Gamevance ads: what it is and how to remove it
Gamevance, also known as PUP.Optional.ArcadeCandy, is adware that is promoted via third-party websites such as playpickle.com, tikiarcade.com, and loudmo.com. Users on forums have been discussing this app's ability to distribute various junk and its hard removal process.
Facts checked October 6, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Do it yourself · free Remove Gamevance ads yourself 2 steps, about 6 minutes, no software needed.
Gamevance ads: summary
| Name | Gamevance |
|---|---|
| Also known as | PUP.Optional.ArcadeCandy |
| Type | Adware/potentially unwanted program |
| Related files | Once the adware infiltrates the targeted computer system, it includes gamevancelib32.dll, gvtl.dll, and gvun.exe files |
| Promotion sources | This adware app is known to be promoted by other third-party websites such as playpickle.com, tikiarcade.com, and loudmo.com |
| Sponsored apps | It is known that this adware comes together with other third-party applications such as the Ask.com toolbar and The Weather Channel Desktop app |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 12 more facts
| Distribution ways | The main adware distribution sources include software bundles that are downloaded from cnet.com, softonic.com, download.com, and similar websites and come in forms of PDF converters, download managers. Also, the PUP can get delivered to the computer system through infectious advertisements, hyperlinks, and fake software updates |
|---|---|
| The elimination | You can employ automatical software to get rid of the adware program or complete the step-by-step guidelines that have been added to the end of this article |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Symptoms | Notification spam from a website |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Domains | ask.com |
| Ads shown as | Desktop notifications |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| Installed on the PC | Nothing; a browser notification permission only |
| First seen | 8 January 2020 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Gamevance ads dangerous?
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
Gamevance - adware that comes bundled with other PUPs such as the Ask.com toolbar and The Weather Channel Desktop app
Gamevance, also known as PUP.Optional.ArcadeCandy, is adware that is promoted via third-party websites such as playpickle.com, tikiarcade.com, and loudmo.com.
Users on forums have been discussing this app's ability to distribute various junk and its hard removal process. Once the adware enters a computer system, it drops dynamic link libraries such as gamevancelib32.dll, gvtl.dll and adds them as a browser helper object to Internet Explorer.
However, there still is a chance that the PUP might appear on other types of web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, etc. After successful installation, Gamevance might bring additional rogue applications such as the Ask.com toolbar and The Weather Channel Desktop program to the affected computer system and web browsers.
Gamevance virus can also modify the Windows Task Manager and drop the gvun.exe executable as its main process. This task might allow the app to launch within every computer startup process, display pop-up notifications, and get the user involved in other annoying activities such as redirecting. Continuously, suspicious changes can also occur in the Windows Registry where the ad-supported program might add questionable entries.
Gamevance software has been developed and released by a marketing company called Future Ads. The firm was established in 2001 and its website gamevance.com became the sixth-fastest developing web page in 2009. Gamevance ads are most likely to appear on Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, and XP computer systems. However, we still cannot decline the possibility that this app might approach macOS users also.
Gamevance malware is the name given to this adware by random computer users who have experienced its intrusive activities and unexpected appearance. There is a big chance to receive this third-party application from questionable PDF converter, download managers, and similar software that comes from websites such as softonic.com, cnet.com, and download.com. The most common technique used for adware distribution is "software bundling".
When you enter gamevance.com, you can get redirected to gamesafari.com. However, if you are thinking of playing games on the Gamevance website, you should give it a second thought. This application is considered to be very annoying and intrusive.
Consequently, it tends to stream you with various ads and banners. Even if you are very patient, you might quickly lose your temper after the ads start trailing in every website. You might receive notifications marked like this:
Additionally, the main goal of Gamevance is to collect pay-per-click revenue through every single advertisement that is clicked by the users. Regarding this purpose, the third-parties will try to display as attractive-looking ads as possible. They might include tracking cookies into your web browser in order to collect details about your browsing history and commonly searched offers so that they can provide you with similar deals.
Gamevance offers quick and easy games for users who like to relax playing games online. However, choosing a legitimate and malware-free game website or application sometimes becomes a challenge.
Thus, this adware might also look like an ordinary gaming domain. However, after you start using it, you might encounter the redirecting issue. The ads might lead you to other gaming websites or advertising domains.
The problem is that that the developers of these sites often use the services of unknown third-parties which help maintain the websites. In exchange, they allow those third-parties to show diverse ads and links.
Overall, these advertisements might be dangerous malware. Thus, if it gets to your system, some essential functions might stop working. In any case, Gamevance should be eliminated as soon as possible.
Furthermore, the adware might also attract additional unwanted "guests" – programs to your device. Often they happen to be just ordinary adware programs. After they sneak into your computer, they might occupy too much space on a hard disk, thus, resulting in slower PC functions.
Additionally, the more adware pile on your computer, the greater the probability that you start seeing more Gamevance ads. They might get too irritating by covering online content and diminishing browser speed.
Gamevance removal is necessary if you want to browse the Internet with full speed and quality. Besides, the adware program can complete changes on your web browser's homepage and the new tab URL bar.
These modifications can be diminished only by eliminating the potentially unwanted program from your computer system and web browsers. The process can be completed with the help of antimalware software or by performing the manual instruction guide.
In some cases, adware programs are used for distributing malicious products on the system. If you find anything dangerous on your computer system, you should also eliminate it ASAP. After you remove Gamevance and its added objects, you can start searching for possible damage automatically. If the software detects any type of compromisation on your computer system, you can try fixing it with the help of a tool such as .
- Gamevance ads.
- Ads by Gamevance.
- Ads powered by Gamevance.
- Powered by Gamevance.
- Brought to you by Gamevance.
- RocketTab powered by Gamevance
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
Software bundles often include adware
If you ever spot an adware program lurking on your computer system, it is most likely that the PUP has slipped into the device when you were installing a new program.
Scammers are aware of users' common vice not to read the installation guides. Thus, since the majority hops through the installation process and recklessly clicks "Finish", they often do not get the slightest idea adware or another PUP was installed as well.
Also, you should be careful with the downloading settings that you choose. Do not opt for the "Quick" or "Recommended" mode as these settings do not include the required protection from PUP distribution. Instead, choose the "Advanced" configuration as default. Here you will be able to check on all of your incoming downloads and opt-out components that look questionable to you.
Most commonly, adware programs and similar third-party apps come bundled with rogue PDF converters and download managers from sources cnet.com, download.com, and softonic.com. According to cybersecurity specialists from NoVirus.uk, it is advisable to get all of your software and services from trustworthy sources and the original developers only.
Other adware spreading sources involve infectious advertisements and hyperlinks. Regarding this fact, you have to be very careful while browsing on the Internet sphere. Our recommendation would be not to click on every component that pops out and get an adblocker to prevent annoying ads. Also, be aware of misleading software, e.g. flash player updates that also can hide adware in the installation process.
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Gamevance
- If you have found any signs of system compromisation, you can try fixing it with the help of software
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
ask.com
How to remove Gamevance ads
How to stop Gamevance notifications
Do this in every browser you use, and in every profile inside it: each keeps its own list of sites allowed to send notifications.
Nothing has to be uninstalled for the notifications themselves.
Which browser shows the ads?
Step 1: Remove ask.com from Chrome's notification list
Open More (the three dots) > Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications, or paste
chrome://settings/content/notificationsinto the address bar.Under Allowed to send notifications, open the menu next to
ask.comand choose Remove or Block, and do the same for any other address you do not recognise.Next to Not allowed to send notifications, click Add and enter ask.com, so the site cannot ask again. The menus are the same in Chrome on Windows 11 and Windows 10, and each Chrome profile keeps its own list.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Instructions for Google Chrome
Remove from Google Chrome
To get rid of suspicious extensions and other components, you should continue cleaning Google Chrome by completing these instructions.
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Step 1: Remove ask.com from Edge's notification list
Edge stores its own permission list, separate from Chrome's, and it is often the browser behind these pop-ups on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications, or paste
edge://settings/content/notifications. Removeask.comfrom Allowed, then add it under Not allowed to send notifications. Notifications that show the Edge logo come from this list.
Edge on Windows 11: Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Instructions for Microsoft Edge
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
Step 1: Remove ask.com from Firefox's notification permissions
In Firefox the permission sits in Settings > Permissions and data > Notifications (in older versions Privacy & Security > Notifications > Settings). Select
ask.comin the list, click Remove Website, and confirm with Save Changes.Firefox only shows these notifications while it is open, so if they stopped after closing Firefox, this is the browser to clean. The steps are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Firefox on Windows 11: the Notification Permissions window. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Instructions for Mozilla Firefox
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Our tested steps are for Windows 11 and 10. For Safari (Mac), use the instructions below.
Instructions for Safari (Mac)
Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.
Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Then, whichever browser you use
Step 2: Scan the PC if you downloaded anything from the ads
Most people who only saw the notifications can skip this step. If a notification or the page it opened made you download or run a file, delete the file and run a full scan, then a Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
In Windows 11 and Windows 10 open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now. The PC restarts and the scan takes about 15 minutes, so save your work first.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
More removal instructions
For programs installed on the PC and older browsers. Open the one you need.
Gamevance removal options
There are two ways how you can get rid of this adware.
You can try both options, automatic and manual eliminations. If you are in a rush or do not want to meddle with Gamevance virus on your own, then, scan the system with an anti-spyware application. Do not forget to keep it updated for it to function properly. Moreover, having the newest version might be crucial in terms that it eliminates the adware faster than previous editions.
Alternatively, you might remove Gamevance manually as well. You can either find alternative instructions or use the ones below. We have decided to include both OS and web browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari cleaning steps. Precision and accuracy are required in order to ensure the complete elimination of this PUP, otherwise, the adware might return very easily.
If you decide to proceed with the Gamevance removal on yourself, you need to make sure that you have enough skills and time to complete the entire task.
If you think of yourself as a regular, non-advanced user, you should probably proceed with the automatical removal option as it is much safer and easier. Also, the antimalware tools ensure that the entire process is finished within a few minutes of time and effective results are spotted.
Uninstall from Windows
To eliminate the adware application and all other programs that it has brought to the Windows computer system, use the below-provided instructing steps.
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.
Reset Internet Explorer
To clean Internet Explorer from bogus components and reverse the browser back to its previous state, perform the following guidelines.
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.
Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.
Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.
Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.
Protect your privacy - employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.
However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.
Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.
In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
Questions about Gamevance ads
How do I stop notifications from ask.com?
Remove its permission in the browser. The bottom line of each notification names the browser, so open that browser's notification settings and look under Allowed. Remove ask.com and any other site you do not recognise.
In Chrome and Edge this is under the site settings for notifications; in Firefox it is under Settings, Permissions and data, Notifications. Do this in every browser profile, because each one keeps its own list.
Restart the browser and wait a few minutes. If a message still arrives, read its bottom line again: the sending address can differ from the site you remember, and that is the entry still left in the list.
The ask.com notification said my PC is infected. Is it true?
No. Notifications from ask.com are adverts written to look like system messages. A website cannot scan your files, so it has no way to know whether your PC is infected; it shows the same warning to everyone who allowed its notifications. Real Windows Security messages name Windows Security in the bottom line, not a browser and a website.
If you want to be sure, open Windows Security from the Start menu and run a quick scan there. Then remove ask.com from the browser's notification settings so the fake warnings stop arriving. Do not call any number or buy anything the notification or its page suggests.
What is Gamevance?
Gamevance is a push-notification spam site, a kind of adware. It earns money by showing desktop notifications, and each view, click or redirect pays whoever runs it. It is not something people usually choose; it arrives through a free download, a fake button or a misleading prompt.
Gamevance does not encrypt files or take control of Windows, but its ads are sold to anyone, including scam operators, so they can lead to fake virus warnings and unwanted downloads. The steps in this guide remove it from Windows and from each browser.
Why does ask.com keep showing up?
There are two possible reasons. If it appears as desktop notifications, a browser on this PC was given permission to receive them from ask.com, usually through a misleading prompt. That permission stays until you remove it in the browser's site settings.
If it appears as tabs or redirects, an ad on a site you visit is opening it, or an extension or program on the PC is. Test a private window: if ask.com never appears there, an extension is the likely cause. The plan above covers each case.
Do I have to change settings in every browser?
Only in the browsers that allowed ask.com, but checking all of them takes a minute and is worth it. We saw the notifications in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Chrome and Edge keep their notification lists under site settings, and Firefox under Privacy & Security > Permissions.
Remove ask.com and any other unfamiliar site from each list, then turn off new notification requests if you do not need them. Remember that every browser profile has its own list, so a second profile can keep the messages coming after you clean the first.
Are the pop-ups I see really from Gamevance?
Compare them with the details in the table above. Gamevance produces desktop notifications, and the clearest sign of it is notifications from ask.com. Other adware looks similar, so check the name of the sending site at the bottom of a notification, the address in the tab that opened, or the newest entries on the extensions page.
If those match, this guide fits. If you see a different name, the same kind of steps apply, but remove the item you actually find rather than guessing.
Is it safe to click Block or Allow on a notification prompt?
Clicking Block is safe; it only tells the browser not to show notifications from that site. Clicking Allow is not dangerous to your files either, but it gives the site a channel to your desktop that spam sites abuse at once.
The prompt itself is part of the browser, so you can trust its buttons. What you cannot trust is the text on the page around it. If a page explains why you must click Allow, choose Block or close the tab.
Can I turn off the pop-ups in Windows settings instead?
You can hide them, but that is not the fix. In Windows 11, Settings > System > Notifications lets you switch off notifications for a whole browser, which silences the spam together with every useful notification from that browser.
The site keeps its permission and can still send messages when you switch them back on. It is better to remove the specific site in the browser's own notification settings and block new requests. That stops the messages at the source and leaves the rest of your notifications working.
My scan found nothing, but the ads continue. Why?
Because the source may not be a file a scanner looks for. Browser notifications are a permission stored in the browser, and many adware extensions are not flagged because they come from an official store.
Some ad-supported programs are only reported if you enable detection of potentially unwanted apps. So a clean scan does not mean the job is done. Check each browser's notification permissions and extension list by hand, and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking in Windows Security before scanning again.
Will Fortect remove Gamevance?
No program removes Gamevance itself, because there is nothing on the PC to remove: the notifications come through a permission saved in the browser, and only the browser's settings take it away, as the steps above show.
What Fortect can do is check the rest of Windows. Its free scan looks for malware, unwanted programs and damaged system files, which is useful if you clicked the ads, downloaded something from the pages they opened, or are not sure what else changed on the PC.
If the scan finds nothing and the notifications stopped after you removed the permission, this problem is solved. Use Microsoft Defender as a second opinion whenever you have downloaded files from pages like these.
Sources
- Warrior Forum: How to Install Gamevance Software on my computer? (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Dynamic-link library (read October 6, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)