Mobile games are booming right now, and advertisements have often featured celebrity partnerships to help them stand out in a crowded market. From actors to musicians, athletes, and social media personalities, celebs can generate a lot of buzz.
With game developers all competing, the question is no longer if celebrities will feature in their advertisements, but rather who will appear. Some famous faces are consistently used for campaigns, while surprising names could pop up for the shock factor. Either way, traders and analysts try to forecast those who are most likely to feature this year.
Celebrity-led advertising has become more of something we expect these days, as opposed to a surprise novelty that it once was. Game developers partner with celebrities for the sole purpose of generating a buzz and getting attention. Let’s take Clash Royale, for example. In 2026, Clash Royale collaborated with rapper Lil Wayne, who did a virtual halftime performance. The performance generated 50 million views in 24 hours, becoming a cultural experience, not just an advertisement.
Back in 2025, Royal Kingdom did a massive campaign that featured Kevin Hart, Jimmy Fallon, and other actors from popular television shows. Between April 12 and May 3, downloads increased by 581% and daily active users went up by 213%.
One of the biggest factors is audience fit. What we mean by this is that game developers will draft ideas on who to work with based on which celebrity personalities match the game’s audience. For example, Hollywood actors who are known for action films might be more suited for combat games, while casual puzzle games may line up nostalgic television personalities.
Another determining factor is the budget, because naturally cost is going to really pinpoint the type of celebrities they can afford to book. Major stars with a lot of buzz will cost millions, so only games with substantial budgets can afford the biggest names in the industry. With advertisements only getting a few seconds to catch the viewers' attention, they need to be confident that it will be successful. In turn, this means that recognizable athletes, musicians, and social media influencers are strong candidates.
Analysts pin down potential candidates by considering who’s trending right now. For example, The Rock is a major candidate. While he has lower implied probability at prediction market sites, he is one of the most famous faces and appears in many movies, advertisements, and collabs. Predictions for game advertisements can be somewhat difficult, but recent analysis did discover that television actors tend to increase downloads, while musicians and social media influencers perform well online. Therefore, it’s more about selecting the best celebrity for the audience, instead of who’s simply the most popular.
Keen to start trading on this popular culture prediction? Take a look at the current implied probabilities at Kalshi, giving you an indication of what to expect:
| Potential Collab | Chance | Yes Contract | No Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaquille O’Neal | 29% | 35¢ | 82¢ |
| Scarlett Johansson | 20% | 25¢ | 93¢ |
| Paul George | 19% | 24¢ | 95¢ |
| Timothee Chalamet | 19% | 25¢ | 94¢ |
| Due Lipa | 16% | 21¢ | 98¢ |
| The Rock | 16% | 28¢ | 89¢ |
As we enter the last half of the year, mobile game fans and forecast models are aiming to predict the next major celebrity campaign. Popular names right now include Shaquille O’Neal and Scarlett Johansson, who are known for their collaborations. It’s worth noting that this market tends to fluctuate considerably, but Shaquille O’Neal has remained in the top position. If you want to make your prediction at Kalshi, all that’s left is to tap the promotional banners on this page.

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