Introduction In today’s gaming era, creating a quality game isn’t even close to being enough to ensure a successful release. Game studios need a clear community building strategy to create an engaged community that will carry the game’s interest with them on social media.
It’s all about creating buzz, fostering trust that the game will deliver, and ensuring players feel emotionally invested even before they’ve played the game. Here’s your step-by-step guide to get it done right.
What’s in this guide?
PR: setting the stage with a great story Organic communication: building trust through authenticity Influencers & paid ads: multiply your reach Community amplification: turn your fans into advocates Early access and playtests: building anticipation Step 1. PR: setting the stage with a great story Your game’s narrative starts well before players press “Play.” Public Relations (PR) is about controlling the story and giving the media, gamers, and influencers a reason to care about your upcoming launch. So how do you do that?
Craft a powerful narrative: Share your vision—what makes YOUR game special? Is it a unique mechanic, a touching story, or an underdog development journey? Humanize your brand with behind-the-scenes stories of the development team. You should provide a “hook” to journalists and the public. This hook should be something that grips your attention within 1-2 seconds of seeing an image or video of it. It should hook a user without them having to think, and engage the primordial senses of the human brain.Exclusive previews: Give game journalists and influencers early access or sneak peeks to create excitement. Think about teasers like gameplay clips, concept art, or character reveals.Partner with media outlets: Work with gaming blogs, magazines, and podcasts. Have a press kit ready with polished assets and clear messaging. You can go the organic route, emailing those in charge by hand, or rely on other people’s relations, which is where PR agencies can be helpful. You can also pay the media themselves for sponsored posts, to captivate their audiences.You can rely on this list of media to get started (List of the Top 40 Video Game News Websites in 2025 ).Example: Hollow Knight by Team Cherry
Storytelling: Team Cherry built excitement for Hollow Knight by emphasizing atmosphere and mystery. This initial sense of enigmatic wonder was their strongest bet, and it paid off brilliantly. Their small-team indie roots and passion for hand-drawn visuals added an additional layer of relatability.Press Kit: They released a press kit featuring high-quality images, videos, and a clear hook about what makes the game unique, making it easy for journalists to write about it. They showcased the game’s stunning art and atmospheric music in exclusive interviews with gaming outlets like Rock Paper Shotgun .Step 2. Organic communication: building trust through authenticity Players value authentic interactions with the team during the whole development process. Show them there’s a real team behind the project, who is listening to and taking into account feedback.
Build a strong social media presence: Be active on the platforms where your audience hangs out. It is crucial to use a mix of media to capture audiences who use different social media, and interact in different ways with your development process. Instagram is great for visual teases, Twitter (or X) for news, and TikTok for creative gameplay or dev memes.Dev diaries: Regularly post updates about the development process. Share your triumphs and your challenges, and let players feel like part of the journey.Interact daily: Respond to comments, engage in conversations, and repost fan-created content. It shows that you’re listening and appreciate their input.**Example: **Tiny Glade by Pounce Light, and how they got 600K wishlists mainly with organic videos
Pounce Light created a cool brand, with multiple posts going viral. Their videos and demo had a very engaging hook. They even got their fans to create UGC, sharing their clips on social media just because they were proud of it. They built trust and excitement for Tiny Glade by focusing on authenticity over perfection . They invited players into their creative process, emphasizing emotional connection and fostering a community rooted in mutual appreciation and shared joy. Example Tactic: Start a weekly “Developer’s Corner” on Twitter or TikTok, showing sneak peeks of features, level design, or soundtracks.
Step 3. Influencers & paid ads: multiply your reach Influencers and paid campaigns help amplify your reach, putting your game in front of thousands (or millions) of potential players.
Targeted influencer campaigns: Partner with creators whose audience aligns with your target players. Micro-influencers with 10k-100k followers often have more engaged audiences. Provide them with custom assets or early access to make their promotion feel authentic. Influencer management companies can help you target the right ones for your game.Turn key influencers into game ambassadors: Partner with key influencers to allow them and their community to design game assets and vote on key features, before launch. This will build excitement for your game to an interested audience, and at the same time gather feedback and new ideas.Effective paid ads: Run ads on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Instagram or Reddit with trailers, GIFs, and a catch-phrase. A/B test your campaigns to refine what works. You can find a list of Top 100 reddit ads in 2025 here. Example: Among Us by Innersloth
Influencers: While Among Us wasn’t a hit initially, its revival came in mid-2020, when popular streamers like PewDiePie and Pokimane streamed the game to millions of gamers. They played Among Us and showcased its chaotic, hilarious gameplay to their audiences. Innersloth capitalized on this by partnering with more streamers to sustain momentum.Paid Campaigns: Innersloth invested in simple YouTube ads showing gameplay highlights that resonated with social gaming enthusiasts. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pyYq9lpjls&ab_channel=GameSpotTrailers Step 4. Community amplification: turn your fans into advocates Your early community members are more than just fans—they’re ambassadors for your brand. Empower them to spread the word.
Questing Platform: Simplify the process to let your community earn rewards from performing actions to boost organic reach. Questing platforms, like the one developed in PlayMakers’ Community Hub, offer a ready-to-launch solution. Quests can range from following your socials, to posting a TikTok about the game. You can start using PlayMakers for free here.Exclusive Rewards: Offer your earliest followers incentives like beta access, special roles in your Discord server, or in-game founder rewards.Leverage Discord: An engaging Discord community where players can share theories, meet the team, and feel a sense of belonging, can make the difference for your games. Use bots to gamify participation, like rewarding with XP for chatting. Your questing platform can be integrated onto Discord.Fan Content Competitions: Run contests for fan art, memes, or cosplay. Feature the winners prominently to boost engagement and excitement.Example: Genshin Impact by miHoYo
Exclusive Rewards: Before its release, Genshin Impact offered early registrants special rewards like in-game currency and rare items. They incentivized pre-registration milestones, unlocking rewards for all players as thresholds were reachedIncentivize content creation: Dogami turned their userbase into ambassadors, with PlayMakers, by incentivizing users to post on X, Youtube or tikTok about the game.Step 5. Early access and playtests: building anticipation So you spent time acquiring users through PR, organic reach, and paid ads. Now what? You can’t just ask users to join Discord, and hope that they will be aware about your game, in months, at launch. You have to keep engaging and updating the community all throughout the months leading up to the launch.
Closed betas: Invite a limited number of players for a beta experience. Make it feel exclusive, and reward testers with recognition or in-game perks.Twitch drops: Partner with streamers to offer in-game rewards during beta streams, encouraging players to tune in and sign up.Example: Valorant by Riot Games
Closed beta: Riot Games made Valorant ’s beta feel exclusive by requiring players to watch Twitch streams to earn access. This strategy generated massive hype and engagement, as people scrambled to secure a spot.Feedback loop: Beta participants’ feedback was taken seriously, leading to game-balancing updates that made the community feel involved in shaping the final product.Example Tactic: Organize a beta event with a clear feedback mechanism, like polls or surveys, and publicly announce changes inspired by community suggestions.
Conclusion Creating a thriving player community before your game’s release isn’t just about generating buzz—it’s about building relationships, trust, and excitement that will carry your game to success. By combining strategic PR, authentic communication, influencer collaborations, community amplification, and meaningful playtests, you can turn casual interest into passionate advocacy.
But the journey doesn’t stop at launch. A strong gaming community is a living, evolving force. Keep the momentum going by engaging your players with regular updates, seasonal content, and transparent communication after your game’s initial release. Celebrate their contributions, listen to their feedback, and keep them excited for what’s next. When your community feels like they’re part of your game’s journey, they’ll root for it long after launch day.
Your game’s community is its heartbeat. Nurture it, and your game will thrive for years to come.
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