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With AI, augmented reality (AR), and mobile marketing driving innovation, the world is rapidly transforming into a gamer’s paradise. The gaming industry is projected to reach $257 billion by 2025, according to Tech Jury.

For years, marketers have struggled to crack the gaming industry—a niche where revenue was heavily tied to major game launch dates, making marketing efforts unpredictable and often frustrating.

But today, the landscape has changed. Over 2.5 billion people across all demographics are actively playing games, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for brands to connect with this massive audience.

As you’ll soon discover, gaming influencers hold the key.

• What are the main gaming platforms for marketers?
• Gaming is getting increasingly ‘influential’
• New worlds collide: The metaverse and gaming
• AI and personalization is becoming a pretty big deal
• Inclusivity is now a top priority
• A boost in green and eco-friendly gaming initiatives
• User-generated content (UGC) in for the win

Beyond YouTube, one of the biggest stages for gaming influencers is the massively popular streaming platform Twitch. Here, gamers can livestream their gameplay directly from a console, computer, or smartphone, creating “Let’s Play” videos that attract dedicated audiences.

While industry giants like Ninja, Shroud, VanossGaming, and PewDiePie remain dominant, the space is fiercely competitive. With global audiences and a constant battle for visibility, gaming influencers offer huge marketing opportunities for brands looking to engage this community.

Gaming influencers have also embraced TikTok, using the platform’s highly responsive and viral nature to connect with a broader audience of digitally native gamers. The short-form, attention-grabbing content format makes TikTok an ideal place to boost promotional reach.

With 18- to 24-year-olds making up around 40% of TikTok’s active user base, the platform provides a fertile ground for gaming content. A prime example is Mully, a TikTok-native VR gaming influencer and member of The Boys, who has amassed a staggering 10.7 million followers.

YouTube Shorts and Instagram are also key platforms for gaining traction with short-form gaming marketing content, offering additional opportunities to engage audiences and expand reach.

• Create compelling video content with a strong hook or unique concept.
• Stay true to your brand’s authentic voice.

• Keep the tone casual and relatable—avoid formal language or jargon, and add humor when possible.

• Incorporate relevant captions and make sure your editing is sharp and polished.

• Create strong supporting copy and use hashtags strategically to enhance your posts.

Influencer marketing has become mainstream, with major brands across industries leveraging the influence of social media celebrities to reach broader audiences. By partnering with the right influencer—someone who aligns with your brand’s mission and values—you can see your product soar to new heights.

Social influencers can earn thousands of dollars from a single post, with top-tier influencers capable of making $250,000 or more. This is particularly true for gaming influencers on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok. For instance, VanossGaming, one of the most well-known gaming influencers, is reported to earn around $140,000 in ad revenue each month.

Many of the biggest names in the gaming industry started as everyday teenage gamers, spending hours glued to their screens despite their parents’ protests.

There’s still a lingering stigma that gaming is just a hobby and not a “real job,” which made it especially fitting when Red Bull partnered with one of the most famous gaming influencers, Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, in 2019 to release the limited-edition Red Bull Ninja cans. It’s likely that partnership gave Ninja the energy to keep making a fortune while playing video games!

By 2024, Ninja has evolved his personal brand, now endorsing Nutcase, a plant-based milk product, as part of a campaign to encourage healthier dietary choices among young people. That’s what we call personal brand evolution!

Gaming micro-influencers are gaining momentum, with many focusing on specific niches like adventure, sports, VR, mobile gaming, and betting. These influencers are leveraging platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok to connect with highly engaged gaming communities.

More cost-effective and often more authentic than their larger, macro-influencer counterparts, micro-influencers are becoming increasingly attractive to brands looking to expand their reach while offering real value to their audiences.

In addition to the rise of micro-influencers, mobile influencers—those who create “snackable” content for mobile apps and platforms—are also making waves. Influencers like iHasCupquake and AliA are producing a steady stream of gaming walkthroughs, reviews, and content that encourages engagement, helping to foster stronger connections with their audiences across platforms.

With the rise of immersive technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), new marketing opportunities are constantly emerging—fueled even further by the evolving metaverse (yes, it’s still happening and evolving as we speak!).

Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite have been at the forefront of creating immersive virtual worlds for years.

Today, gamers can enter these digital realms to play with or against others across the globe, whether on consoles, mobile devices, or VR headsets.

Fortnite, in particular, has taken its brand marketing efforts to the next level in these virtual spaces. Through initiatives like an exclusive collaboration with LEGO, virtual hangout areas, immersive rock concerts, and a massive partnership with Disney, the game is setting the bar for innovative promotional strategies in the metaverse.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now deeply embedded in marketing, whether you actively use AI tools or not. It’s integrated into many platforms marketers rely on, including social media, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and search engines.

According to Marketing Week, 54% of marketers now use AI in their roles—a significant jump from 37% just a year ago.

The question is no longer whether to use AI, but which tools and platforms can best streamline your workflow and enhance your impact.

So, what AI trends should you watch for in 2025?

AI and personalization are transforming the gaming industry, and these advancements have been embraced by the gaming community. According to Global Metrics, over 58% of gamers believe AI enhances the gaming experience by offering more personalized and immersive gameplay.

With AI-driven personalization, gaming brands and marketers now have the tools to craft highly tailored experiences based on players’ specific preferences, interests, demographics, and behaviors.

Here are three examples of gaming brands leveraging AI and personalization to gain an edge.

The creators of World of Warcraft have harnessed AI to enhance the game’s dynamic quest generation and adaptive difficulty levels, ensuring each player’s experience remains fresh and challenging. This approach guarantees that no two gaming sessions are identical, fostering long-term player loyalty. As a result of this personalized experience, World of Warcraft has seen a recent surge in subscribers, bringing its global total to approximately 7.25 million.

The developers of the Call of Duty franchise use AI to monitor and moderate voice chat for toxicity, fostering a more inclusive gaming environment by reducing harmful content and cyberbullying. Partnering with the AI innovation ToxMod, Activision is now able to address hate speech and discriminatory language in real-time, tackling these issues head-on.

Like many other industries, the gaming sector is increasingly taking its social responsibility seriously.

Take Fortnite, for example—a platform that broke the mold. Available across all devices, Fortnite reinvented the traditional fighting game by introducing diverse, relatable characters rather than sticking with the usual testosterone-driven action heroes.

As games have become more balanced and inclusive, female gamers are engaging more than ever. Influencers like SSSniperWolf, with over 34 million subscribers, and iHasCupquake, who has amassed over 2 billion video views, are inspiring the next generation of players.

Social Point Games also earned loyalty from fans with Monster Legends, where the brand placed social good at the heart of its marketing.

The common thread? Inclusivity.

While marketers are often trained to target niche audiences, gaming marketing requires a more universal approach. By cultivating an inclusive, welcoming brand identity, you can attract more attention and build greater trust with your audience.

And who better to help you do that than gaming influencers?

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing marketing by enabling personalization, optimization, and automation of key activities. Our AI short course, featuring practical tool walkthroughs, will teach you the essentials of AI and how to leverage powerful tools for research, content creation, data-driven decisions, and creative design. Start your journey today!