Web Development: How to Make a Gaming Channel Intro Video (+10 Top Templates)

Saturday, August 29, 2020

How to Make a Gaming Channel Intro Video (+10 Top Templates)

Learn how to make a memorable first impression for your gaming video channel in this tutorial.

How to Make Your Own Intro Video

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 you 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. In the video below, I show how to customise Logo - Digital Like, a Premiere Pro template from Envato Elements. We'll look at similar templates below, too

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.

First Impressions Can Be Lasting

The intro is your first opportunity to show what you're about. For an intro video to work, it needs to do two things: your intro helps would-be viewers to decide if they want to keep watching, and your intro is a reminder to repeat viewers of your channel that they're watching something from you.

Creating a quick intro video that keeps people's attention is not too hard; making a memorable introduction that holds up to repeat viewing is more challenging. Here are some key tips:

Work out your aims. It’s the same for any video channel: know what you want before you can work on making it a success.
Find your style. Brand your videos, even if it's basic, and be consistent. Part of this is building in your intro and outro.
Play fair. Don’t violate copyright laws. ‘Fair use’ is not a safety net.
Make a name for yourself. While you don’t want to box yourself into too small a box, try to be the ‘go to’ person for a particular type of content or knowledge; your intro is a great place for you to communicate whatever niche that is.

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

What Kind of Gaming Video?

There are a few popular types of gaming videos. If you make a broad range of 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.

Recommended Premiere Pro and After Effects 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 ten great opener templates for Premiere Pro and gaming intro templates for After Effects that fit with a gaming channel. Note, this section is kept up to date by Envato Tuts+ staff with the latest templates:

1. Gaming Logo Reveal for Premiere Pro

This YouTube gaming intro for Premiere Pro features stylized video game controllers revealing your channel logo. This is a professional and easy way to make your intro for your gaming channel. The pack includes three versions: horizontal, vertical and square.

2. RetroGaming Intro - Logo for Premiere Pro

RetroGaming Intro – Logo is a cool animated gaming intro template. It features a stunning combination of old school looking effects to reveal and enhance your videos. It contains six text placeholders and one logo placeholder, so customization is easy.