How Creative POWERS Today’s Games Growth – Games Growth with Upptic

The games industry is dynamic, demanding a constant evolution of creative strategies to keep up with players’ expectations. In this episode of Games Growth with Upptic, Upptic CGO Warren Woodward hosts a roundtable with Upptic’s creative team to discuss the trends and insights shaping the creative side of games marketing today. Featuring Creative Director Ava Savitsky, Motion Graphics Designer Kade Witten, and Art Director Rachael Herb-Neterer, dive deep into what’s working, what’s fading, and how creative teams can keep pushing the boundaries.

Trends Driving Creative Success in Games Marketing

Authenticity Takes the Lead

One major trend dominating the landscape of games advertising is the focus on authenticity, especially through user-generated content (UGC). Ads that mimic organic social media posts and reflect genuine gameplay experiences have shown to be highly effective. Instead of the traditional polished trailer, successful campaigns now feature relatable scenarios — like a live-action introduction transitioning to in-game footage or players casually enjoying the game while waiting in a car.

As Kade explained, this kind of content works because it blends in with the content that people actually want to see on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. “People are really craving authenticity,” said Kade. Ads that look like they’re genuinely showcasing what the game feels like resonate better with audiences tired of being misled by over-produced trailers.

Developer Interviews: Humanizing the Game

Taking authenticity a step further, the Upptic team has found success with developer-style interview ads. These ads feature developers or other members of the game team speaking passionately about the game they helped create. “There’s something that people really gravitate towards when they see the people who made the game talking about it,” said Ava. This style helps build trust and makes players feel connected to the game’s creators, driving better engagement and conversion.

The Cozy Aesthetic

Another creative format that has been performing well involves what the team calls “cozy-themed setups.” Ads that incorporate familiar, comforting imagery — such as a cup of coffee and a cozy setting — paired with text like “best idle game recommendation” have been successful. This style, which evokes a relaxing experience, tends to align well with the mood of many casual games.

Outdated Trends: What’s Losing Traction

AI Voiceovers and Fake Gameplay

The panelists also addressed creative trends that are on the decline. Ava expressed a strong opinion about AI voiceovers: “I’m seeing those everywhere, and I can immediately tell when it’s an AI voice.” Despite initial excitement, audiences are losing interest in AI-driven narrations that come off as robotic. Similarly, misleading “fake gameplay” ads — which depict a game experience that doesn’t match reality — are losing credibility among players. Not only are these ads underperforming, but they are also causing frustration, leading to poor user retention.

Scripted, Forced UGC

Not all user-generated content is created equal. The Upptic team pointed out that overly scripted UGC that feels contrived or forced doesn’t resonate well. “Even if a person is a good actor, it will come off as acting,” Kade noted. Ads that fail to capture genuine, relatable moments struggle to achieve strong performance metrics, highlighting the importance of authenticity.

Best Practices for User-Generated Content

Letting the Realness Shine

One of the best practices for UGC is allowing people to speak naturally. “When you hand someone a script and say ‘say this naturally,’ it often ends up feeling forced,” explained Ava. Teams should instead provide general talking points and allow the speaker to bring their own voice to the content. This flexibility can make a significant difference in how genuine the final ad feels.

Moving Fast to Stay Relevant

Another key factor in successful UGC is timeliness. “Trends go so fast,” said Rachel, emphasizing that creative teams need to capitalize on social media trends before they lose steam. The window to jump on a trend can be short, so teams must be agile, reducing the typical lengthy feedback cycles to produce relevant content quickly.

Integrating AI for Creative Efficiency

AI tools are becoming a staple in creative production, but mostly for speeding up processes rather than leading creative ideation. Rachel shared that tools like ChatGPT are helpful for generating captions, creating iterations of assets, and even providing clearer feedback to designers. These tools help free up valuable time, allowing creatives to focus on more innovative tasks.

However, there’s still hesitancy around AI replacing core creative functions. Ava noted, “AI can put together a low-quality ad, but for something truly impactful, a human touch is still required.” AI-generated elements can be useful, but they are not yet capable of replacing the full creative process, especially when the goal is to emotionally engage players.

Balancing Creativity and Data

Collaboration Across Teams

A big part of Upptic’s creative success comes from integrating data into the creative process. Ava highlighted that each creative lead at Upptic works closely with a user acquisition manager, allowing them to continuously adapt creative strategies based on performance data. This kind of collaboration helps ensure that campaigns are effective, combining intuition and analysis for optimal results.

“The creative is literally the product that the user acquisition team is shipping out into the world,” Warren emphasized. Without the proper feedback loop between creative and UA teams, marketing efforts are less likely to be successful.

Taking Creative Risks

Despite relying on data, the Upptic team stressed the importance of not being afraid to take risks. “There should always be a mix of tried-and-true methods and new concepts,” said Kade. Innovation often comes from pushing boundaries, and even if a creative risk doesn’t always succeed, it provides valuable learnings for future campaigns.

The Role of Cross-Team Relationships

Successful creative development doesn’t stop at collaboration between UA and creative teams. Rachel explained that having open lines of communication with the product and development teams is crucial for producing ads that truly reflect the game’s current features, in-game events, and seasonal updates. When creative teams are involved in the full product cycle, they can produce ads that are timely and highly relevant.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Creative in Games

As the podcast wrapped up, the panelists shared their thoughts on the future of creative in games marketing. AI remains both an exciting and daunting prospect for creatives, as it continues to evolve. Meanwhile, Ava and Rachel predict that there will be a return to more polished motion graphics as audiences tire of the raw, unpolished aesthetic currently in vogue.

“We always see that pendulum swing in design trends,” said Ava. While authenticity will remain important, there’s a growing opportunity for high-quality animation and polished creative to make a comeback, particularly for brands that want to stand out.