How to Make a Gaming Video Intro for YouTube (With Premiere Pro Templates)

Tips & Tricks

How to Make a Gaming Video Intro for YouTube (With Premiere Pro Templates)

Tuts+Photography

If you want to make gaming videos to share on YouTube, there are lots of things to consider: one of the most important is your introduction. Learn how to make a memorable first impression in this article.

1. First Principles

There are lots of great articles and stats that you can read if you’re planning to set up a great gaming channel. Gaming covers a whole range of videos (I'll show you some examples below), but here's a good place for anyone to start:

Work out your goals: It’s the same for any video channel: know what you want before you can work on making it a success.
Anticipate Interaction: Look to have fun with your fans. Don’t just upload your video and leave, respond to questions and comments and even ask your fans what kind of content they’d like to see in the future.
Find Your Style: Brand your videos, even if it's basic, and be consistent. Part of this is building in your intro and outro. Link to your other social channels and cross-post where you can.
Schedule: Post regularly and consistently. You don’t need to upload fresh content every day but, if you’re consistent with when you do upload, your fans will come to know when to expect new releases.
Play Fair: Don’t violate copyright laws. ‘Fair use’ is not a safety net.
Make a Name for Yourself: Be famous for something. While you don’t want to box yourself into too small a niche, try to be the ‘go to’ person for a particular type of content or knowledge.

Also, try not to see similar video makers as the competition, it’s useful to work well with others and you might be able to take advantage of each other’s audience by collaborating on projects.

Photo by JESHOOTSCOM on Unsplash — Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

2. What Kind of Gaming Video?

There are a few popular types of gaming videos. If you make a broad range videos—maybe tutorials, trivia, and streaming play—then a broad range of visual content in your intro might make also make sense. If your channel is more specific, say a parody or commentary channel, think about giving clues and cues to the viewer that that is what they're about to watch. While also piquing their attention.

Game Tutorial and Tip Videos

The video demonstrates how to do something that other players might need help with. Example:

Game Commentary Videos

These channels discuss a game, review and compare the game play, critique creative and design aspects, or otherwise poke around in that game’s universe. Example:

Game Trivia

Information, ‘did you know’ style commentary, interesting tidbits about all things game, platform, maybe even industry-related. Example:

‘Twitch’ Style Player Streaming Videos and Walkthroughs

Where the host (and pals) record themselves playing a game while chatting or bantering. Example:

Parody or Satire Videos

Comedy channels that rely on personality and use games as a loose narrative for real-life skits. Example:

3. Make Your Own Gaming Into Video for YouTube

Your introduction is, basically, a slideshow: a way for your audience to instantly know you and what you do.

Keep your graphics simple.

Your intro should be quick—you don’t want them to click away before you’ve even got started. You also don't want to bore with a too-long introduction. Aim for 10-20 seconds, which sounds very short, but really isn’t.

Should place your intro right at the start? It’s not necessarily the best. Some people like to tease with a quick highlight of what they’re about to show, to get the viewer interested, and then use the short, standard intro that viewers (hopefully) recognise as that particular brand.

Obviously, your intro needs to reflect your visual style and be consistent. That usually means sticking with the same colour palette, logo and memorable channel name, and a familiar call to action.

If you don't have animation skills for After Effects or Apple Motion, no problem: a simple slideshow or animation template is an easy way to create an engaging intro video; we'll cover some templates and tutorials below.

If you’re not too confident when it comes to design or video skills, there are sites such as Placeit (also part of Envato) where you can create a Gaming Channel Youtube Intro Video Maker without needing any additional software.

4. Recommended Premiere Templates for Gaming Video Intros

If you already have an Adobe suite like After Effects or Premiere Pro, then you might find sites like Envato Market and Envato Elements have what you’re looking for. Here are five great templates for Premiere Pro that fit with a gaming channel: