To write a compelling video game name, focus on creating a title that is short, simple, enticing, and unique, effectively capturing your game's essence while ensuring market appeal and legal safety.
How to Write a Video Game Name
Crafting the perfect video game name is a critical step in marketing and establishing your game's identity. A strong name not only attracts players but also communicates the game's core experience, making it memorable and easily shareable.
Core Principles for Naming Your Game
A successful video game name adheres to several key principles that enhance its discoverability, memorability, and appeal.
Keep it Concise and Short
A shorter name is easier to remember, type, and search for. On platforms like app stores and digital storefronts, longer titles can often be truncated, hiding crucial parts of your game's identity. Aim for brevity to ensure your title is fully visible and impactful everywhere it appears.
- Practical Tip: Test how your potential name looks on various app icons and storefront listings.
- Examples: Portal, Limbo, Minecraft, Fall Guys.
Embrace Simplicity
Opt for names that are easy to spell and pronounce. Using common words or straightforward combinations helps with word-of-mouth marketing and ensures players can easily find your game when searching online. Avoid complex jargon, obscure references, or difficult-to-spell words that could lead to frustration or misspellings.
- Benefits:
- Improved Memorability: Simple names stick in people's minds.
- Easier Sharing: Players can confidently recommend your game to friends.
- Reduced Search Errors: Fewer typos mean more successful searches.
- Examples: Among Us, Candy Crush Saga, Rocket League.
Make it Enticing
Your game name is often the first point of contact with potential players, so it needs to be captivating. It should hint at the game's genre, atmosphere, or unique selling proposition, promising an engaging and fun experience. A good name sparks curiosity and makes people want to learn more.
- Techniques:
- Use evocative language that suggests adventure, mystery, action, or emotion.
- Align the name with your game's core theme or narrative hook.
- Consider your target audience and what appeals to them.
- Examples: Grand Theft Auto, BioShock, The Witcher, Red Dead Redemption.
Ensure Uniqueness
A truly unique name is crucial for standing out in a crowded market and avoiding legal complications. Conduct thorough research to ensure your chosen name isn't already in use, trademarked, or too similar to existing titles. A distinctive name helps establish your brand and prevents confusion.
- Steps for Checking Uniqueness:
- Importance: A unique name protects your intellectual property and builds a strong, recognizable brand.
- Examples: Zelda, Stardew Valley, Cyberpunk 2077.
Strategies for Brainstorming Game Names
When brainstorming, explore various approaches to find a name that resonates with your game and audience.
- Keyword Association: List all words related to your game's genre, setting, characters, mechanics, and themes.
- Descriptive Names: Directly explain what the game is about (e.g., Flight Simulator, Need for Speed).
- Evocative Names: Suggest a mood, theme, or feeling without being literal (e.g., Destiny, Celeste).
- Character/Location-Based Names: Use a prominent character's name or a key setting (e.g., Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Fallout: New Vegas).
- Portmanteaus/Invented Words: Combine two words or create a unique word (e.g., Pokémon (Pocket Monsters), Wii).
Comparing Game Name Types
| Name Type | Description | Pros | Cons | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive | Clearly states what the game is or what players do. | Easy to understand, good for SEO. | Can be generic, less memorable. | Assetto Corsa, Hitman |
| Evocative | Suggests a mood, theme, or experience without being literal. | Creates intrigue, highly memorable, unique. | Might not immediately convey genre, requires context. | Journey, Limbo, Abzû |
| Abstract/Invented | Unique words or non-existent terms. | Highly unique, strong brand identity. | Requires more marketing to establish meaning, harder to recall. | Zelda, Tetris, Fortnite |
| Character/Setting | Named after a protagonist, antagonist, or significant location. | Good for series, establishes a hero/world. | Can be limiting if the game scope changes, less descriptive. | Max Payne, Diablo, Skyrim |
The Naming Process
- Brainstorm Broadly: Generate a long list of potential names without immediate judgment.
- Filter by Principles: Apply the short, simple, enticing, and unique criteria to narrow down the list.
- Check Availability: Thoroughly research each top contender for trademarks, domain names, and social media handles. This is a crucial step to avoid legal issues and ensure your brand can be consistently represented online.
- Get Feedback: Share your narrowed-down list with potential players, friends, and colleagues. Ask for their initial impressions, what feelings the name evokes, and if it's easy to remember and pronounce.
- Final Selection: Choose the name that best aligns with your game's vision, appeals to your target audience, and meets all practical and legal requirements.
A well-chosen name is a powerful asset that can significantly contribute to your game's success and longevity in the competitive gaming market.
