There are thousands of games released each month and it’s difficult to stand out from the crowd. Making a trailer for your indie game is a step in the right direction to making your game noticeable on store fronts like Steam. But you also don’t want to make your trailer seem boring. Here’s how you can make sure your trailer stands out from the rest.

First Impressions

The first 5 seconds is so important and should be your main focus. Most people watching your trailer will click off in the first 5 seconds so you have to grab their attention quickly. Make the beginning of your trailer count by showing many fast paced scenes. Even if your game is a farming idle simulator with no action, the first 5 seconds should be showing all of the most exciting parts of your game.

Music Choice

While making a trailer, music can be overlooked easily while you’re focused on the visuals and recording gameplay. But music is what makes your trailer flow and make sense. Without a good music track your trailer will feel awkward and slow. Try to find something fast paced and matching your genre.

Use Your Creativity

This one seems obvious but it’s hard to implement correctly. A lot of trailers out there are just clips of gameplay cut together to some music. While this can work if you’re making a simple game like Vampire Survivors, it’s also very bland. Include artwork, assets, and record some cinematic footage and B-roll. You as the developer have all of the power. A great example of this is showing close up shots of characters and panning landscapes to show your environments. Use that power freely and manipulate the visuals so they stand out.

Hire an Editor

If you’d like help making a game trailer, I can help you out! Just hit me up and I’ll make a trailer for you.