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Top 10 Gaming Logos: Video Game Logo Inspiration

Top 10 Gaming Logos: Video Game Logo Inspiration

With more than $200 billion in sales annually, video games are a significant force in the entertainment industry.

Gaming has been around for decades. From the days of arcade games to video games and everything in between, video game development and creation have exploded in recent years. Video games are often considered among the top 10 consumer electronics products. 

So, if you want to expand your gaming business, you have many options.

What's so special about these video game logos? Well, let me explain. They were all designed by different artists, at different times, with different budgets, and in different styles. This is what makes them so unique.

Top 10 Gaming Companies Logos

Video game companies are responsible for the development of new games that they sell to consumers. They also often make money by creating games you can play on other devices, such as phones or consoles.

1 – Atari

Atari Logo Design

The original Atari logo holds a unique place in the hearts of so many people. Although the origin of the word “Pac-Man” is a mystery, many people think the Atari Pong game inspired it. The three lines are supposed to represent the characters from the game and their respective paddles, but it's true that Kenji Kajita and his friends created them at Taito Corporation. 

Another story behind the Atari logo claims it represents a Japanese kanji, while another connects the logo design with Mount Fuji. Despite Oppenheimer's intention, the logo we so fondly remember came to be in 1973.

For the better part of the 1980s, Atari was synonymous with video games, and the company's logo was the standard for the entire industry. However after being acquired by Infogrames, the publisher's name changed to Atari, and they updated the logo to reflect this change.

2 – Nintendo

Nintendo Logo Design

Since the creation of Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) video games, Nintendo has become very famous, and now they're also trendy. They've amassed hordes of fans who were also growing over time.

Brands like those represented here depend heavily on their logos, and they are regarded as crucial assets that allow different products and services to be instantly recognised. Their renowned “racetrack” Nintendo logo, including the red line surrounding the name, has been around since the '80s and has changed only in colour, keeping the original typography that dates back to the '60s. 

From its creation to today, Nintendo has not always used this particular logo. After being introduced in 1889, they made the company's logo using kanji, which is used today as its formal business name. 

It wasn't until the 1960s that Nintendo of America officially adopted the Roman script for its products. In the early 1970s, it switched its logo to a more minimalistic approach. After years of development and testing, Donkey Kong finally hit the market. Although the game didn't receive any awards for being a hit, it significantly impacted the public.

3 – Sega

Sega Logo Design

Although it's not the oldest video game company in the world, Sega was initially known as Service Games. They officially changed their name to Sega in the 1950s after discovering that the “Sega” part of the name sounded much better than the word “service.” 

The company's original logo was very plain. It had a blue outline and the word “Sega” inside it. Later, the company added some characters to the top of the logo and made the letters “Sega” slightly different. 

The most iconic Sega logo is the one that the company uses today, but there have been so many different versions of it that it would take much time to describe them all. The most famous Sega logo has Sonic the Hedgehog on it, and that's probably why it is so well-known. The company was so fond of Sonic the Hedgehog that they even changed their logo to Sonic instead of just having the Sega logo. They've also included the other characters in their games, like Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles.

4 – Blizzard

Blizzard Logo Design

Blizzard Entertainment is a game developer founded in 1991 in the United States. The company started producing its games only in 1993 and was established to bring its creations to the market. They produced the first Blizzard logo in 1994, which became the basis for the design we all know today. 

The initial badge featured a black rectangular background, oriented horizontally, and a dark blue custom uppercase inscription. The lines' uneven letters with “pixel-like” contours and sharp ends look spooky but playful and memorable. 

The “Entertainment” tagline was set under the black badge, black colour, with its uppercase letters placed with much space between each other, executed in a modern and clean sans-serif typeface. The Blizzard visual identity is based on the nameplate, which looks artistic and creative due to the typeface used. The blue lettering is another element that makes the Blizzard logo recognisable worldwide.

5 – Electronic Arts

Ea Logo Electronic Arts Blue

EA (Electronic Arts) is a corporation that develops the computer game industry. It first appeared as a publisher and later became a developer. It has an EA trademark, and the same symbol is used for the first time. Its main trademark is also called EA, which stands for Electronic Arts. 

EA is known for The Sims, Need for Speed, Dragon Age, and FIFA. Designers have used a variety of ways to represent the company name, but for the first time, it appears without any full name. The emblem is based on the EA Sports division, a monogram of “E” and “A” put side by side and interconnected. It is depicted in a stylised font. In 2006, they put the logo in the centre of a large circle.

6 – Dreamcast

Sega Dreamcast Logo Design Orange Spiral

Dreamcast is a video game console released in 1999 by Sega, and it has one of the most impressive game libraries in history. The brand was discontinued in 2001.

Its logo is iconic in its industry. A bold orange spiral on the top complements a light typeface of the wordmark in black.

In Europe, the Dreamcast logo isn't the same because the company had to change its logo colour to blue for the European version, as there was an issue with Tivola. This German company was using a similar orange swirl logo at that time.

The blue and orange colours represent a sense of vitality, fun and joy, the main aims of any game industry. Even today, the Dreamcast spiral is considered one of the most recognisable logos in the industry, even though the brand was on the market for only two years.

In a title case, the simple yet very modern and recognisable Dreamcast logotype is written in a custom typeface, which is pretty close to Alexon RR Light Regular and Arpona Light, with their full-shaped round letters and playfully flared ends of the bars.

The logo is usually black or dark grey, representing confidence, strength, and competence. While the graphical part of the logo can be seen in two different shades of orange — a classic bright one, evoking a happy and pleasant feeling, and the darker version, closer to red, a symbol of passion and power.

7 – Capcom

Capcom Logo Design Logotype

Today, Capcom is a global gaming giant with many subsidiaries in Japan, Asia, Europe, and North America.

The name of the company is displayed in all capital letters. It's done retro and boldly, thanks to its modern serif typeface, Korinna. The nameplate's letters “C” have their upper parts bent to the centre, making the serifs sharp and bold.

The bright yellow colour of the lettering is balanced by a thick blue outline, which becomes more intense in the second part of the nameplate, accenting “Com”.

This yellow and blue colour palette reflects the brand's energy and ambition. The design's uniqueness and minimalism emphasise the company's distinctness and set it apart from the competition.

8 – Valve Corporation

Valve Logo Design Gaming Logos

Regarding video games, the development company Valve is known as much for its distinctive and memorable branding as its game titles. The company was founded in 1996 by game developers Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington. They developed the first-person shooter game Half-Life. Several other popular titles, such as the multiplayer game Counter-Strike and the puzzle game Portal, followed Half-Life.

The first logo for Valve was introduced in 1996 and lasted until 2005. It was a simple yet powerful monochrome badge with a sans-serif uppercase logotype on a white background and enclosed into a thick black rectangular frame. The black letters of the inscription were placed pretty far from each other, so the badge looked solid yet airy and fresh.

The current Valve logo was created in 2005 and is still used today. It is composed of white lettering on a red background. It looks minimalist and contemporary. Its simplicity elevates it and creates the sense of a professional and powerful company.

The Valve wordmark is set in a sans-serif typeface, similar to Arial Bold but narrower. The most recognisable detail of the company's visual identity is a little last “E”, which is reduced by almost half compared to all the other letters.

The Valve visual identity is not only it's the logo. The company is known for its creative advertising campaigns and the use of the recognisable mascot “The Valve Guy”.

They designed the mascot emblem at the beginning of the company's history. It depicts a big bald guy with a red valve on his head, representing the brand's “Open Your Mind” idea.

These two artworks became genuinely iconic, and the modest and neat Valve logotype looks stylish and meaningful near creative and unique mascot emblems.

9 – Rockstar Games

Rockstar Games Couldn039T Even Get Their Logo Right In Gta Trilogy Main

Rockstar Games is a US-based company famous for creating and publishing the Grand Theft Auto series. This series is most popular in the Western world. Moreover, the company produces several other video games, such as Red Dead Redemption.

The Rockstar Games' visual identity is unique. It looks like a symbol of a champion sports team. It is bright, minimalistic and very dynamic.

The logo features a thick black rectangle with a white five-pointed star inside and a bold letter “R” with a thick black border.

The Rockstar Games' logo is written in an elegant serif typeface, with a pointed star on the end of the R. A thick black border balances its smooth lines. The logo's colour palette is yellow and black, reflecting the company's energetic, positive and innovative personality.

The Rockstar Games logo is unique and instantly recognisable. Its simplicity elevates it and makes it an outstanding icon, which is synonymous with the quality mark of video gaming.

Yellow is a colour of friendship and communication. The company creates a unique atmosphere in their games, connecting people and bringing fun and happy moments to their lives.

Related:  The 15 Best Restaurant Logos for Inspiration

10 – Ubisoft

Ubisoft Logo

The French video game company Ubisoft Entertainment SA has undergone at least six logotypes. That's a lot, considering the brand's history only dates back to 1986. In most cases, the design was changed entirely, a series of revolutions rather than an evolution. 

The mystic blue gradient was removed from the Ubisoft logo, leaving a plainer black-and-white swirl. The brand called it “minimalist, modern, and monochromatic.” The flat image aligns with current design trends, respecting simplicity and 2D designs. Even more critical, this simplicity also means endless possibilities for customisation. The company explained that the emblem in each title's boot sequence was coloured and animated to reflect the game's design.

The “eye” and the “O” glyph leave an impression of hand-drawn shapes. This should symbolise a human touch and the “enthusiasm, curiosity, and the grain de folie (‘touch of madness' in French) that Ubisoft is known for.”

Top 10 Video Game Logos

1 – World of Warcraft

World Of Warcraft Logo Design Game

World of Warcraft is one of the world's most popular MMORPG video games, released in 2004. The logo is a bright blue badge in an ornate gold frame with harsh elements and two-levelled lettering in the same gold colour placed over the badge. The upper part of the wordmark, “World”, is set over a globe image in gradient blue and green, enclosed in a dark gold frame. The “Warcraft” part is written in a bold, fancy typeface with sharp angles and gradient shades, adding volume and energy to the logo. 

The wordmark from the World of Warcraft visual identity is executed in two different typefaces, which both look elegant, mystic, and artsy. The upper “World” lettering is executed in a classy and sophisticated serif typeface, similar to Stempel Garamond Pro Roman, but with the bar of the letter “R” elongated. 

As for the principal, the “Warcraft” inscription uses a custom voluminous gothic typeface with broad lines, pointed peaks, and clean contours. The primary colour palette of the brand's emblem, blue and gold, looks bright and welcoming, making the gamer intrigued, interested, and excited. This combination of intense and dark colours represented the essence of the game and created a bright, strong contrast, making the emblem stand out in the list of competitors.

2 – Halo

Halo Video Game Logo

The First Halo video game appeared in 2001 when Bungie Studios developed Halo: Combat Evolved. The franchise has reached over fifteen games since then, which can be conditionally divided into three groups: the original trilogy, the saga from 343 Industries, and spin-offs. These are united by a familiar plot built on the war between people and aliens.

The Halo video game emblem consists of single lettering, so the design is based on typography. Due to the specific design, the text is not printed but drawn: each letter looks like a self-sufficient symbol by which you can easily recognise Halo among other shooters.

They created the logo from scratch, and only then did Will Turnbow develop the Halo font family based on it. He did this after he couldn't find the original typeface to add his name to the game title.

The colour scheme is varied: the graphic sign was black, grey, blue, light blue, and silver. Every version has a gradient that gives the lettering a three-dimensional effect.

3 – Minecraft

Minecraft Logo Design

Minecraft is a sandbox game that allows players to create various structures using 3D models of cubes. Minecraft was initially released in Java in November of 2011, and it was very successful, gaining quite a following when it launched.

The Creeper was added to the Minecraft world in 2011 during a fan-run event called Minecon. The Creeper was a little spooky at the time compared to the typical Zombie or Skeleton. Although they were cute little creatures, they were too cute, and people couldn't stop laughing at them. The Creeper has since evolved into one of the most popular Minecraft creatures, even becoming the official mascot of the game.

The latest Minecraft logo was a simple touch-up made by Microsoft and slightly differs from the second one. Minecraft is a great way to relax in a different world and works well on laptops and phones – check out this list of the best laptop for graphic design.

4 – Gran Turismo

Gran Turismo Logo Design

Gran Turismo is a sports racing franchise and a video game. Its basis is a one hundred per cent imitation of famous cars' appearance and technical characteristics, which are licensed repetitions of real sports cars. The debut of the racing series took place in December 1997. Since then, the world has sold over 80 million Gran Turismo races, making it the most sought-after gaming franchise.

The debut emblem consists of the stylised GT symbols, the abbreviation for the video game's full name, Gran Turismo. The letters are scattered strokes of various configurations – from broad, straight lines to curved, narrowed ones. On the left, the designers placed an impromptu “G” in blue and a “T” in a bright scarlet hue on the right.

Below them, the authors placed the full name of the franchise, painting it black. Even below, they put the inscription “the real driving simulator” in grotesque small print. The logo also has an abbreviated version that lacks graphic symbols.

5 – Grand Theft Auto

Grand Theft Auto Logo Design

We can trace one of the video game series' most popular logos back to 1997. Before that, the original GTA logo was created in 1997 and was used by the game for just two years. This logo was a yellow gradient lettering in a bold black outline, surrounded by a contoured five-pointed start and an orange and yellow flame from the middle line of the wordmark. The inscription was set in three levels and was executed in an italicised extra-bold sans-serif typeface with massive shapes of the letters.

The 2001 redesign of the logo mixed two previous versions into one. It was a three-leveled inscription in white lowercase letters, outlined in black and glued to each other. The bold black contouring of the wordmark made it look firm and professional.

In 2013, they redesigned the logo yet again. It was flat, though the contours were cleaned and refined. The new logo looks lighter and more delicate than the previous ones. This shows the professionalism of the game's developers, who pay attention to every detail.

6 – Gears of War

Gears Of War Logo Design

The Gears of War franchise consists of six games about the conflict between humans and the creatures called “Reptilians.” The Gears of War logo is bold and threatening. It is composed of a wordmark with a badge above it. The badge is the game's symbol, used as an icon and can be seen in the game itself.

The Gears of War nameplate is executed in a bold sans-serif typeface with rounded angles and a vital element of the “G” tail. Both letters “A” of the inscription are open; the same is valid with “E” and “F”, which have one of their horizontal bars separated from the letter's body.

They replicated the Gears of War typeface in a GCF Locust Resistance font, which features all capital letters and numbers.

The iconic Gears of War emblem depicts the game's symbol, the Crimson Omen, enclosed in gear. The omen is a bright red skull, which looks evil and memorable.

7 – Half-Life

Half Life Logo Design

Half-Life is notorious for its Lambda logo. It is a symbol often used inside the Half-Life universe.

The simple use of orange against a grey background makes it stand out among many overly complicated logos used by other companies. Experts recommend avoiding creating and using too complicated logos; instead, they advise using simple colours and shapes coupled with a suitable colour scheme to get the most out of your branding efforts.

In real life, the Lambda logo represents the constant decay used in the half-life or the radioactive element's decay rate. Moreover, Lambda stands for the wavelength of light or sound emission.

8 – Super Mario Bros

Super Mario Game Logo Design

Super Mario is a popular game franchise in the world. The Mario character, a red-capped man, is the mascot of the series. He can jump high to overcome obstacles, neutralise enemies and break bricks in search of bonuses. And all for a single goal – to save the princess captured by a tortoise-like monster.

The first official logo of the series showed much in common with the lettering on the cover of Super Mario 64. And that, in turn, was based on the example of the Super Mario World title (1990), where they painted each letter differently. The series title was split into two lines, with the first word slightly smaller than the second. The developers used four bright colours to style the text.

The designers redesigned the logo by making the letters bold and giving them a precise geometric shape. The angular font made the “O” look like an octagonal nut. The words did not look written but drawn because they did not respect the proportions. “A” has been slanted and partially obscured by the diagonal stroke “M.” The left and right sides of the “U” did not match in height. The R in SUPER fell back, and the E seemed flattened.

9 – Pacman

Pacman Logo Design Game

The origins of Pac-Man are disputed. Some say that the inspiration came from a pizza, while others say that it was an attempt to simplify the Japanese kanji for the mouth. The name comes from the onomatopoeia for “gobbling” and the word for a pizza missing a slice. 

There are two conflicting stories about the creation of the character. Iwatani says he was inspired by the vision of a pizza that was animated to eat dots with its mouth-shaped slice. He says the character's name came from simplifying and rounding out the Japanese character for a mouth, “kuchi”. However, in a 1986 interview, he said the character's design also came from simplifying and rounding out the Japanese character for a mouth. Namco decided to give Pac-Man a new English name after the game had already been released in Japan.

The character was initially meant to represent a mischievous imp, though he eventually became known as a symbol of good luck.

10 – Assassin's Creed

Assassins Creed Logo Design

Assassin's Creed has become a cultural phenomenon that spans over nine different games, some being console exclusives and the vast majority being playable on PCs.

The logo represents an eagle skull pictured from behind, and the Assassin's Creed lore claims it represents courage and freedom. While the game's designers describe the eagle as a bird of prey, they also explain that the bird perfectly embodies the aerial and predatory nature of the assassins.

Conclusion

The key to creating a memorable logo design is understanding the target market, industry and competition. We must avoid creating designs that only look attractive and appeal to our tastes. 

We all must create designs that resonate with most of the target audience. That means you must find out who they are and what they like. You can only design a logo that speaks to their needs and expectations. So whether you're starting from scratch or just redesigning your existing logo, it's vital to first focus on your target audience and what they find attractive and desirable. 

If you have any questions about choosing a gaming logo or creating a logo for a gaming company, we have a free online course that will teach you all you need to know about gaming logos.

These gaming logos are some of the most amazing and memorable ones from the video game industry, but for more inspiration, check out Solitaire-masters.com.

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Stuart Crawford

Stuart Crawford is an award-winning creative director and brand strategist with over 15 years of experience building memorable and influential brands. As Creative Director at Inkbot Design, a leading branding agency, Stuart oversees all creative projects and ensures each client receives a customised brand strategy and visual identity.

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