“2025 Game Influencer Marketing: The Ultimate Guide (Part 1)”

Today, with an active gaming population of 3.32 billion, the competition for players’ attention is fiercer than ever. In 2025, gaming is no longer just about attracting players — it’s about building meaningful connections with them. Due to the extensive nature of this topic, this content will be split into two parts, to be released sequentially.

Back to the main point: in recent years, as consumers increasingly reject overt sales tactics, marketing has shifted toward authenticity-driven strategies. This is where game influencers come into play. These passionate gamers don’t just play games — they lead, critique, and celebrate gaming alongside their communities. They’re not merely skilled players; they’re ambassadors and central figures in the gaming world. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube allow them to share reviews, tips, and live gameplay, cultivating loyal followings who trust their opinions.

Game influencer marketing can determine a game’s success, whether it’s a AAA title or an indie project. Thanks to strategic partnerships with top content creators, Apex Legends attracted 25 million players in its first week and reached 50 million by the end of its first month. Meanwhile, Slay the Spire saw slow sales after its 2017 early access release, with only 2,000 copies sold in its first week. However, after sending keys to influencers, a popular Chinese streamer with over a million viewers broadcasted the game on Twitch, leading to a massive surge in sales that ultimately made it the second best-selling game on Steam.

But how do you seize this opportunity? As a game publisher or marketer, how do you determine if a game influencer aligns with your strategy? How do you leverage them to drive tangible results, like downloads? And most importantly, how do you ensure your influencer marketing budget is spent wisely to maximize your return on ad spend (ROAS)?

Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or a newcomer to the industry, our comprehensive guide to game influencer marketing will help you navigate this influencer landscape and make the most of your opportunities.

Check out this list of game influencers

Why Partner with Game Influencers?

As the gaming audience grows, so does the potential to connect with this engaged community through influencers. By 2025, the game influencer marketing industry is projected to reach a scale of $4.6 billion. Harnessing the power of game influencer marketing is a strategic way to tap into this vast market, offering a range of benefits, including:

Game Discovery
Thousands of new games are released every year, and standing out is like finding a needle in a haystack. Game influencers play a critical role in how players discover and engage with new games. A recent study by BGM Game reveals that most gamers find new games through YouTube and other social media platforms, with YouTube being 26% more likely to be used than the second-ranked platform, TikTok.

The Trust Factor

The core of influencer impact lies in trust. Over years of building strong relationships with their audiences, influencers have earned respect, and their opinions carry weight. When they recommend a game, their fans take notice. This trust boosts engagement and genuine interest in the games they promote. In fact, gaming audiences exhibit over 50% higher loyalty than average, indicating they are deeply committed to the creators they enjoy and follow.

Game influencers have a unique way of capturing attention. Whether through live streams or pre-recorded videos, their content entertains and resonates with viewers. Live streaming allows real-time interaction, where influencers react to gameplay, answer questions, and build robust fan communities. On the other hand, on-demand videos offer polished, in-depth content for viewers who prefer watching at their leisure.

Guiding Players’ Purchasing Decisions

Gamers tend to be more inclined to spend, with purchasing power far exceeding the average. Enthusiasts who play games for 10 or more hours per week have double the disposable income of non-gamers. Additionally, 74% of YouTube gamers say they’re willing to pay extra for high-quality media and entertainment products.

Watching gaming content also drives purchases. A study titled The Relationship Between Video Game Content Consumption, Gameplay, and Purchasing found that consuming esports, “Let’s Play” videos, and reviews significantly influences spending on games. In short, the more time people spend on gaming content, the more likely they are to make game-related purchases.

When to Start Leveraging Influencer Marketing for Your Game?

You’ve spent years developing your game, and as the release approaches, it’s time to focus on influencer marketing — especially in a fast-paced space like Web3 — to get your project in front of the right audience. We recommend engaging influencers as soon as you have a playable version for them to experience. Game influencers can guide potential players through all stages of the game’s lifecycle, offering multiple touchpoints to effectively engage audiences and spark interest.

Early Development: Building anticipation during early development is a strategic advantage. Game influencers can play a key role at this stage by sharing exclusive previews, concept art, and behind-the-scenes content. This not only generates excitement but also fosters a community invested in the game’s progress.
Beta Testing: During development, hiring influencers as playtesters can provide critical feedback on mechanics, graphics, and the overall experience. Involving influencers in beta testing not only refines the game but also builds anticipation within the community.
Pre-Launch: Audiences love getting full game previews before the official release. Granting influencers early access allows them to showcase the game and instill confidence in its quality among potential players. This is also highly beneficial for developers, ensuring early pre-registrations. For example, Steam wishlists are crucial for pre-launch success — having influencers direct their fans to your Steam page can encourage wishlist additions, boosting visibility before launch.
Launch: On release day, influencers can introduce your game live, generating more excitement than traditional ads. With timed announcements, previews, and exclusive content, publishers can create a wave of enthusiasm that thrusts the game into the spotlight. Whether through live streams or dedicated videos, influencers help drive immediate player engagement and attract a flood of new players, making your launch a success.
Post-Launch Updates: Post-launch, maintaining community engagement is key. Partnering with influencers to promote post-launch content — like expansions, DLCs, and seasonal events — keeps the game relevant and exciting. Their ongoing involvement ensures players stay invested and eager to explore new experiences. Influencers can also host tournaments, contests, and challenges to encourage participation. This interactivity extends the game’s lifespan by giving players fresh goals and incentives.

Timeline for Launching a Game Influencer Campaign

Setting up an influencer marketing campaign typically takes about 6–8 weeks to execute smoothly, especially when dealing with multiple influencers. For a single influencer, a month of preparation might suffice, but larger campaigns require more time for coordination and content review. Here’s a general breakdown of the timeline:

Week 1: Send requests to influencers and receive initial responses. On average, only 30–40% of influencers respond upfront, so don’t wait for everyone — start working with those who reply. If you entrust this to us, we can immediately confirm KOL collaboration timelines to save you time. Check out these KOLs: http://chainpeak.notion.site
Week 2: Follow up with influencers who haven’t responded. We recommend sending at least two follow-up messages during this period.
Week 3: Negotiate terms, briefings, and finalization. This includes settling agreements, providing game materials, and briefing influencers to ensure they have everything needed for content creation.
Weeks 4–5: Influencer video production. Allow time for video creation, but keep in mind some influencers may be busy with other projects or travel.
Week 6: Feedback and revisions. Review the content and provide feedback, allowing time for necessary changes or edits.
Week 7: Content release and initial evaluation. Publish the content and begin assessing its performance, focusing on early engagement metrics.

How to Choose Influencers for Your Game Marketing Campaign?

Selecting the right influencers to promote your game is a complex process that directly impacts the campaign’s success. The chosen influencers will affect key performance indicators like reach, engagement, and conversion rates.

Influencer Adoption Cycle

We’ve observed that cross-platform influencers typically fall into three categories: enthusiasts, early adopters, and mainstream influencers. This pattern closely aligns with the innovation adoption cycle, detailed by Geoffrey Moore in his tech marketing book Crossing the Chasm.

In this cycle, enthusiasts are the first to engage with new games. They’re eager to explore, experiment, and introduce their audiences to something different. Enthusiasts are vital for kickstarting momentum, as their viewers expect variety and innovation. They often pave the way for new game launches, inspiring other influencers to follow suit. For example, on YouTube, Wanderbots is an enthusiast. If you send him a new game he enjoys, he’ll create a video about it without needing compensation.

Next come early adopters, who are more selective but still willing to try new things before the majority. Using the same example, when Wanderbots plays a game, other influencers with similar audiences — like Retromation and Splattercatgaming — often notice the video. If the game aligns with their interests, they’ll create their own content. These influencers influence each other’s choices, building on the initial excitement.

However, there’s often a “chasm” between early excitement and broader audiences. This is where mainstream influencers come in. These influencers are more cautious, preferring to see a game gain traction before jumping in. They tend to be larger, more established channels that follow trends and typically cover a game only after it’s proven popular among early adopters. By doing so, they help push the game into the mainstream, reaching a wider general audience after the early movers validate the initial buzz.

Understanding where influencers sit in this adoption cycle is key to targeting them effectively and timing your promotion for maximum impact. In summary, enthusiasts start the momentum, early adopters amplify it, and mainstream influencers bring it to the masses. Connecting with all of them at the right time is critical.

Evaluating Influencer Relevance

The next crucial step in the selection process is assessing how well an influencer aligns with the video game you’re promoting.

Recent Gaming Activity: Start by checking the games an influencer has recently played or discussed. Review their last 20 videos and what they’ve covered over the past year. Aim to find influencers who have featured at least 2–3 games similar to yours.
Genre and Themes: Look at the primary genres and themes the influencer focuses on, such as RPGs, strategy games, or horror and fantasy themes. Check their top 5 most popular games to understand what they typically cover and ensure it matches the genre of the game you’re promoting.
Platform Preference: Knowing whether an influencer primarily plays on mobile, PC, or consoles is essential. Look at the platforms they mention in their videos to see what they usually focus on. If an influencer mainly plays mobile games, they might not be as effective at covering a PC or console game, so prioritize those who play on your game’s platform.

When it comes to relevance, a phased approach helps achieve the best results:

Start with Niche Influencers: Begin with influencers who specialize in your game’s primary genre (whether RPGs, FPS, or simulation games). These influencers have dedicated audiences who already enjoy similar games, making them ideal for targeted promotion and detailed content.
Move to Adjacent Genres: Once you’ve gained traction with niche influencers, reach out to those in related genres. These creators engage with audiences who share overlapping interests, helping expand reach and attract players who might enjoy your game due to its themes or style.
Go Big with Broad Channels: In the final stage, bring in influencers who reach wide audiences to ensure maximum exposure. These influencers may not focus on your game’s genre, but their broad influence boosts overall visibility and attracts diverse gamers.

Example: This phased strategy worked wonders for launching Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader, a story-driven RPG by Owlcat Games.

Analyzing Performance Metrics
The next step is analyzing performance metrics, which are vital for understanding the potential success of working with an influencer. Publishers should focus on these key data points:

Average Views: For influencers posting video content, checking the median and average views of their recent videos is crucial. This helps balance the impact of viral hits or underperforming content, giving a clear picture of their typical performance. Analyzing video views over the past 30–60 days provides insight into how their content resonates with audiences and their engagement levels.

Average Concurrent Viewers (Twitch): For Twitch influencers, focus on their average concurrent viewers (CCV) across their last 20 streams. CCV is a key metric for gauging live stream engagement, reflecting the average number of viewers actively watching at any given time. Twitch streamers with higher CCV likely have loyal, engaged audiences.

True Reach: True reach is an important indicator for filtering out influencers with inactive or fake followers. Calculate it by dividing the average views over the past 30 days by the total number of subscribers. This gives a realistic view of how many of their followers actively engage with their content. For example, if an influencer has 500,000 subscribers but their videos average only 10,000 views, their true reach is much lower, suggesting low audience engagement.

Engagement Rate: This measures how actively an audience interacts with an influencer’s content. It’s typically calculated by dividing the total number of likes, comments, and shares by the average views of their recent content.

For example, if an influencer averages 2,000 likes, 500 comments, and 300 shares per video with an average view count of 100,000, their engagement rate is approximately 2.8%. A high engagement rate indicates an active and interested audience.

Recent Activity: Publishers should also evaluate how frequently an influencer posts or streams. Consistent, regular activity is a strong indicator of audience engagement and activity. Influencers who regularly release high-quality content are more likely to retain audience interest and keep them engaged. For instance, an influencer streaming 4–5 times a week or posting videos every few days is likely to have a more captive audience than one who posts sporadically.

Other Considerations

Audience Demographics and Geography: Ensure the influencer’s audience aligns with your target market in terms of age, gender, and geographic location. This is especially critical for region-specific campaigns. Keep in mind that an influencer’s location doesn’t always reflect their audience’s, so requesting an analysis of their audience’s geographic breakdown is vital for relevance.
Past Partnerships: Review the influencer’s previous brand collaborations to assess how they’ve worked with others in the industry and the results they’ve achieved. This insight helps predict their effectiveness for your campaign.
Controversy/Red Flags: Be mindful of any potential controversies or red flags associated with the influencer. Negative publicity can significantly harm your campaign, so thoroughly researching their history and reputation is essential to mitigate risks.
Campaign Goals: Ensure the influencers you choose align with your specific campaign objectives, whether it’s brand awareness, product launches, or driving downloads.
For Download Goals: If the primary goal is to boost game downloads, start with niche influencers who attract highly targeted audiences, then scale to broader influencers as the campaign progresses. Focus on long-form content like in-depth reviews and live streams, which offer more opportunities to showcase gameplay and drive conversions.
For Brand Awareness: If the goal is to increase visibility, target larger influencers with broader reach. In this case, short, cost-effective content integrations (e.g., brief mentions or shoutouts) can optimize both awareness and engagement simultaneously.

Next Steps After Receiving Responses from KOLs

Once influencers express interest in your game, it’s time to provide a comprehensive campaign brief. This document sets clear expectations, deliverables, and timelines to ensure a smooth and successful collaboration.

Campaign Brief

Content Format: Define the specific types of content you’re seeking — such as gameplay videos, live streams, or social media posts — and specify the number of deliverables for the campaign. Agree on details like content length and style, whether it’s a beginner’s guide, tutorial, quick review, or retrospective. For more on specific influencer content types, refer to the section on influencer categories in the article.
Release Dates: Set a schedule for content release, including any draft deadlines (if approval is required). Consider aligning posts with key events like launch day or Steam sales to maximize impact, and use a shared content calendar for seamless coordination.
Key Requirements: Outline basic guidelines, including calls-to-action, tracking links, and any necessary disclosures (e.g., #ad or #sponsored). Discussing expected game progress and specific areas to showcase can also be helpful, giving influencers direction while allowing creative freedom.
Key Talking Points: Highlight the points you want covered, such as the game’s unique features, positioning, or special promotions. Keep these clear but flexible so influencers can authentically weave them into their content.
Assets and Resources: Provide a list of necessary assets — like logos, artwork, or gameplay footage — and confirm delivery timelines to ensure influencers have everything they need to create high-quality content.

Formal Agreement

In addition to the items already covered in the brief, the formal contract should include:

Compensation Terms: Clearly outline payment details, including the total amount, payment method, and schedule (e.g., 50% upfront, 50% upon completion). For performance-based payments, specify metrics tied to compensation (e.g., views or sales) and any bonuses for high engagement or sales.
Usage Rights: Define any permissions for reusing influencer content on other platforms or in future campaigns. Specify the scope and duration of these rights (e.g., one-year digital rights for social media).
Exclusivity: If needed, add exclusivity clauses to prevent influencers from promoting competing brands in the gaming category during and shortly after the campaign. Specify the duration and any additional compensation (if applicable).
FTC Compliance: Require adherence to FTC guidelines, ensuring influencers include clear disclosures (e.g., #ad or #sponsored). Specify brand expectations for disclosure placement, such as at the video’s start or periodically during streams.
Approval Process: Outline any pre-publication review requirements, including the number of revision rounds allowed, expected turnaround times, and the final approval process.
Termination Clauses: Include terms for early termination, covering unmet deadlines, unfulfilled obligations, or breaches of content guidelines. Specify any compensation adjustments or penalties if content isn’t delivered as agreed.
Confidentiality: Include a confidentiality clause to protect sensitive campaign details — like budgets, unreleased game features, or proprietary info — ensuring both parties agree to safeguard all information.

Adding these items to the formal contract ensures clarity, accountability, and consistency, fostering a smooth and professional collaboration. If you partner with ChainPeak, you can rest assured — we’ll account for all of this before the collaboration begins.

Maintaining open communication throughout the campaign keeps everyone aligned. Regular check-ins allow you to address updates, resource needs, or adjustments. As deadlines approach, send timely reminders to ensure everything stays on track. After the campaign, provide performance feedback and, if successful, explore potential for future collaborations.

How to Budget for a Game Influencer Marketing Campaign

If you’re unsure where to start, use your budget as a guide. Aligning it with your goals helps determine the campaign’s scale. Estimating return on investment (ROI) and ensuring informed decisions about marketing spend is critical.

Before creating any sponsored content for a game, brands and influencers must agree on payment terms. There are many approaches to this, and the key is finding a fair structure that works for both parties.

Key Factors Influencing Sponsored Pricing

Game sponsorships aren’t one-size-fits-all — several factors affect how much influencers get paid:

Platform: Each platform has different pricing standards. For example, Twitch streams often cost more than TikTok posts due to their live, interactive nature.
Scale and Engagement: It’s not just about follower count. More important are average views and engagement — how many people interact with their content, watch streams, or comment on posts.
Experience: An influencer’s experience and reputation matter. Those who’ve worked in gaming for a while and have a proven track record typically charge more, bringing credibility and reliable results.
Campaign Scope: The complexity or duration of the campaign also affects pricing. A single stream or post costs less than a month-long collaboration where the influencer continuously promotes the game. Larger campaigns might offer discounted rates for long-term deals.

Common Compensation Models

There are several ways to structure influencer payments, each aligning with specific business goals:

Flat Fee Per Video/Stream: A straightforward fixed rate per piece of content (e.g., $5,000 for a YouTube video review). This works for one-off collaborations or influencers with set rate cards based on past performance.
CPM Deals (Cost Per Mille): Influencers earn based on how many people view their content, calculated in increments of 1,000 views. For example, with a $25 CPM rate, a video with 100,000 views earns $2,500.
CPVH Deals (Cost Per View Hour): Primarily for streams, this model pays based on total viewer hours. For instance, if a streamer’s rate is $1.00 per viewer hour and they stream for one hour with an average of 1,000 viewers, they earn $1,000 (1 hour * 1,000 viewers * $1.00/viewer hour).
Flat Fee + Performance Bonus: A base rate combined with extra rewards tied to performance metrics (e.g., bonuses for exceeding view or sales targets). For example, a YouTuber might get $3,000 for a video, plus $30 per thousand views beyond 100,000.
Sales Percentage: In some cases, influencers earn a commission from each sale or download they drive, directly tying their pay to performance. For example, a TikTok influencer might promote a free game download and earn 10% of in-app purchases from their audience.
Content Usage Rights Fee: Brands can also negotiate rights to repurpose influencer content in their own marketing. This might include licensing fees for using a YouTube video or Twitch clip in ads, typically increasing the cost.

How Much to Pay?
Web3 game project teams often ask, “What results can our budget achieve?” To guide your planning, here are 2024 budget benchmarks with examples from our standard rate infographic, covering major social media platforms and gaming content formats.

Rate Benchmark Examples
Here are some sample costs to consider for YouTube and Twitch sponsorships:

YouTube Video Sponsorship (60–90 Second Integration)

Average Cost: $25–40 CPM

Example: If you want a YouTuber to promote your game with a 60–90 second integration and the video gets 150,000 views, the cost might be:

Low End: $25 CPM x 150 (thousands of views) = $3,750

High End: $40 CPM x 150 = $6,000

So, for a YouTube sponsorship with 150,000 expected views, budget between $3,750 and $6,000.

Twitch Sponsorship (2-Hour Segment)

Average Cost: $1–2 per viewer hour

Example: For a Twitch streamer with an average of 2,000 concurrent viewers over a 2-hour sponsored segment:

Low End: $1 per hour x 2,000 viewers x 2 hours = $4,000

High End: $2 per hour x 2,000 viewers x 2 hours = $8,000

For this Twitch sponsorship, expect a budget of $4,000 to $8,000, depending on the influencer’s rate.

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