This is Why Gaming Logos are so Important

This is Why Gaming Logos are so Important

Having an impactful gaming logo is crucial for your company or brand. Your logo is what will set you apart from competitors and raise your status in the marketing world. There are many benefits to a great gaming logo aside from greater marketing, including helping to build your reputation, platform, and influence.

Why is a gaming logo so important? Deciding on a logo for your gaming career is crucial to gaining power in an industry where there are many large brands and names. Having a unique logo aesthetic will also be important should you choose to create, sell, and promote your own merchandise, apparel, or gamer items in the future.

There are plenty of ways to go about finding that perfect logo, but proceed with caution as it will set the stage for your success. This simple addition of a logo to your business and platform may just be the biggest decision you make for your brand. There are plenty of ways to make that heavily weighted decision one to get excited about! Keep reading to learn how.

Free Gaming Logos

Finding a free gaming logo online may be the best option if you do not have a budget to spend on a custom logo.

Luckily, there are some websites out there that offer 100% free and customizable gaming logos. My favorite website is Placeit.net because they have the largest selection of templates and they are truly free of cost.

How a Good Gaming Logo Benefits your Brand

Similar to a front desk employee, your logo may be the first impression someone has of your brand. It’s important to not only select one with this in mind but also to design or choose your logo with longevity in mind.

  • Make your Mark – For those who may be seeing your videos, streams, or brand for the first time, it’s important to leave your mark. You want them to remember your brand, to trust it, and be interested or intrigued by your content thereafter.
  • Merchandise – You’ve built your brand, developed a following, and are ready to create and sell merchandise, further promoting your brand. Putting your brand on merchandise is a great way to increase profits and spread further awareness of your brand. In other words, it is basic visual marketing!
  • Professionalism – In a world with so much competition, it’s important that you and your brand are unique, memorable, and a professional representation of your business or platform.

How to Pick your Gaming Logo

You’ve gained a following and are ready to start reaping the benefits of your newfound clout but are having trouble. Selecting your gaming logo should be an exciting venture, as your logo will set the stage for your success!

Choosing the right one is important as it will represent you, your brand, and your position in the gaming world.

Before you design or purchase a logo, it’s best to know what aspect of your brand that you want your logo to represent. Here are just a few routes you could choose to go:

  • Fantasy World Come to Life – Demonstrate to your audience how otherworldly and unique their gaming worlds can be, with your fantasy as their inspiration
  • Fun Funny and Funnier – This style can be goofy, bright, and more upbeat than others
  • Less is More – With a minimalistic design, your brand often will attract more diverse and sophisticated followers and audiences
  • Savage – Comprised of fierce details that are sure to be remembered and represent the power of both you and your brand
  • Tech-for the Techies – Primarily composed of symbols into an aesthetic that clearly represents your brand and message

Time for Design

Picking your gaming logo can be a stressful decision, so it’s important to think of yours specifically instead of comparing it to others already out there. You already know what you want your brand to stand for, but now you must decide to whom it should appeal.

Is your following composed of young players, experienced players, or is it quite diverse? Knowing your particular audience will help you to choose the particular elements that will make up your design. Some of these elements include:

  • Color – Often invoke particular feelings and emotions and can be used to appeal to certain audiences over others
  • Shape – Softer shapes may seem friendlier, or particular shapes may represent particular meanings or codes specific to your brand
  • Letters – Fonts and lettering may appeal to certain age groups or genders over others

It’s All in the Details

Design and select your Logo with intention. You’ve decided your meaning, your audience, and maybe a few design components, but now it’s time for the nitty-gritty. Gaming logos have transformed alongside the gaming world, as many are offered on our mobile phone and tablet screens.

It’s crucial to remember this as a complex Logo may look good on the giant flatscreen but will lose its impact and significance if shrunken too small. This can be complicated, as you don’t want to sacrifice meaning for design, or visa versa.

As the gaming industry has become more modernized, it has also succumbed to trends. Formally a prominently digital industry, logo design has begun incorporating more realistic images and styles instead of digital graphics.

Additionally, several other trends have gained popularity and recognition in the industry. These include:

  • Movement – The incorporation of motion lines is a great way to enhance your logo. Motion lines typically represent swiftness and great performance, making them perfect for fast-paced games.
  • Personalized Fonts – The incorporation of handwritten lettering have increased in popularity, as many people have grown sick of digitalized designs or are looking for something a little different. Having lettering or an image specific to your brand will set you apart and clearly stick out!
  • Stacking – This creates a clean, balanced, and essentially “perfect” design, using multiple segments stacked or merged to make one clean shape in the design. It works best with words or phrases of equal lettering for the most precise and aesthetically pleasing design.
  • 3-Dimensional ­– Incorporating facets into your design is a great way to enhance its quality and make the logo 3-dimensional. Frequently 3-dimensional logos in the games themselves are indicative of bonuses or rewards, so incorporating this effect into your design might draw followers’ interest.

Some of the most common elements that are seen time and time again in the gaming community are:

  • Acorns – Typically represent rewards and greatness, and symbolize a promise of potential
  • Digital Controllers – Typical for gamers, often indicate great skill
  • Long Shadows – Utilized to enhance the dimension and prevents logos from being too simple and losing that eye-catching feature

Theme or Bust

A great way to ensure your brand and logo are a perfect pair is to include a design theme. There are so many themes to work off of and be inspired by, and in some cases, they are not always necessary but can be a great way to get ideas flowing.

Here are a few popular themes that are commonly seen in logo designs and are always a good way to go:

  • Fantasy – For stories set in a more Renaissance era, with magical creatures such as dragons, mermaids, and vampires
  • Fauna – For games that include clans, clubs, or are set outside, including animals into the logo is a great way to make it more powerful
  • Fighter – For fighting, war, or battle games, using logos that symbolize strong fighters such as ninjas and knights may be effective
  • Forces of Nature – Flames, tornadoes, and hurricanes are excellent pieces of imagery for games that may require the use of a lot of strategies

Choosing Wisely

As the face of your brand, your logo is one spot where you don’t want to cut any corners unless absolutely necessary. To have an effective logo, it’s best to leave it up to the professionals, so every complexity and detail supports your brand. Not every budget allows for the priciest agencies, so other ways may prove to be just as effective and not as costly.

There are four main ways you could obtain your perfect logo:

  • Agency – A team of designers collaborates to create your logo, but for a price. Boosted exists for gamers to build their brand, increase revenues, and create a logo.
  • Design Contest – A great way to get your brand out there is with a friendly competition between designers who compete to make the best logo based on your preferences and goals. This option comes with the added benefit of many minds coming together and allows for experimentation.
  • DIY – Save on expense and utilize your creativity by making your own with the help of free online software or step it up a notch to a paid gaming logo template that fits your brand best.
  • Freelancer – There are many freelance designers who would love to design your brand’s logo who will work with you to get exactly what you have in mind

Gaming Logos for the Times

Every brand has its own logo, and there are so many that come to mind in the gaming community that will be eternal. Through the best branding quality, many larger brands and names have really gained a foothold in the industry. Here are a few timeless brands:

  • Atari – This Japanese brand embodied their history and roots when designing their logo. The particular design and shape symbolize Mt. Fuji, found in Japan, and a reference to the first game that took off in the gaming industry: pong.
  • EA Sports – This iconic gaming brand has people of all generations shouting their catchphrase when it flashes on the screen. Many are even guilty of shouting “it’s in the game” at the mention of, or sight of, their logo.
  • PlayStation – Although it has morphed throughout time, PlayStation’s logo has always been iconic. Despite its multiple transformations, the “P” in the design has remained consistent in each design, so gamers, customers, and fans can easily recognize it.

The above-referenced logos are older, as the companies have been around for decades, so they do not incorporate many of the newer trends. However, it’s important to see how they have used their logos to make an impression on fans as they have remained leaders in the industry.

The Bottom Line

Without a unique gaming logo, it may be hard to distinguish you from other players. Additionally, should you choose to enhance your following by utilizing streaming sites such as Twitch and YouTube, having a unique gaming logo will set you apart.

Not only does a proper gaming logo make your rise to gamer fame much quicker, but it also sets you up for future successes. With the capabilities that platforms such as YouTube have, you can further market your apparel or gaming goods. It’s not uncommon for merchandise lines to gain cult-like followings if they have an awesome design, aesthetic, and meaning behind them. Having your own identity for yourself, team, clan, or brand, designed into one powerful logo is something you cannot do without if you’re going to be an avid gamer.