Why You Should Hire a Marketing Agency for Your Game in 2025

2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for video games, but it’s also a beast of a marketing landscape. With the industry projected to reach US$522.50 billion in 2025, standing out has never been more challenging. The TikTok ban is shaking up short-form video, Meta is changing its content policies, and emerging platforms like Bluesky are gaining traction. Getting your game noticed can feel like taking on Malenia without summons.

But here’s the good news: you don’t have to go it alone. A marketing agency can be the co-op partner you need to turn challenges into opportunities and big wins. Here’s why.

This guide will show you:

• What marketing agencies do for games
• The difference between agencies versus DIY marketing
• How to spot red flags.
• Why hiring an agency might just save you money—and your sanity.

What Is a Video Game Marketing Agency and Why You Need One

A video game marketing agency is a team of experts who specialize in promoting video games and game development studios through:

• Ads and social media strategies tailored to your target audience.
• Influencer collaborations that drive traffic & engagement.
• Community building strategies that cement your legacy.
• PR campaigns that secure press coverage and trigger the hype.

So, why do indie developers need one? 

Because the competition is fierce and numerous. 

Because audiences have a limited amount of time and money, and every minute and dollar spent on someone else is a minute and dollar not spent on you.

In the most simplified sense, marketing is all about making noise, but good marketing is being heard throughin the commotion. Being able to reach the right players, building communities, and creating buzz and conversation for your game translates to wishlists and sales.

DIY Marketing vs. Hiring an Agency: A Side-by-Side Comparison

How 2025 Looks for Video Game Marketing

TikTok Ban Fallout

For a brief moment, TikTok’s ban in the US sent developers scrambling like players after a patch nerfs their main. 170 million monthly active users call(ed?) Tiktok home. Developers rushed to YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and even niche platforms like Rednote. But TikTok? 

Like the plot twist nobody saw coming, it made its comeback.

Here’s the thing: even with its return, the ripples from its temporary absence are still being felt. The panicked scramble to diversify content strategies highlighted just how reliant some brands were on TikTok’s rapid virality. Meanwhile, platforms like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, already competitive, became flooded with TikTok migrants wielding expertise in going viral. The result? Saturated feeds and a tougher fight for attention.

The Silver Lining: Developers who adapted early now have stronger, diversified strategies. Whether TikTok sticks around for good or pulls another disappearing act, these brands are ready to pivot when needed.

Pro Tip: The US market is massive, but Tiktok is not the whole game. Focus on platforms where your audience is most active, and always have a backup plan for when platforms throw a curveball.

If you’re a beginner game developer and still feeling whiplash in coming into this new landscape, check out our guide on the top social media platforms for game developers—because in 2025, it’s all about staying nimble.

Meta’s Algorithm Changes: A Challenge for Indie Developers

Meta’s latest content moderation updates have shifted the landscape, presenting both opportunities and new hurdles. For indie game developers, these changes can feel like an uphill battle without any clear path to success.

Here’s the quick breakdown of Meta’s recent changes:

• Community Notes: Meta will now rely on community-driven ratings for content credibility. While this encourages transparency, it can disproportionately affect smaller brands if content is flagged by users unfamiliar with your game.
• Fewer Automated Takedowns: Indie devs now have more flexibility to post creative, experimental content—but this also means managing community sentiment closely to avoid negative feedback spiraling out of control.
• Free Expression Focus: While this shift opens up dialogue, it can also lead to polarized conversations in your game’s community. Without a strategy in place, this could derail your game’s image.

For an indie dev juggling development, these updates can feel overwhelming. We’ve summarised the Meta changes for you here. Keeping up with content policies, algorithm changes, and community management is often too much for a small team.

Why Agencies Help: Agencies not only stay on top of platform changes like Meta’s but also craft strategies to navigate them effectively. For instance, they ensure your user-generated content (UGC) resonates with your community while staying clear of moderation pitfalls.

Smaller Platforms, Bigger Opportunities

While giants like Meta, YouTube, and X dominate, smaller platforms like Bluesky, Reddit, and Discord are offering fresh opportunities for indie developers to stand out and connect with their audience. However, they each require expertise to fully leverage. 

Smaller platforms offer the chance to stand out due to less competition, but mastering them—like building karma on Reddit or managing a thriving Discord server—takes time and skill. Agencies often step in to handle these additional processes, allowing developers to focus on creating their games while ensuring these channels are optimized for engagement and growth.

Misconceptions About Marketing Agencies: 

“Agencies Are Only for AAA Studios with Massive Budgets”

Truth: Agencies are not just for the AAA titans with unlimited marketing budgets. Sure, those studios have the luxury of in-house teams, consultants, and millions to throw at every billboard, trailer, and influencer out there. But indie devs?

You have you… and maybe the friend who helped you brainstorm your game idea over pizza. Or you might even be a small studio that makes the most of every resource you have. That’s where agencies can be a valuable asset.

• Agencies operate at a fraction of the cost of building an in-house team, while still giving you access to the same tools and expertise the big players use.
• Agencies can help level the playing field, helping indie games compete with AAA studios by creating a brand players connect with—not just a “one-and-done” product to sell.
• Think of them as your road crew: they clear the thorns ahead so you can focus on crafting the masterpiece you’ve been dreaming about.

“Agencies Just Throw Ads Everywhere”

Truth: No. Just no. Good agencies don’t just scatter ads like confetti. They know that random clicks don’t pay the bills—or fill your Steam wishlist.

Agencies have spent years wrestling the social media beast. They know when to dodge, when to parry, and exactly when to strike. Every ad, social post, and influencer collaboration is designed with one thing in mind: measurable results.

• Targeted Ads: Reaching players who are most likely to love (and buy) your game. By starting with test campaigns and optimizing where to allocate budget and when.
• Strategic Timing: In building a comprehensive marketing timeline and plan, they can ensure the marketing synergizes with your milestones, updates, releases and more.
• Data-Driven Results: Analyzing what works and doubling down to keep your campaigns and communication efficient.

“I Can Do It Myself. Right?”

Truth: Of course you can—but should you? As a game developer, you’re already juggling the roles of programmer, artist, rigger, writer, and QA tester. Adding marketer-in-chief to that list is like trying to speedrun Sekiro while blindfolded. Sure, it’s possible—but sometimes it’s not best to spread yourself too thin.

Here’s the real cost of going solo/DIY with your marketing strategy for your game:

• Burnout: Juggling development, marketing, and community management is unsustainable.
• Missed Opportunities: Press features, influencer collaborations, and platform partnerships are harder to secure alone and can be time consuming
• Wasted Time and Money: Without expertise, you risk investing in strategies that don’t work.

Agencies bring:

• Tools You Don’t Have to Experiment With: Advanced analytics, ad platforms, and influencer connections that are hard to replicate unless you’re already established in the industry.
• Experience You Can’t Fake: The teams put together by agencies have already been vetted and already been through the fire of social media algorithms, press negotiations, and viral campaigns so you don’t have to.
• Time to Focus: Marketing is a full-time job. An agency can handle this while you keep perfecting your game.

Why Agencies Are Cheaper (and Smarter) Than You Think

The True Cost of an In-House Team

Building an in-house marketing team sounds great—until you crunch the numbers. To do it right, you’d need to budget for:

• Salaries for specialists like social media managers, PR pros, and influencer coordinators.
• Benefits, workspace costs, and onboarding.
• A small fortune in trial and error over marketing tools, ads, software subscriptions, and… so. much. coffee.

Hiring a marketing agency gets you a ready-made team of experts for less than the cost of one full-time hire. Plus, you’re skipping the headaches of hiring, training, and trying to explain why your latest email campaign needs more memes. We already know.

Tools: The Real MVPs (If You Know How to Use Them)

Agencies don’t waste time on trial-and-error—they’ve already figured out what works. They’ve run the gauntlet to identify the right tools for marketing whether it’s ad targeting, influencer tracking, or figuring out how to optimize that cursed YouTube thumbnail.

Think of it like this: A few hours of trial-and-error coding may save you the 10 minutes it would’ve taken to read the ReadMe file—but agencies already read it for you.

Influencer Partnerships: Handled Like a Pro

Here’s a fun fact: Influencers are more likely to respond to trusted agencies than a random “Hey, can you play my game?” DM. Agencies have established relationships with streamers, YouTubers, and creators, which means:

• Faster responses.
• Better rates (because no one wants to be “that” person lowballing an influencer).
• Professional contracts where applicable, so everyone knows what’s expected.

We also ensure campaigns run smoothly, from launch dates to ensuring your gameplay footage doesn’t accidentally feature that one bug you promised was fixed.

Bonus: Smarter Spending

Instead of blowing your budget on ads that target everyone and their grandma, agencies focus on ROI-driven strategies. Every penny counts when you’re building your passion project. Every dollar is spent wisely, making sure your game gets in front of the players who’ll actually hit that “Wishlist” button.They understand the longterm process which involves test campaigns and a/b tests to ensure the campaigns perform the best they can.

Spotting Red Flags: How to Avoid Them

Not all agencies are created equal, and choosing the wrong one can lead to wasted time, money, and frustration. Here’s how to identify the red flags and ensure you’re partnering with a team that truly understands your game.

Red Flags to Watch For

• Cookie-Cutter Plans
  If an agency pitches a full strategy before asking any (or enough) questions about your game, run.

Marketing isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Your game’s story, genre, and audience need to be at the heart of the plan. Agencies that skip this step are just throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping it sticks.

• They’re Not Gamers
  Marketing a game isn’t like promoting a SaaS app or a local bakery—it’s an entirely different beast. Gaming agencies understand what makes players tick, from what kind of content they engage with to how they discover new titles. 

If the agency doesn’t know the difference between “roguelike” and “roguelite,” or thinks “indie” is just a genre of music, they’re not the right fit.

• Overpromising Results
  “Guaranteed millions in sales!” “Instant virality!” Any agency making claims of success is trying to sell you snake oil. Success in gaming marketing requires time, effort, and a deep understanding of your audience gained by your relationship together. There are also many other factors that play a part such as market interest for your genre or game, to poor timing such as being overshadowed by other titles.

No one can promise overnight success—at least not legitimately.

• No Track Record
  If there is no evidence of their work or even working with any games beforehand, something is up. You’re ideally looking for testimonials from other studios who have worked with the agency beforehand, to see verifiable evidence of the work they do.

How to Vet an Agency

• Ask for Case Studies
  Case studies are your best insight into what the agency can deliver. Look for campaigns they’ve run for games like yours. Did they work with indie developers? Have they marketed a game in your genre?
• Evaluate Their Gaming Knowledge
  Beyond their portfolio, ask them about their experience in gaming. Do they know what’s trending in your niche? Can they speak the language of your target audience? And yes, seriously, ask them what their favorite game is. 
• Check for Transparency
  Transparency is everything. Ask for a clear breakdown of their services and costs. What exactly will they do for you, and what metrics will they use to measure success? The key here is to also identify that they’re not just telling you what you want to hear, but also offering you hard answers which might not be what you would like to hear.
• Gauge Their Passion for Gaming
  A great gaming agency has gamers first, marketers second. When they talk about your game, do they light up with excitement? Do they show genuine curiosity about your story, your mechanics, and your audience? Passion translates into effort, and you want an agency that’s as invested in your success as you are. 
• Know That They’re Not The Full Picture
  One final point is that marketing as a whole or any agency for that matter, is not a magic bullet for the success of your game. It usually starts with a great game from concept, polished mechanics or a riveting experience that resonates with people.
  
  Though even a great game can be affected by market interest or if it launches at the wrong time such as being overshadowed by bigger titles. Trends, competition, timing or even luck plays a role through unexpected streamer interest and boosts. Marketing helps amplify a game’s strengths but it can’t manufacture it. It’s a consistent and important role that needs to be fulfilled alongside everything else for the overall benefit for the project. If an agency promises you success even when you’re unsure of some aspects about your game, that’s a red flag.

Some Agencies to Check Out

Here’s a look at some of the gaming marketing agencies making waves in 2025. But if you’re looking for a partner who truly gets indie devs and delivers AAA-level results, well… stick around till the end.

Cloutboost

• Established: 2017
• Notable projects: Rovio, Nexon, Wargaming, Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader

Cloutboost takes a data-first approach to influencer campaigns, using tools like GamerGraph to connect brands with the right gaming creators. They not only work with indie games but are also strong with projects that have a heavy emphasis on esports or Twitch-friendly games. 

Why Choose Cloutboost?

• Strength in Numbers: Their influencer database is incredible. Ranging best talents from a carefully picked database of 500K gaming influencers.
• Streamlined Reporting: Clients get access to real-time campaign analytics through their proprietary portal.

Vicarious PR

• Established: 2017
• Notable projects: Behaviour Interactive, Half Human Games, Cellar Door Games, Firesquid

Founded by former game journalists, Vicarious PR has carved a niche for itself by blending industry insights as seasoned professionals with marketing know-how. Their experience working with IPs and navigating complex approvals makes them a reliable choice for studios looking for corporate-level polish.

Why Choose Vicarious PR?

• Deep PR Expertise: They excel at building relationships with press and securing media coverage.
• Bespoke Strategies: They tailor their campaigns that focus on game discovery as they understand visibility is key by targeting the right audiences by not going for generic templates or spamming outreach.

Infernozilla—That’s Us!

Here’s where we shine—and we’re not afraid to admit it. (Humble, yet confident, right?)

• • Established: 2016

• Regions: Global (Alexa, play Mr Worldwide by Pitbull)

• Notable projects: Stalcraft, Escape from Tarkov, Walkabout Minigolf, Ready or Not, Soulstone Survivors, Black Mesa and much more!

At Infernozilla, we do things differently. Every project gets the personal attention it deserves. We treat your game like it’s our own, crafting campaigns tailored to your story, audience, and unique selling points. No cookie-cutter strategies—just smart, creative solutions designed to get results.

Why Choose Infernozilla?

1. Indie Focus, AAA Execution: Whether you’re a solo dev or a studio with 100 employees, we bring the same level of passion and expertise.
2. Versatile Expertise: From FPS to cozy sims, VR to mobile, we have experience across the board.
3. Community-Centric Approach: We build loyal, engaged communities on platforms like Discord and Reddit—where players actually spend their time.
4. Cost-Effective Solutions: We’re your full marketing team for less than the cost of a single in-house hire. And yes, we’re tax-deductible.
5. Award-Winning Work: We’ve racked up 73+ awards across the industry. Aim for success? Psh, we win it. Feel free to ask our CEO, Natalino, to show you the collection on a call!
6. Gamers First, Marketers Second: We live and breathe games. Ask us about our favorite titles (just don’t get us started on our Elden Ring or POE2 builds).

If you’re looking for a team that’s nimble, passionate, and laser-focused on success, Infernozilla is your best bet. (Not that we’re biased or anything. )

Ready to take your game to the next level? Send us an email!

Conclusion: Your Game Deserves the Spotlight

Marketing in 2025 might feel like the ultimate Souls-like boss fight, but with the right agency, it’s a battle you can win. A great marketing agency will turn the chaos of building a game into opportunity.

Want to take your game to the next level? Let’s chat and make it happen.

– Ameera Rahaman, Content Manager