AppLovin MAX for Defold

This guide covers installation, initialization, ad formats, privacy, testing, and mediated networks. The complete Lua API is documented in the API reference.

If you are upgrading from 1.x, start with the migration guide.

Requirements

Install

Open game.project in the Defold editor and select Project in the left sidebar. Under Dependencies, click + and paste:

https://github.com/defold/extension-applovin/archive/refs/tags/2.0.0.zip

Then select Project > Fetch Libraries from the main menu.

In the game.project editor, also configure:

• Android > Minimum SDK Version: 24
• AppLovin > iOS User Tracking Usage Description: a message explaining why your app requests permission to use device information for advertising

Register your Android package and iOS bundle identifier in MAX. Use the SDK key from Account > General > Keys, and create separate ad units for each platform and format.

The extension is not available on desktop or HTML5. Guard shared code:

if applovin then
    -- Android or iOS
end

Initialize MAX

MAX initializes asynchronously:

1. Collect any required privacy choice.
2. Register the callback.
3. Apply privacy, test-device, and SDK settings.
4. Call initialize() once.
5. Wait for OnSdkInitializedEvent.
6. Load ads.

local interstitial_id = "YOUR_INTERSTITIAL_AD_UNIT_ID"

local function max_callback(self, event, data)
    if event == "OnSdkInitializedEvent" then
        applovin.load_interstitial(interstitial_id)
    elseif event == "OnInterstitialAdLoadFailedEvent" then
        print("MAX load failed", data.code, data.message)
    elseif event == "OnInterstitialAdRevenuePaidEvent" then
        print("MAX revenue", data.revenue, data.revenuePrecision)
    end
end

function init(self)
    applovin.set_callback(max_callback)

    -- Values supplied by your consent UI or CMP:
    applovin.set_has_user_consent(user_has_consented)
    applovin.set_do_not_sell(user_opted_out)

    applovin.initialize("YOUR_APPLOVIN_SDK_KEY")
end

function final(self)
    applovin.set_callback(nil)
end

is_initialized() becomes true after initialization completes. Handle OnSdkInitializedEvent when loading the first ads instead of polling it.

Privacy and consent

Your application is responsible for choosing the correct disclosures and consent flow. Apply set_has_user_consent() and set_do_not_sell() before initialization and persist the user’s choice in your own system. Their getters return booleans and cannot distinguish “unset” from false.

Follow AppLovin’s current privacy guide. Do not initialize AppLovin for users or apps prohibited by that policy.

MAX consent flow

The MAX Terms and Privacy Policy Flow is optional. Before enabling it:

• publish the required message in the AdMob dashboard;
• include every mediated partner;
• configure the required Google app IDs and dependencies;
• use real public privacy-policy and terms URLs;
• follow the official consent-flow guide.

Configure the flow before initialization:

applovin.set_terms_and_privacy_policy_flow_enabled(true)
applovin.set_privacy_policy_url("https://example.com/privacy")
applovin.set_terms_of_service_url("https://example.com/terms") -- optional
applovin.initialize("YOUR_APPLOVIN_SDK_KEY")

Android builds include Google UMP 4.0.0. If another extension also declares UMP, do not force an older version. On iOS, enable the appropriate Google adapter and app ID when required by your consent setup.

After initialization, has_supported_cmp() tells you whether show_cmp_for_existing_user() can present a Manage privacy settings screen. Completion is reported through OnCmpCompletedEvent.

Store requirements

Review the final application—not only the base extension—for permissions, privacy declarations, and mediated SDK data collection:

• Apple privacy manifests
• SKAdNetwork IDs
• Google Play Data safety
• App Store privacy disclosures

The extension includes AppLovin’s current list automatically. Enabling an iOS adapter also includes that network’s current identifiers. App-specific entries from another manifest are merged with these lists.

Test devices and debuggers

Set test-device IDs before initialization:

applovin.set_test_device_advertising_ids({
    "YOUR_IDFA_OR_GAID",
})

Use only identifiers from your QA devices and remove them from production configuration.

After initialization, call show_mediation_debugger() from a visible QA button. Use it to verify the SDK key, adapters, privacy state, test mode, CMP, and ad units. Enable verbose logging and the Creative Debugger only in development builds.

Ad formats

All ad calls require an ad-unit ID for the current package or bundle identifier.

Interstitial

applovin.load_interstitial(ad_unit_id)

-- After OnInterstitialAdLoadedEvent:
if applovin.is_interstitial_ready(ad_unit_id) then
    applovin.show_interstitial(ad_unit_id, "level_complete")
end

Load the next ad after the previous one is hidden or fails.

Rewarded

applovin.load_rewarded_ad(ad_unit_id)

-- After OnRewardedAdLoadedEvent:
if applovin.is_rewarded_ad_ready(ad_unit_id) then
    applovin.show_rewarded_ad(ad_unit_id, "daily_reward")
end

Grant rewards only from OnRewardedAdReceivedRewardEvent, using its label and amount.

Banner

applovin.set_banner_placement(ad_unit_id, "main_menu")
applovin.create_banner(ad_unit_id, "bottom_center")
applovin.set_banner_background_color(ad_unit_id, "#000000")

applovin.hide_banner(ad_unit_id)
applovin.show_banner(ad_unit_id)
applovin.update_banner_position(ad_unit_id, "top_center")
applovin.stop_banner_auto_refresh(ad_unit_id)
applovin.start_banner_auto_refresh(ad_unit_id)
applovin.destroy_banner(ad_unit_id)

Set placement before creation so it is included in the first load. Destroy the view when its screen no longer needs it.

MREC

applovin.set_mrec_placement(ad_unit_id, "store")
applovin.create_mrec(ad_unit_id, "centered")

applovin.hide_mrec(ad_unit_id)
applovin.show_mrec(ad_unit_id)
applovin.update_mrec_position(ad_unit_id, "bottom_center")
applovin.stop_mrec_auto_refresh(ad_unit_id)
applovin.start_mrec_auto_refresh(ad_unit_id)
applovin.destroy_mrec(ad_unit_id)

MREC event names use MRec, including OnMRecAdExpandedEvent.

Extra parameters

Each format has its own extra-parameter function:

applovin.set_interstitial_extra_parameter(ad_unit_id, key, value)
applovin.set_rewarded_ad_extra_parameter(ad_unit_id, key, value)
applovin.set_banner_extra_parameter(ad_unit_id, key, value)
applovin.set_mrec_extra_parameter(ad_unit_id, key, value)

Only use keys documented by AppLovin or the mediated network.

Callbacks

The callback signature is:

function(self, event_name, params)

Callbacks run from the Defold update thread. Keep them short. The complete event and constant list is in the API reference.

Ad payloads can include:

• adUnitIdentifier, format, placement
• networkName, networkPlacement, creativeIdentifier
• revenue, revenuePrecision
• requestLatencyMillis
• dspName, dspIdentifier

Some mediated networks omit fields they cannot provide. Load failures contain code, message, and request latency. Display failures can also contain mediatedNetworkErrorCode and mediatedNetworkErrorMessage. See the official error reference.

Mediated networks

The base extension includes MAX but no optional third-party adapters. Enable only the networks used by your MAX account:

[applovin]
meta_android = 1
meta_ios = 1

Android and iOS switches are independent. Available property names and pinned versions are listed in updater/adapters.json.

Google also requires an application ID:

[applovin]
google_android = 1
google_android_app_id = ca-app-pub-0000000000000000~0000000000

google_ios = 1
google_ios_app_id = ca-app-pub-0000000000000000~0000000000

Follow the official mediated-network guide for account setup, permissions, manifests, privacy disclosures, and any extra initialization. Re-run the Mediation Debugger after changing adapters.

Custom events

track_event() takes a non-empty event name and a JSON object:

applovin.track_event("level_complete", json.encode({
    level = 12,
    difficulty = "hard",
}))

Invalid JSON is logged and sent as an empty parameter map.

Example project

The repository example includes a demo SDK key:

• debug builds initialize MAX and can open the Mediation Debugger;
• release builds do not pass the demo key to MAX;
• ad formats remain disabled until you add matching Android or iOS ad-unit IDs through Project Settings > AppLovin.

Troubleshooting

• The example does not initialize: release builds intentionally skip the demo key. In debug builds, verify applovin.demo_sdk_key in the bundled game.projectc.
• No fill / error 204: check the app identity, ad unit, test device, dashboard setup, and installed adapters in the Mediation Debugger.
• An ad does not show: wait for its loaded event and check is_*_ready() immediately before showing.
• A banner or MREC remains visible: destroy it when leaving its screen.
• The CMP is unavailable: check the Google dependency, app ID, published message, and the debugger’s CMP section.

For repository builds and releases, see DEVELOPMENT.md.

API reference

API Reference - applovin