July 6, 2026
indie game trailersubmit game trailerindie game marketinggame trailergamedev
A practical guide for indie developers on where to submit and share game trailers, including YouTube, Steam, itch.io, Reddit, Discord, press, showcases, and Checkpoint Zero.
Making an indie game trailer is a big step.
It means your game is ready to be shown. Maybe you have a demo, a Steam page, an itch.io build, an announcement, or a playable prototype. You finally have something that players can watch, understand, and hopefully get excited about.
But after the trailer is ready, the next question is obvious:
Where should you submit your indie game trailer?
Posting it only on your own account is usually not enough. If you do not already have an audience, your trailer may disappear quickly. The goal is to place your trailer where players, curators, journalists, creators, and other indie developers can actually find it.
Here are some of the best places to submit and share your indie game trailer.
Before sending your trailer anywhere, make sure your game has a proper home.
This could be your official website, Steam page, itch.io page, or a game page on a discovery platform. The important thing is that when someone watches the trailer, they should have a clear next step.
They should be able to:
A trailer can create interest, but your game page converts that interest into something useful.
If someone likes your trailer but cannot find where to follow the game, that attention is wasted.
YouTube is one of the most important places to upload your game trailer.
It is searchable, easy to embed, easy to share, and useful for press kits, store pages, blog posts, and social media. Even if your trailer does not go viral, having it on YouTube makes it easier for people to watch and reference later.
When uploading your trailer, make sure the title is clear.
Instead of:
Official Trailer
Use something like:
Game Name — Official Gameplay Trailer | Indie Action RPG
Also include useful links in the description:
Your trailer description should not be empty. Treat it like a mini landing page.
There are YouTube channels and websites that showcase indie game trailers, upcoming indie games, demos, and new releases. Getting featured by one of these channels can help your trailer reach players who already enjoy discovering indie games.
This is exactly why we started the Checkpoint Zero YouTube channel.
Our goal is to showcase indie game trailers, help small developers get visibility, and make it easier for players to discover new indie games.
You can check the channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/@checkpointzerooo/
If you are an indie developer and want to submit your trailer for consideration, you can submit it here:
https://www.checkpointzero.net/submit-trailer
We are especially interested in trailers for:
Submitting your trailer does not guarantee a feature, but if it fits the channel, we may share it on YouTube and help more players discover your game.
If your game is on Steam or itch.io, your trailer should be there too.
For Steam, the trailer is one of the most important parts of the store page. Many players will watch a few seconds before deciding whether to keep reading, wishlist, or leave. Show gameplay early and avoid long logo intros.
For itch.io, trailers are also useful, especially for game jam entries, demos, prototypes, and smaller experimental games. A good trailer can make your page feel more serious and easier to understand.
Your store or demo page should not only host the trailer. It should also explain the game clearly, show screenshots, list features, and tell players what to do next.
Reddit can work well for indie game trailers, but only if you post carefully.
Do not just drop a link and leave. Reddit communities usually respond better when you add context, ask for feedback, or explain what you are working on.
Instead of posting:
Here is my trailer. Please wishlist.
Try something more specific:
We just finished the first gameplay trailer for our indie puzzle platformer. Does the main mechanic come across clearly?
Or:
We are preparing our Steam page trailer. Does this trailer show gameplay fast enough, or does it start too slowly?
Good places to look include indie game, gamedev, engine-specific, genre-specific, and feedback-focused communities. Always read the rules before posting because many subreddits limit self-promotion.
Reddit is best when you treat it as a feedback space, not just a promotion channel.
Discord is useful for sharing trailers with focused communities.
You can post in indie developer servers, game jam servers, engine communities, genre communities, and creator spaces. However, many Discord servers have strict promotion rules, so avoid posting your trailer randomly in general chat.
Look for channels like:
When posting, include a short description and ask a useful question.
Example:
We just made a 60-second trailer for our upcoming demo. Would love feedback on whether the gameplay hook is clear in the first 10 seconds.
This feels much better than simply asking people to watch.
Short clips from your trailer can work well on platforms like X, BlueSky, TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Mastodon.
Do not only post the full trailer once. Cut it into smaller moments:
Each short post should link back to somewhere useful: your game page, Steam page, itch.io page, devlog, or trailer submission.
A trailer is not just one video. It can become many smaller pieces of content.
Some indie game websites, blogs, newsletters, and online magazines accept game submissions, press releases, or trailer pitches.
Before submitting, prepare a small press kit:
Keep your email short. Journalists and curators do not have time to read a huge message.
A simple pitch works best:
Hi, we are working on [Game Name], a [genre] where [main hook]. We just released our first gameplay trailer and thought it might fit your indie game coverage. Trailer: [link]. Press kit: [link]. Thanks for taking a look.
Do not mass-send low-effort emails. Pick places that actually cover your type of game.
If your trailer is strong and your game is far enough along, look for indie showcases, online festivals, Steam events, game jam showcases, and digital showcases.
These usually require more preparation than simply posting on social media. You may need a demo, press kit, trailer, screenshots, build, release window, and clear description.
Even if you do not get accepted, the process is useful because it forces you to improve your pitch.
A good showcase submission usually needs:
Showcases are competitive, but they can be valuable if your game is ready.
Do not treat your trailer as a one-time announcement.
Write a devlog about it.
Explain what the trailer shows, why you made it, what changed in the game, and what you want players to notice. You can also ask for feedback on the trailer itself.
For example:
This turns the trailer into a conversation instead of just a broadcast.
On Checkpoint Zero, developers can connect trailers directly to their game pages and devlogs, so players who discover the trailer can also follow the project’s future updates.
Before submitting your trailer anywhere, prepare these details:
This makes it easier for curators, YouTubers, journalists, and community managers to understand your game quickly.
The easier you make their job, the more likely they are to consider your trailer.
Your indie game trailer should not live in only one place.
Upload it to YouTube. Add it to your game page. Put it on Steam or itch.io. Share clips on social platforms. Ask for feedback on Reddit and Discord. Submit it to indie game channels, websites, newsletters, and showcases.
But most importantly, make sure every trailer view leads somewhere useful.
A trailer can get attention.
A strong game page keeps that attention alive.
If you have an indie game trailer ready, you can submit it to Checkpoint Zero here:
https://www.checkpointzero.net/submit-trailer
We are building Checkpoint Zero to help indie games get discovered, followed, and remembered — one trailer, devlog, and game page at a time.
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