Game on: creating a gaming logo with Vectornator

Gamers, take your headphones off and listen up. This one's for you.

Today, we’re talking all about gaming logos. How to create them, where to use them, and what they should look like.

Vectornator is the perfect tool for creating unique gaming logos with personalty.

Whether you're creating a logo for your personal Twitch profile or working on a branded gaming company's logo, you're in the right place.

There's a huge industry out there, and with popular streaming platforms like Twitch, individual gamers are able to make lucrative incomes from playing video games.

If you're running a gaming business or managing your own Twitch page, you should consider creating a logo. And chances are, if you made your way here, you are looking to do just that.

Influencer marketing and DIY marketing are growing, and luckily, our platform is specifically designed to be affordable and easy to use. So if you're creating your own marketing materials for the first time, Vectornator is the perfect tool!

We love to help you learn how to use our platform for any specific niche you might be interested in. And today, that niche is video game logos.

In this article, we'll briefly cover the history of video games, what makes a good gaming logo, some examples of companies who got it right, and ways you can use your logo once you create it. Finally, we'll teach you how to create a gaming logo from scratch using Vectornator.

Most people have heard of video games, and most have played them in one form or another.

However, even pro gamers might not know about the origin of the industry. We won’t bore you with the entire history, but here's a quick look at how video gaming began.

A brief history of video games

In 2021, almost everyone can say that they play video games, either on their phones or on a gaming device.

But before video games captured our attention, there was a time when they didn't exist. And it wasn't all that long ago either.

The history of video games is full of stories of entrepreneurship, hard work, mistakes, criticism, and setbacks. This isn't surprising considering video games themselves were initially created to be toys for children, rather than the intense multiplayer games that they are now.

Video games first came onto the scene in the 1960s, with MIT's Spacewar!, created in 1962.

In the 1970s, the first consumer-grade games were brought into households. Around the same time, arcades were filled with games such as Atari, Computer Space, and Pong.

Once video games made their way into our homes, there was criticism of children spending too much time playing them, and this still continues today. Despite the controversy, Xbox's, Nintendo Switches, and Playstations are commonplace in most homes and a major domestic success.

Plus, there is a thrilling world of professional gaming, also known as Esports, that has exploded onto the scene. Major tournaments held worldwide have gained a ton of popularity and success in the past decade.

In 2020, video gamers were captivated by the popular video game, Animal Crossing. Animal Crossing is an easily accessible online game for the handheld Nintendo Switch, created by the giant gaming corporation, Nintendo.

Animal Crossing Fan Art

Animal Crossing Fan Art designed by Ann-Sophie De Steur. Connect with them on Dribbble; the global community for designers and creative professionals.

DribbbleAnn-Sophie De Steur

This craze resulted in Nintendo Switches selling out virtually everywhere and created a robust online gaming community of people who previously may not have played video games at all.

The popularity of Animal Crossing showed the world that anybody could join a gaming community.

The increasing demand also means that marketing teams for video games need to step up their game. The video game industry is becoming a saturated market, with many gamers and gaming companies seeking the same audience.

That means you need to get creative when creating a video game logo. And with Vectornator's simple logo-making process, there's no better place to start.

Creating a video game logo isn’t much different from other logos. It just needs to be specifically tailored for the gaming community.

Let's get started with the basics: what makes a good logo for the gaming industry?

What makes a good gaming logo?

So, every brand or company needs a logo. But what makes a good one?

Gaming Flat Icons

Gaming Flat Icons designed by Dighital. Connect with them on Dribbble; the global community for designers and creative professionals.

DribbbleDighital

Gone are the days when only major companies took the time to create and design logos. Today, people create logos for their personal Instagram pages, weddings, small businesses, and streaming pages.

But if you're new to creating logos and marketing materials, you might be wondering where to start. Well, we've got you covered.

Let's go over the basics of what should be included in your gaming logo and what will help set you apart from the competition.

Three main elements make up most logos: font or typefaces, icons, and brand colors. This is similar to the basic principles of creating any logo but with a gaming twist.

• Creative typefaces: A custom typeface will set your company apart from the rest. Next, we'll be showing you some examples of gaming logos so you can check out the gaming logo fonts they use. Typically, gaming logos feature modern and futuristic fonts, but we've also seen retro fonts become a popular trend in gaming logos.
• Gaming icons. Most logos have an icon of some kind, and for a gaming logo, that icon is usually related to gaming. You want to make sure that the gaming community relates to and can identify your brand quickly. Another popular trend is to create an icon with a significant letter in your logo: like the A in Atari or the X in Xbox.
• Careful color choices. Video game logos typically use bright colors. But don't just go with the most neon, bright color you can find. Consider color theory when you pick the colors you will use in your logo. And don't be afraid to create a logo in black and white or use a minimalist or more refined color palette.

Now, use this knowledge to carefully inspect the examples below and see how they executed these three principles perfectly.

Examples of gaming logos

Let's get inspired before we dive into the details of how to create a gaming logo.

Inspiration is an invaluable part of the creative process, and we want to make that process easier for you. That's why we gathered up a list of some of our favorite examples of gaming logos.

These awesome gaming logos will help you determine what the video game industry typically creates. Famous video game logos like these are perfect references for coming up with your own, since they're the leading examples in the industry.

You might find that you don't quite relate to the logos used for household names like Xbox and Atari, but don’t worry—we get it. That's a lot to live up to.

We'll include a mix of recognizable logos from big brands, as well as logos by small, modern brands that might help refresh your ideas.

Use your sharp eye to inspect the different styles and symbols in these brand logos. This is a great way to figure out what you like and what you don't like for when it's time to create your own.

We're going to go out on a limb here and guess that you probably know this logo. Xbox is a name so well-known that even non-gamers recognize it.

The video game giant, Xbox, is a gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles and an assortment of games.

Xbox's marketing team picked a glowing neon green shade for their icon and font and opted for a futuristic and boxy font. There have been several iterations of the logo over the years, but the font color and icon have remained relatively similar.

We love this logo because it is simple and instantly recognizable. Plus, the bold color immediately grabs your attention.

Atari

Atari is a Nintendo company that was the biggest name in the video game market from the 1970s until the 1980s.

The icon in the logo is an abstract representation of the letter A. According to Atari, "The two side pieces of the Atari symbol represent two opposing video game players, with the centerline of the 'Pong' court in the middle."

We love this logo because it's a classic example of the video game industry's approach to logo design. However, even we have to admit that it's not terribly exciting.

You can see that Atari opted for a simple and symbolic logo that isn't overdone or complicated. It's easy to read, immediately identifiable, and clean.

However, it could be more fun and modern. Let's take a look at a few contemporary designs to show you what people in the industry are doing today.

Play Giant Studios

Sava Stoic created this logo on Dribbble for a video game brand called Play Giant Studio.

We love the character icon that is worked into the letters, as well as the fun and playful font. The character icon created by this designer is creative and makes a distinct impression right away.

We also like that the designer opted for a splash of color in the accent hue for the text box around the word "studio."

Final Stage

Another Dribble find that we're obsessing over. This logo was created by Jason2014, and we have to say—we love it!

The font and color choices in this design pay homage to the retro gamer style. The font is bubbly and funky, and the neon glow shadow makes the words pop.

Vintage logos are very much in style right now, and this logo nails that trend.

Monster Orcs

Monster Orcs is an Esports team from Mutant Football League, an arcade-style football game for Monster and Mutant characters. According to the Official Game Manual, the Monster Orcs are “big, brash, brainless brawlers that devastate offenses with their superb hitting power.”

The Monster Orcs vector logo perfectly represents this badass team’s tough reputation. It features a rather intimidating-looking green monster who is depicted bursting through a shield and holding the logo in his huge hands. The character’s eyes stare directly at the onlooker, sending a confident message that this team aren’t afraid to compete. Additionally, the green flames at the sides are a thoughtful detail that frame the entire design.

Now that you're inspired, let's dive in to creating your own unique video game logo.

How to create a gaming logo

With Vectornator, you can create a custom, eye-catching gaming logo without learning to use complex design software like the Adobe Creative Cloud.

Vectornator makes the logo design process easy. Our design software is simple to use and perfect for beginner logo designers. We have hundreds of fonts, an intuitive editor, a library of icons, and design templates.

At Vectornator, we are firm believers that every logo needs to be created in vector graphics. A logo created using Vectornator can be made for something as small as a business card and scaled to the size of a billboard.

For the visual learners out there, check out this video by one of our partners, Will Paterson, about gaming logo design.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Open up a template that works best for you: We have tons of templates available to help you get started. If you're creating this logo for your Twitch profile, check out our Twitch size guide to see what size template you should use to create your logo. We also have templates for other social media channels.
2. You'll start with a blank layout and a white background.
3. Add your design elements. Use the pen tool or shape tools to create unique designs for your icon. You can use other tools like our gesture control to personalize your shapes and create an icon.
4. Pick a font to write your business name. We have tons of options, and you can even use our font tool, Fontinator, to create and save your own.
5. Pick your colors.
6. Save your design, and you're done! Our easy export options will make it simple to export this design anywhere you need it to go.

We recommend trying out a few iterations of a logo design, especially when you're first starting out. We also suggest asking for feedback on your designs until you find the one that best fits your brand.

How to use a gaming logo

Like other logos, a gaming logo can be the perfect way to create strong brand recognition. Placing this logo in as many places as possible is crucial.

Here are some ideas of places where you can use your logo once you've created it.

• Gaming channels: Twitch, Discord, and other streaming platforms like it can be another great place to utilize your gaming logo. To create a brand identity that your subscribers recognize, you'll want to splash your logo anywhere you can on your page.
• Website: Your website should completely represent your brand and should strongly feature your logo and any branded materials.
• Social media platforms: Like your website, your social media pages should be immediately identifiable and branded. We recommend using your new logo as your profile image on any social channels to create a strong brand image for your current and potential customers.
• Gaming apparel and swag: Another creative way to incorporate your logo is to place it on clothing or accessories like a gaming backpacks or gaming headphones, which are gaming crowd favorites. Your customers will become walking billboards for your brand when they wear your apparel.
• Proposals and any official documents: Official documents like contracts and proposals should always incorporate your logo in some way to appear official and contribute to your brand identity.

Now that you know how many places your logo can be featured, it's time to get creative.

Get ready, gamers!

There are hundreds of gaming logos out there, so the competition is steep. If you're part of the video game community, use your knowledge plus the skills you learned in this article to give yourself an edge in this competitive industry.

The future of gaming is bright, and there are so many opportunities for gamers to monetize their brand. Now that you're ready to create your own logo, you're well on your way to creating a brand that will help you gain more followers or customers.

Look at the logo designs for your favorite games, get creative, and have fun with it. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

If you create a gaming logo with Vectornator, share it with us on socials! We might even post it on our own page.