Free Games, Smarter Ads: Magnite and PHȲND Redefine Gaming on Smart TVs

Rhea-AI Summary

PHȲND announced on January 6, 2026 a partnership with Magnite (NASDAQ: MGNI) to launch ad tech monetization for PHȲND's cloud gaming on Smart TVs. The deal uses Magnite's SpringServe ad server and programmatic capabilities to enable direct and programmatic advertising across PHȲND's game library, delivering subscription-free games to viewers while creating brand-safe, targeted ad inventory.

The collaboration aims to reach audiences across Smart TV manufacturers and game genres, let advertisers target by demographics and play behavior, use non-intrusive formats to protect player experience, and provide developers with sustainable revenue through ad-supported gaming.

Market Reality Check

$16.88 Last Close

Volume Volume 2,108,134 is slightly below the 20-day average of 2,196,254 (relative volume 0.96). normal

Technical Price $16.77 is trading below the 200-day MA of $18.11, despite a 4.42% daily gain.

Peers on Argus

Magnite’s 4.42% gain contrasts with mixed peers: QMMM up 19.44%, WPP up 3.7%, while IPG is down 0.36% and others are flat-to-slightly positive. No broad, uniform sector move is indicated.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Nov 05	Earnings results	Positive	+2.2%	Q3 2025 revenue and profit growth with positive 2025–2026 guidance.
Oct 30	Partnership news	Positive	-7.1%	Launch of Local Linear TV Private Marketplace via ClearLine platform.
Oct 29	Investor conferences	Neutral	-6.3%	Participation in multiple November–December 2025 investor conferences.
Oct 06	Earnings notice	Neutral	-5.1%	Announcement of Q3 2025 results release timing and investor call.
Oct 01	Platform update	Positive	-6.4%	ClearLine evolution to unify curation and activation with AI features.

Pattern Detected

Recent history shows multiple instances where largely positive or neutral announcements were followed by negative price reactions, with only the latest earnings report aligning positively with fundamentals.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, Magnite has reported growing fundamentals, including Q3 2025 revenue of $179.5M and $20.1M in net income, which coincided with a modest 2.21% gain. However, several product and partnership announcements—such as ClearLine platform enhancements and a Local Linear TV marketplace—were followed by declines of roughly 5–7%. Against this backdrop, the PHȲND partnership extends Magnite’s programmatic and SpringServe footprint into cloud gaming on Smart TVs, consistent with its strategy of broadening omnichannel, TV-centric ad supply.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement expanded Magnite’s reach into cloud gaming on Smart TVs by making PHȲND’s game catalog available through its SpringServe and programmatic infrastructure. It reinforced the company’s focus on omnichannel TV and gaming supply following earlier ClearLine enhancements and marketplace launches. Investors may focus on how much incremental ad spend this partnership channels into Magnite’s platform, execution consistency versus prior initiatives, and whether future earnings updates quantify contributions from this gaming vertical.

Key Terms

cloud gaming technical

"PHȲND, the global cloud gaming platform making high-quality games instantly"

Cloud gaming is a service that runs video games on remote servers and streams the playable video to a user’s device, so the device only needs to display video and send controller input rather than run the game itself—think of it as Netflix for interactive games. For investors, it matters because it shifts revenue toward subscriptions and recurring fees, changes capital and operating costs for hardware and data centers, and creates risks and opportunities tied to internet speed, licensing deals and scalable delivery.

programmatic advertising financial

"This partnership introduces programmatic advertising at scale to a console-quality"

Programmatic advertising is the automated buying and selling of digital ad space using software and data to match ads to specific audiences in real time, like an electronic auction where advertisers bid for attention and publishers sell ad slots. It matters to investors because it shapes how efficiently a company can turn user attention into predictable revenue, affects margins and growth potential, and brings data-privacy and platform-quality risks that can influence future earnings.

ad server technical

"Leveraging Magnite's SpringServe ad server and programmatic capabilities, the"

An ad server is the technology that stores, delivers and tracks online advertisements across websites and apps, deciding which ad to show to which user and recording how often it appears or is clicked. For investors, an ad server matters because it directly affects a company's ability to make money from ads, measure campaign effectiveness and scale advertising operations—similar to how a reliable cash register and inventory system help a store sell, track and restock products efficiently.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Players get unlimited, subscription-free gaming—brands get smarter, more engaging ways to connect with them across Smart TVs    

STAMFORD, Conn., Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PHȲND, the global cloud gaming platform making high-quality games instantly accessible on Smart TVs, today announced Magnite (NASDAQ: MGNI), the world's largest independent sell-side advertising company, as its ad tech monetization launch partner. Leveraging Magnite's SpringServe ad server and programmatic capabilities, the collaboration will unlock both direct and programmatic advertising across PHȲND's extensive library of top-tier games, opening a new channel for brands to connect with engaged players in the living room.

This partnership introduces programmatic advertising at scale to a console-quality gaming environment on Smart TVs. Through Magnite's technology, advertisers will be able to reach audiences seamlessly across different Smart TV manufacturers and a wide variety of game genres—from action and sports to casual and family games—all delivered seamlessly through PHȲND's ad-supported model.

"PHȲND was built to expand the definition of gaming by removing friction for players and unlocking new possibilities for developers and brands," said André Swanston, Co-Founder & CEO of PHȲND. "With Magnite as our ad tech launch partner, we're bringing both direct and programmatic advertising into cloud gaming for the first time at scale. This creates meaningful value for players through free games, while enabling advertisers to precisely target audiences in an environment that's brand-safe and truly engaging."

By making PHȲND's growing catalog of games available with Magnite's programmatic infrastructure, advertisers will gain access to diverse, brand-safe inventory across leading Smart TVs. Campaigns can be tailored by demographics, interests, and play behavior—optimizing spend while enhancing the player experience with non-intrusive formats, while also supporting developers with sustainable revenue streams.

"PHȲND brings together the excitement of gaming and the accessibility of smart TVs to deliver an innovative experience for both consumers and advertisers, and we're proud to support this effort," said Sean Buckley, President, Revenue at Magnite. "Our deep omnichannel experience across both streaming TV and gaming makes us uniquely positioned to help PHȲND efficiently monetize their premium content."    

The partnership with Magnite is a major step in introducing ad-supported cloud gaming as a mainstream entertainment channel. As Smart TVs become the primary hub for entertainment worldwide, this collaboration will create an unparalleled opportunity for brands to engage players where they play, watch, and connect. The collaboration sets the stage for advertisers and brands to explore new opportunities to connect with audiences.

About PHȲND
PHȲND is gaming for everyone, providing FREE instant access to a wide range of quality games directly on Smart TVs. No console. No downloads. No subscription fees. Just pick your game and play. Visit phynd.co to learn more about partnering with us.

About Magnite
We're Magnite (NASDAQ: MGNI), the world's largest independent sell-side advertising company. Publishers use our technology to monetize their content across all screens and formats including CTV, online video, display, and audio. The world's leading agencies and brands trust our platform to access brand-safe, high-quality ad inventory and execute billions of advertising transactions each month. Anchored in bustling New York City, sunny Los Angeles, mile high Denver, historic London, colorful Singapore, and down under in Sydney, Magnite has offices across North America, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/free-games-smarter-ads-magnite-and-phnd-redefine-gaming-on-smart-tvs-302653205.html

SOURCE PHȲND

FAQ

What did PHȲND announce on January 6, 2026 with Magnite (MGNI)?

PHȲND announced a partnership with Magnite to use SpringServe and programmatic ads to monetize PHȲND's Smart TV cloud gaming catalog.

How will Magnite (MGNI) technology be used on PHȲND's Smart TV games?

Magnite's SpringServe ad server and programmatic capabilities will enable direct and programmatic advertising across PHȲND's game library.

What does the PHȲND and Magnite (MGNI) partnership mean for players?

Players get subscription-free access to games supported by non-intrusive, brand-safe advertising formats intended to preserve the player experience.

How can advertisers target audiences through the PHȲND–Magnite (MGNI) integration?

Advertisers can tailor campaigns by demographics, interests, and play behavior across Smart TV manufacturers and game genres.

Will PHȲND's partnership with Magnite (MGNI) impact game developers' revenue?

The announcement says the ad-supported model will support developers with sustainable revenue streams from programmatic and direct ads.

Is the PHȲND and Magnite (MGNI) collaboration available globally and when does it start?

The announcement positions the partnership to operate across leading Smart TVs and game genres; no specific launch date or geographic rollout schedule was provided.