google aggregates enough performance data from these verticals to build accurate, reliable targets. For teams looking to take advantage of the new controls right away, industry experts recommend starting with a full audit of existing PMax campaigns to identify asset groups that are underperforming or aligned with search themes that don’t match brand values. Teams should then test the new control parameters on low-spend test campaigns before rolling them out to high-budget launch campaigns, to avoid unintended performance dips from overly restrictive guardrails. For brands that work with external agencies or ad ops teams, it’s also worth confirming that their existing tech stacks are compatible with the new API endpoints, to avoid integration delays that could push back access to the new features.

Do these API updates apply to all PMax campaigns, including those run for small indie game launches? Yes, the new benchmarks and control parameters are available to all advertisers using the Google Ads API, regardless of campaign budget or brand size, as long as they are running PMax campaigns linked to a Google Ads account in good standing.

Will using the new controls reduce the automation benefits of PMax campaigns? No, the expanded controls are designed to work alongside PMax’s existing AI optimization, not replace it. Advertisers can set guardrails for performance and brand safety while still allowing Google’s algorithms to optimize for conversions and reach across its full inventory.

How do the new vertical-specific benchmarks differ from Google’s public PMax benchmark reports? The API-accessible benchmarks are tailored to specific verticals including gaming, esports and entertainment, and are updated in near-real time as campaign performance data changes, unlike the static, generalized public benchmark reports that are updated quarterly and don’t account for niche audience behavior.

At Miela, we’ve long held that the most effective marketing strategies pair human creative and strategic expertise with scalable, data-driven technology. This Google Ads API update is a perfect example of that principle in action: it gives CMOs and their teams the data and control they need to align automated campaign tools with their unique brand goals, without forcing them to choose between efficiency and brand safety. For gaming and entertainment brands that rely on a mix of paid acquisition, creator partnerships and organic community building, this kind of balanced, flexible tooling is critical to driving consistent performance across every stage of the customer journey.

The update also creates new opportunities to tie paid acquisition performance to creator campaign results, a core part of our work at Miela. Teams can now integrate PMax performance data with creator attribution tools to get a full, unified view of how paid ads and creator content work together to drive conversions, rather than treating them as separate, siloed efforts. This level of integrated insight is exactly what we aim to deliver when we pair top-tier creator talent with proprietary technology to build campaigns that resonate with gaming and entertainment audiences.

ContentGrip: Google Ads API adds benchmarks and more PMax controls SEOteric: Google Ads API v25.2 Adds Competitive Benchmarks and Deeper Performance Max Controls modo25: Digital news to watch: Google Ads API v25.2 adds competitive benchmarks Google Developers: Google Ads API release notes, v25.2