Inside the Influencer Playbook Reshaping Game Marketing
Featuring insights from “The Influencer Playbook Behind Assassin’s Creed Mirage” GamesBeat panel with QYOU Media, Ubisoft, creator/comedian Adam W, moderated by Amanda Perelli of Business Insider.
In today’s gaming landscape, successful marketing campaigns don’t just target core gamers, it builds cultural moments. At the GamesBeat panel, Glenn Ginsburg, President, QYOU Media, Anna Ivanko, Senior Media Manager, Global Marketing, creator/comedian Adam W. Amanda Perelli of Business Insider- moderator, unpacked how entertainment, authenticity, and creator diversity are key to breaking through and driving buzz. By integrating gaming adjacent creators into gaming strategies, brands can connect with wider audiences and make games feel personal, relevant, and exciting—even to those outside traditional fandoms.
1. Creators as Cultural Connectors
Creators today have the ability to build bridges between communities.
QYOU Media’s strategy begins with one simple but powerful question: Who can deliver authenticity to this audience? As Glenn Ginsburg explained, “For us, it's really about how we get authenticity right. Once we understand the audience, it's about identifying who can fulfill that. Adam, of course, fulfilled that in spades.”
But casting is just the beginning. From there, QYOU takes a creative leap: digging into a creator’s content library to find already-successful formats and building the brand around them. “Every time he does a similar format, he gets a very similar reaction,” Glenn shared. “That provides an opportunity for the brand to take a feature—or even starring—role.”
That’s what happened in the Ubisoft x QYOU campaign for Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Adam W. didn’t just plug a game, he built a skit around it, bringing his audience into the world in a way that felt familiar, funny, and genuinely entertaining- check it out LINK . “You don’t want to be a sellout,” Adam said. “You want it to tie in with your aesthetic. But when it’s done right, it feels organic, and it works.”
2. From Core to More: Expanding the Fan Funnel
Gaming campaigns often start with the loyalists but the biggest wins happen when you go beyond them.
Adam W. put it simply: “Even if I had a brand, I wouldn’t just pick all comedy people—I’d pick beauty, lifestyle, fashion. I’d have a diverse roster hitting every angle.” It’s a mindset that mirrors QYOU’s approach: making sure the core gaming audience is reached but also going for the more by pairing gaming creators with VFX artists, lifestyle voices, and unexpected collaborators to both validate the fandom and spark curiosity outside it.
Glenn noted, “It was really a game of curating the right talent and trying to understand which collaborations were going to work best. It wasn’t just about one post—it was a global campaign across the UK, Germany, France... and Adam’s content with FIK-SHUN had incredible chemistry that clearly resonated with audiences.”
That blend of mainstream and niche doesn’t dilute the message—it amplifies it. “Gen Z gamers don’t really believe in mainstream culture anymore,” Anna shared. “They’re part of a lot of small, niche communities—fashion, music, action—and they follow them all at once. To stay relevant, you have to show up in those spaces.”
3. Relevance Requires Real Entertainment
In a scroll-heavy world, content has to be more than just relevant, it has to be fun. According to GWI, 84% of Gen Z follow creators because they’re entertaining. Whether it’s humor, drama, or creativity, entertainment is the ticket to attention.
For QYOU, this means giving creators the space to be themselves. “When the brand allows you to be yourself, it really shows,” said Adam. “In the Assassin’s Creed campaign, I was able to tie my girlfriend into it, and the audience loved it. It made the content bigger than me and made it shareable.”
Content that is entertainment-first, then brand aligned, makes it truly feel authentic. “Marketing has progressed,” said Glenn. “You can’t only focus on performance metrics. If you’re not building upper and mid-funnel brand equity, your performance efforts will dry up fast.”
4. Lifestyle Creators Make Games More Human
What makes lifestyle creators powerful is their ability to contextualize games within everyday life.
Unlike hardcore gaming influencers who focus on mechanics or reviews, lifestyle creators bring a fresh, story-driven perspective. They show gaming as a vibe, a moment, a form of self-expression. One might wear a character-inspired look. Another might film a short sketch imagining themselves in the game’s world, resulting in content that’s immersive, emotional, and accessible.
It’s also a way for brands to show their personality. As Adam W. said, “It’s cool to reach out and diversify… still stay true to the brand, but hit every demo.” In campaigns where lifestyle influencers bring a personal touch, the brand message resonates.
“The creator moment in game marketing is here,” said Anna. “Creators are shaping how audiences experience games, and it’s really changed our go-to-market strategy.”
5. Culture Is a Conversation—Be Part of It
Today’s consumers want brands to get them. That means showing up in the spaces they care about, in the ways that feel most natural.
According to research from WARC and TikTok, users aged 25–45 are 50% more likely to value brands that understand their needs. For QYOU, that means working with creators who don’t just post but feel authentic and connected to culture. The campaigns that feel less like ads and more like shared moments.
“The campaign performed extremely well, stated Anna from Ubisoft, better than we expected, honestly. It really underscored the value of influencer marketing. Traditionally, you might think media ads alone are enough to promote a game, but that’s no longer the right approach. This campaign became a benchmark for us, proving that when you lean into entertainment and go beyond niche gaming communities, you can drive massive reach and player acquisition quickly”.
To sum it up…
For marketers, the path forward is clear:
Cast creators as cultural connectors.
Expand your fan funnel with layered, multi-genre formats.
Don’t just be relevant—be entertaining.
Let lifestyle creators humanize your brand.
Join the cultural conversation.
Want to level up your gaming campaign? Reach out to influencermarketing@qyoutv.com to get started.
The GamesBeat Panel took place on May 20th, 2025. LINK to full panel.
Check out the Ubisoft: Assassin’s Creed Mirage Case Study: LINK
