Make the Trailer Before the Game: A Marketing First Way to Prototype

Why wait until the game is deep in production before you think of its first trailer? Thinking about what a trailer for your game will look like when you’re at the prototyping phase can be an effective lens through which you can assess the appeal and viability of a game idea and show it to collaborators and business partners. Prolific game trailer editor Derek Lieu shares step-by-step instructions and best practices for conceiving game ideas via mockup trailers. GDC returns to San Francisco in March 2025! For more information, be sure to visit our website and follow the #GDC2025 hashtag on social media. Subscribe to the GDC newsletter and get regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or RSS. Join the GDC mailing list: Follow GDC on Twitter: GDC talks cover a range of developmental topics including game design, programming, audio, visual arts, business management, production, online games, and much more. We post a fresh GDC video every day. Subscribe to the channel to stay on top of regular updates, and check out GDC Vault for thousands of more in-depth talks from our archives.