What a game trailer costs in 2026 — and what you're actually paying for
What drives the cost of a game trailer or ad creative: number of themes, length and ratio, who captures gameplay, cinematic vs. real gameplay, music and localisation — and what to watch for in a cheap quote.
Search for "game trailer" and you'll find everything from cinematic pieces costing as much as a car to template videos for the price of lunch. Here's where the difference comes from, and what you should expect to be paying for.
Five things that set the price
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Number of themes | Each theme is a separate hook, edit and music flow |
| Length and ratio | 15 / 30 / 40 s; 9:16 and 16:9 are cut separately |
| Capture | Faster if you send it; if we capture, play time is added |
| Scene type | Real gameplay is economical, 3D cinematic is expensive |
| Language | Text set in code makes extra languages quick — but still work |
Gameplay or cinematic?
A cinematic trailer (rendered 3D scenes, character animation) is the most expensive kind and makes sense for a major launch. But for mobile user-acquisition ads, real gameplay usually converts better, because players see the same thing after installing.
The middle ground: a 2–3 second cinematic hook in front of the gameplay. For Per Regna we used the client's key art and our own motion graphics in the openings; the rest is the game itself.
What a campaign should include
- Gameplay capture (we can do it)
- One promise and a separate hook per theme
- 9:16 and 16:9; 15 / 30 / 40 s
- Custom music and SFX, −14 LUFS, stems separately
- With-sound + silent versions, end card and CTA
- Two revision rounds
Red flags in a cheap quote
- Stock music: copyright claims follow, and your ad account gets warnings.
- One ratio only: squeezing a vertical video into horizontal means black bars on both sides.
- A feature list: a video that tells everything tells nothing.
- No source files: without a project file or stems you can't make later variations yourself.
How to start
Send your store link and the channels you'll advertise on via WhatsApp; you'll get scope and a firm number within 24 hours. If we haven't worked together, we can start with a single paid trial video. Details: Game trailers.
Trailers and ad creatives cut from real gameplay, with a strong first three seconds and readable with the sound off. Vertical + horizontal, 15 / 30 / 40 s.
What’s in it 5
- Gameplay capture (we can record it for you)
- One promise per video: growth, adventure, alliance…
- 9:16 and 16:9, 15 / 30 / 40 s cuts
- Custom music + sound design, −14 LUFS
- With-sound and silent versions, end card and CTA
Frequently asked
1.What drives the cost of a game trailer the most?
Requests for cinematic or 3D-rendered scenes, us capturing the gameplay, multiple languages and multiple ratios. Ads built from real gameplay are far more economical than cinematic trailers.
2.Gameplay or cinematic — which is better for mobile UA?
For user acquisition, real gameplay usually converts better because players see what they'll actually get. A 2–3 second cinematic hook in front of the gameplay is a good middle ground.
3.Can we start small?
Yes. For studios we haven't worked with, we can do a single paid trial video that is credited against the main order.
4.How do I get a quote?
Send your store link and target ad channels on WhatsApp; you get scope and a firm quote within 24 hours.
