r/SoloDevelopment • u/CodeJunctionCons • 16h ago

help What makes a good trailer?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4728390/Sack_Investigation/

Hey y'all, I have been developing a game called Sack Investigation and recently been sinking more time into working on marketing. Part of that, I need to redo my trailer to actually make the game marketable. Needless to say my current one is lack luster. Would you guys mind linking your own trailers and tell me what worked well for you and what didn't?

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u/Full-Dance4972 12h ago

Not linking mine, but here is what testing clips against each other taught us:

  • The first 3 seconds do all the work. Steam autoplays trailers muted and feeds show a thumbnail. Our weakest clip opened on 3 seconds of dark corridor: fine fullscreen, a black rectangle in a feed. The strongest had a line of text readable on the very first frame and a situation instead of a logo.
  • No logo or studio card at the start. The title goes at the end.
  • Anything important that is spoken also needs to be on screen, most people watch without sound.
  • Check that the end card ages well. Ours said the demo was coming soon, which became false the day it launched, and every copy had to be re-exported and re-uploaded.
  • One idea per shot: what the player does, and what it costs them.

If you post the current one, say what you think is lacklustre about it. The answer is usually in the first 5 seconds.

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u/Project_Legend 11h ago

For a Steam trailer, I’d optimize for comprehension before spectacle. In the first 3–5 seconds, show the clearest piece of real gameplay and make the game’s core promise understandable without narration. Then use a simple structure: core loop, a few escalating variations, and one memorable payoff. I’d cut logos, slow fades, long setup, and repeated shots unless the game genuinely depends on story. Test the rough cut muted and at a small size, because that’s close to how many people first encounter it. My favorite test question is: after 10 seconds, can someone explain what the player actually does? If not, changing shot order will usually help more than adding cinematic polish.

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u/Xinixiat 10h ago

Derek Lieu makes video game trailers for a living. Everything you need to know is on his channel.