Gaming Influencer Marketing: What Brands Should Know

The gaming industry has moved far beyond niche entertainment. In 2025, the global games market is forecast to reach $188.8 billion, a 3.4% increase year on year, while the player base is expected to reach 3.6 billion worldwide. This means almost half of the global population now engages with gaming.

Gaming spans every demographic, from young players on Roblox to adults on Candy Crush and esports fans following international tournaments.

Within this landscape, gaming influencer marketing has become a powerful channel.

Creators act as trusted links between brands and communities. Unlike traditional advertising that interrupts the experience, influencer campaigns feel integrated into gaming culture, whether through a streamer showcasing new hardware or a TikTok creator sharing a gameplay clip that spreads rapidly.

Mobile vs Console: Two Different Worlds

Brands often make the mistake of treating all gaming campaigns alike. In practice, mobile and console or PC gaming require distinct strategies.

Mobile Games (Performance-Driven)

Mobile titles like Raid: Shadow Legends and Clash of Clans depend on rapid user acquisition, so influencer content is short, direct, and conversion-oriented. In the mobile space, many campaigns generate $5.78 to $6.50 revenue per dollar spent through influencers.

Influencers may run challenges, share gameplay clips, or promote limited-time offers via unique install links and promo codes. Their primary job is to drive installs and stimulate in-app spending.

Console/PC Games (Brand & Hype)

By contrast, console and AAA titles emphasise brand presence and narrative impact. At launch, publishers often invite influencers to preview events, build community excitement and run co-streamed premieres.

These campaigns lean heavily on cinematic storytelling, Twitch drops, esports tie-ins, and influencer–influencer matchups (e.g. Marvel Rivals working with SQUEEZIE GAMING and GotagaTV).

Here, success is not just conversions, but cultural impact, player loyalty, and enduring community engagement.

Why Gaming Influencers Matter 

Gamers place more trust in creators who live and breathe the culture than in conventional ads. Consider Valkyrae, who has held a multi-year brand ambassadorship with HyperX, appearing in their campaigns and product activations. That alignment works because her content, ethos, and audience already resonate with gaming gear and livestreaming culture.

Pokimane has also partnered with hardware brands, including NZXT. Her frequent displays of her streaming setup and gear, such as in room-tour content showcasing NZXT components, make those partnerships feel natural to her audience.

On TikTok and in mobile gaming, smaller creators bring agility. Their short gameplay clips often reach millions of viewers at minimal cost, appealing to niche audiences who want relatable content. In these campaigns, creators typically drive performance outcomes such as installs, in-app engagement or cost-efficient awareness, rather than broad branding objectives.

The right collaboration with a gaming influencer can directly influence purchase behaviour. Fans often adopt the same peripherals, devices or even consumables their favourite creators use, as the endorsement carries credibility from lived experience rather than scripted advertising.

Platforms Driving Campaigns

Each platform shapes how campaigns play out: 

Twitch: Real-Time Immersion

On Twitch, streams run for hours and deliver sustained audience engagement. Creators like Shroud have partnered with hardware brands, with Logitech releasing a “Shroud Edition” gaming mouse that was prominently featured in his streams. Campaigns on Twitch often include live product demonstrations, branded tournaments, and co-streamed launches that keep audiences interacting in real time.

TikTok: Viral Gaming Moments

TikTok thrives on short, energetic clips. The Botez Sisters have built large audiences through highlight edits and gaming clips that travel quickly across feeds. For gaming influencer marketing, TikTok is particularly effective for mobile growth campaigns, where creators share gameplay highlights, trending challenges, or sponsored mini-scenes that drive installs and rapid awareness.

YouTube: Depth and Authority

YouTube dominates long-form content, with creators producing in-depth reviews, walkthroughs, and let’s plays. Gaming campaigns on the platform focus on credibility and storytelling, turning product features into detailed narratives. Reviews from respected creators carry weight in purchase decisions because audiences trust their analysis and direct experience.

Discord: Community Activation

Discord is central to gaming communities, offering a space where brands and influencers can foster direct interaction. Campaigns often involve influencers moderating events, running exclusive giveaways, or managing fan hubs. This approach transforms casual viewers into active community members and sustains long-term engagement.

Building a Strong Gaming Influencer Campaign 

A strong gaming influencer campaign starts with clear objectives. For mobile titles, studios often aim to drive installs and early engagement, as shown by campaigns that delivered tens of thousands of new downloads across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. For console and PC titles, the goal is more often brand building, community buzz or pre-order momentum.

Choosing the right platform follows directly from objectives. Immersive platforms like Twitch suit console and PC campaigns where influencers can demo new titles live, host tournaments or premiere launch streams. Viral platforms like TikTok serve mobile games effectively, allowing creators to turn gameplay clips or mini-challenges into download triggers. YouTube is ideal for deeper content such as reviews, walkthroughs and feature comparisons that inform purchase decisions.

Narratives must be co-created with influencers to maintain authenticity. For example, in the run-up to Elden Ring: Night Reign, creators were given exclusive early access and freedom to present gameplay in their own style. This approach ensured the content felt like genuine discovery rather than imposed advertising.

Performance tracking is integral. In mobile campaigns, brands use install tracking links, promo codes and app analytics such as cost per install and retention to assess effectiveness. For console and PC campaigns, metrics include viewership hours, co-stream uptake, community sentiment or pre-order uplift. Careful measurement allows campaigns to be refined in real time.

Long-Term Partnerships Win

Brands that commit to long-term relationships with gaming influencers or organisations achieve greater impact than those relying on single campaigns. A prime example is FaZe Clan’s renewed multi-year sponsorship and equity deal with G FUEL, which includes co-branded product launches, in-person events and integration across FaZe Media’s creator content. G FUEL also acted as the presenting sponsor of FaZe’s Subathon, with the “FaZe G FUEL House” featured throughout the event. This alignment connected product development, content and fan engagement within one sustained partnership.

FaZe Clan’s collaboration with Nissan provides another illustration. Nissan partnered with FaZe to appear in esports content and branded activations, showing how non-endemic companies can invest long term in gaming organisations to build both credibility and reach.

In mobile game marketing, long-term influencer relationships often involve creators producing regular content tied to game updates, seasonal events or new features, ensuring consistent installs and player retention. For console and PC titles, long-term partnerships typically include early access programmes, repeat co-streamed launches and ongoing collaborations around competitive events or expansions. These approaches strengthen trust because audiences see creators engaging with products over time rather than in a single sponsored appearance.

Data-Driven Success

Gaming campaigns evolve quickly, which means brands cannot rely on guesswork. Measuring engagement is essential, whether through comments, shares or community reactions. Conversions must also be tracked, often via install codes, affiliate links or direct sales data. Retention provides another critical metric, showing whether players remain active after the initial install. A clear feedback loop of data, content and optimisation allows each campaign to be refined and improved in real time.

Future Gaming Trends

Esports Tie-Ins Expand Brand Reach

Brands are increasingly embedding themselves in esports tournaments and competitive events. For example, the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh features Valorant, League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics under a three-year partnership. This allows brands to access broad live audiences and tie influencer content into the excitement of global competition.

Immersive Tech: VR and AR Influencer Content

The launch of Resident Evil 4 VR for Meta Quest 2 showcased a strong influencer-driven approach. Selected creators were given early access, and they produced content ranging from first-hand gameplay experiences to reaction videos. This generated significant social media buzz and helped boost adoption among both VR veterans and newcomers.

TikTok-First and Mobile-Centric Campaigns Rise

Mobile games are shaping how brands think about influencer marketing, pushing for TikTok-first content that converts quickly. Campaigns such as PUBG Mobile India’s “Survivor’s Showdown” leveraged over one hundred micro and macro influencers to host live challenges, resulting in a boost of app downloads by 40% in a month.

AI-Powered Matchmaking and Creator Selection

Brands are adopting AI tools to improve how they pair with creators. LTK Match.AI is one such tool; it uses historical data to analyse creators’ past performance, audience demographics and product affinity to propose matches. Early testing showed that over half of the creators cast via the tool had not previously received collaboration offers through LTK, showing that AI can surface new talent effectively. 

Final Take: Gaming Influencer Marketing

Gaming influencer marketing is no longer an experiment but a proven growth channel. Brands that treat it with structure, authenticity and data-backed strategy see measurable gains in installs, sales and long-term brand equity. Success depends on selecting the right creators, aligning with the right platforms, and building partnerships that extend beyond a single campaign.

If your brand is ready to connect with gaming communities and achieve real impact, contact us today to explore tailored influencer marketing services.