Game Logo Design for Non-Designers: A Practical Guide
Your game logo needs to work at 16x16 pixels.
TL;DR: Your logo must be readable at every size (16x16 to full banner), communicate your game's genre/tone, and be distinct enough to remember. You need two logos: a game logotype and a simplified studio mark for tiny icons. Figma (free) handles everything you need.
Key Takeaways
- Your logo needs to work on Steam's 120x45 small capsule, meaning intricate details and thin lines will vanish
- Most studios need two marks: an expressive game logotype and a simplified studio icon for favicons and social avatars
- Figma (free, browser-based) is the best tool for DIY logo work with full Google Fonts access and SVG export
- Commissioning costs $100-300 for emerging artists, $300-800 for mid-level freelancers who understand game branding
- Always export SVG (master file), PNG with transparency, and versions on both light and dark backgrounds Think of it as your game's sprite. If it's unreadable at that size, it fails at the one job that matters most: being recognizable across every surface where someone might encounter your game.
Logos show up in Steam search results, browser tabs, social media avatars, press kit downloads, Discord servers, convention badges, and thumbnail images that are literally smaller than your fingernail. A logo that looks gorgeous at full size but turns into an indistinguishable smudge at favicon resolution is a logo that doesn't work. This is a solvable problem, and you don't need to be a designer to solve it.
This article is part of our indie game branding guide, which covers the full picture of studio identity. Here, we're focusing specifically on game logos and studio marks, the visual shorthand that tells people "this is us."
What Your Logo Actually Needs to Do
A game logo has three jobs:
Be readable at every size. From a 16x16 favicon to a 1920-pixel-wide banner. The logo on your Steam capsule art needs to be clearly legible at 120x45 pixels (Steam's smallest capsule). That's tiny. If your logo has thin lines, intricate details, or delicate serifs, they'll vanish at that scale.
Communicate something about your game. Not everything. Not the plot. Just a hint. The typeface, the colors, the style should give people a feeling. A horror game logo that uses a bouncy, colorful sans-serif is sending mixed signals. A cozy farming sim with a logo in dripping blood-red text is, well, a choice.
Be distinct enough to remember. This is harder than it sounds. Search Steam for any popular genre and look at the logos in the results. Most blur together. The ones that catch your eye tend to have a strong silhouette, a clear color identity, or an unusual typographic approach.
That's the entire job description. Your logo doesn't need to be clever, contain hidden meanings, or win design awards. It needs to be clear, appropriate, and memorable.
Two Logos, Not One
Most studios need two visual marks:
A game logo (logotype). This is the title of your game rendered in a specific, stylized way. It goes on your Steam page, your marketing materials, your trailer, and your press kit. This is the big, expressive one. It can include illustrations, decorative elements, and detailed typography.
A studio mark (icon). This is a simplified symbol that represents your studio. It goes on your social media profiles, your favicon, your Discord server icon, and anywhere a tiny square or circle is needed. It must work at very small sizes. Simple shapes, bold forms, minimal detail.
Some studios use the same mark for both. That's fine if it scales well. What tends to happen in practice is that developers who try to use a complex game logo as their favicon end up creating a simplified version anyway after seeing how unreadable it becomes at small sizes. Team Cherry uses a small cherry icon that works as both a favicon and a studio identifier. ConcernedApe's ape face works at any size. But most game logos are too complex to double as icons. Plan for both.
Making a Logo Yourself (Free Tools)
If you have even basic visual skills, you can create a serviceable logo yourself.
Figma (Free)
Figma is the best free tool for logo work right now. It's browser-based, so there's nothing to install. The free tier gives you unlimited personal files.
Figma handles vector graphics natively, which means your logo will scale to any size without getting blurry. You can work with shapes, text, and paths. It exports to SVG, PNG, and PDF. For a game logo, that's everything you need.
Getting started in Figma:
- Create a new file and set up a frame at 1920x1080 (a comfortable working size)
- Type your game name using the Text tool
- Browse Google Fonts within Figma (it has the full library built in)
- Experiment with spacing, weight, and arrangement
- Add simple graphic elements using the shape tools
- Export at multiple sizes once you're happy
Other Free Options
Canva has a logo maker that's template-based. Good for non-designers who want a starting point. The free tier has limitations on export formats, but it'll get you a PNG.
Inkscape is free, open-source vector software. It's more powerful than Figma for pure illustration work but has a steeper learning curve. Think of it as the GIMP to Figma's Photoshop.
Google Fonts isn't a logo tool, but it's where your typography search should start. Browse fonts by category (display, handwriting, monospace) and find something that fits your game's personality. A strong typeface with some color and spacing adjustments can be a complete logo on its own.
Commissioning a Logo
If design isn't your thing (and for most programmers, it isn't), paying someone is the right call. Developers who ship regularly report that a well-designed logo is one of the few marketing investments that pays dividends across every project and platform for years. A bad DIY logo is worse than a simple commissioned one.
Where to Find Designers
ArtStation is the portfolio standard for game artists. Search for "logo design" or "branding" and filter by availability. You'll find experienced designers who understand games.
Twitter/X is where a lot of freelance game artists live. Search for "logo design commissions open" and you'll find options fast. The advantage here: you can see their recent work in their feed.
Fiverr works but requires careful filtering. Look for sellers with 100+ reviews and a portfolio that includes game-related work. Sort by rating, not price. The $5 logos look like $5 logos.
r/gameDevClassifieds on Reddit is a dedicated hiring board for game development. Post what you need, your budget, and your timeline.
Pricing
Expect to pay $100-300 for a solid game logo from a mid-career freelancer. $300-800 for a logo plus a studio mark, social media assets, and a small style guide. Under $50 is possible but usually results in generic template work.
If your budget is genuinely zero, make it yourself in Figma. A clean wordmark in a well-chosen font beats a cheap commissioned logo that doesn't fit your game.
Writing a Good Brief
A designer can't read your mind. Give them:
- Your game's name and a one-sentence description
- Genre and visual style (include screenshots or concept art if available)
- 3-5 reference logos you like (and what you like about them)
- Where the logo will be used (Steam, social media, print)
- Colors you're drawn to (or want to avoid)
- Any hard requirements (must work on dark backgrounds, must include an icon version)
The better your brief, the fewer revision rounds you'll need. Fewer revisions means lower cost if the designer charges hourly, and less frustration for everyone involved.
File Formats You Need
When your logo is done, you need it in several formats. Don't skip any of these.
SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics). This is the master file. It scales to any size without losing quality. Use it for web, print, and generating all other formats. If a designer gives you only raster files (PNG/JPG), ask for the vector source.
PNG with transparent background. High resolution (at least 2000px wide). This is what press outlets, content creators, and event organizers will download from your press kit. Transparent background is critical. A logo on a white rectangle plastered over someone's article layout looks amateur.
PNG on dark background. Many gaming platforms and press outlets use dark themes. Your logo needs a version that's visible on black or dark gray backgrounds. If your logo is already light-colored, great. If it's dark, you need a white or light variant.
ICO or PNG at small sizes. A 16x16 and a 32x32 version for use as a favicon. Also a 180x180 for Apple touch icons. If your full logo doesn't work at these sizes, create a simplified version.
Multiple sizes for press kits. Your trailer and screenshot assets aren't the only things press need at specific dimensions. Include your logo at a few standard sizes in your press kit download: full resolution, 512x512, and 256x256 minimum.
Common Mistakes
Too Much Detail
The most frequent logo mistake among indie devs. You've got a beautiful illustration with fifteen characters, a castle, three dragons, and a sunset. It looks incredible as poster art. At 120x45 pixels on a Steam search result, it's a brown smear.
Logos are not illustrations. They're symbols. Strip it down to the essential elements. If your game has an iconic object, weapon, or character silhouette, use that. Leave the detailed art for your key art and promotional materials.
Too Many Colors
A logo that uses six colors is expensive to reproduce, hard to adapt for different backgrounds, and visually noisy at small sizes. Stick to two or three colors maximum. Your logo should also work in pure black and pure white (monochrome versions), because there will be situations where color isn't available.
Illegible Typography
Fancy fonts are fun. Fancy fonts at small sizes are unreadable. If your game is called "Shadowborne" and you've used a heavily stylized gothic font, check whether someone who has never heard of your game can actually read the title at capsule size. Ask five people. If even one squints, simplify.
No Transparent Background
Exporting your logo as a JPEG with a white background is a surprisingly common mistake. Every time someone puts that logo on a dark surface, they get an ugly white rectangle around it. Always export with transparency. Always.
Inconsistent Usage
Using a slightly different version of your logo on every platform. One has slightly different colors. One is stretched. One uses an older version you forgot to update. This is like changing your character's art style in every level of your game. It creates a subtle but real sense of disorganization. Pick your final logo and replace it everywhere at once.
Quick Logo Audit
Pull up your current game logo. Open these five things side by side: your Steam page, your Twitter profile, your website, your Discord server, and your press kit. Ask yourself:
- Is the same logo used everywhere?
- Can you read the game title at the smallest size it appears?
- Does it look good on both light and dark backgrounds?
- Is the transparent PNG available in your press kit?
- Would someone who's never heard of your game get a sense of the genre from the logo?
If you answered "no" to any of these, you have a specific problem to fix. That's better than a vague feeling that your branding needs work. Fix the specific problem. Move on. Ship the game.
Free Tool: Steam Image Resizer — Resize your logo and key art to all required Steam capsule formats. Runs in your browser, no signup required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a different logo for my game and my studio?
Usually yes. Your game logo (logotype) can be expressive with decorative elements, but your studio mark needs to work at 16x16 pixels for favicons and Discord icons. In practice, I've found that trying to use a complex game logo as a favicon results in an unreadable smudge.
What font should I use for my game logo?
Start with Google Fonts and browse by category (display, handwriting, monospace). Pick something that matches your game's personality. A horror game shouldn't use a bouncy, colorful sans-serif. A strong typeface with good spacing can be a complete logo on its own without any illustration.
Should I include my logo in every screenshot?
No. Screenshots in your press kit should be logo-free. Logos go in a separate branding folder, letting journalists and creators place them where they choose. Logos baked into screenshots limit how press can use the images.
How do I make my logo work on both light and dark backgrounds?
Create multiple versions: full color on transparent, white on transparent, and black on transparent. Test each against the backgrounds where they'll appear (Steam's dark theme, your light website, Discord's dark mode). If your logo is dark-colored, the white version becomes essential.
Related Guides
This article is part of our series on branding. Start with the complete guide:
Also in this series: