The best video game trailers go beyond just simple promotion; they tell stories, stir emotion, and shape how we remember a game. From record-breaking releases like GTA VI to emotional legends like Gears of War and Dead Island, this blog covers the top 15 of the best video game trailers of all time that left a mark on gamers everywhere. It’ll help you know the type of game trailer that hits the mark to create one for your game launch.
Trailers are where video games enter the player’s domain; hence, they should be highly appealing and enticing. These tiny, yet alluring works of art narrate stories and enhance the gameplay, evoking hits of nostalgia that aim to elevate the game they represent. Game trailers are mini-movies that introduce us to game worlds in a few minutes.
Be it Rockstar’s record-breaking explosive hype of Grand Theft Auto VI, the hunting slow-motion of Dead Island, or the nostalgic return of Final Fantasy VII, the best video game trailers transcend their role as marketing, leave a lasting impact, and become part of gaming history. When created right, a game trailer remains in the player’s memory forever.
The best video game trailers are a meticulous blend of storytelling, visual effects, and an intimate understanding of the games they represent. To create one, you need to have dexterity in game development services, but before even that, you need to know what makes a game trailer that good. Here are the 15 best video game trailers of all time to give you a glance at what the best video game trailers look like and how you can create yours in that way.
Top 15 Best Video Game Trailers
Starting from Grand Theft Auto VI to The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, the following are the 15 best video game trailers of all time that you should take a look at to know what makes them so:
1. Grand Theft Auto VI (2025)
Trailer Type: Announcement Trailer
Developer: Rockstar Games
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games released the GTA VI trailer in May 2025, which experienced massive success, accumulating over 475 million views within just 24 hours across platforms. This huge success makes it the biggest game trailer ever. The trailer officially unveiled the game and its setting in the state of Leonida, including a return to Vice City. It also delved deeper into the game’s world and storyline, confirming the names of the dual protagonists, Lucia and Jason, and revealing where the game is to take place, along with its characters.
2. Grand Theft Auto V (2011)
Trailer Type: Announcement Trailer
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Games
The GTA V’s very first trailer was released in November 2011, which introduced the game’s setting in Los Santos (a fictional city based on Los Angeles). It also provides glimpses of the game’s atmosphere and some of its protagonists, including Michael, Franklin, and Trevor, introducing their distinct personalities and highlighting key story elements. The trailer has experienced over 123 million views on YouTube, making it one of the best video game trailers of all time.
3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2013)
Trailer Type: Cinematic Launch Trailer
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Publisher: CD Projekt
CD Projekt RED introduced one of the best video game trailers, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt-Killing Monsters, a cinematic trailer, to the public for the first time in 2013. It was a pure narrative art, which provided a thrilling glimpse into the morally ambiguous universe of Geralt of Rivia. From monster hunting to emotional weight, Geralt’s dark world was rendered with such depth that it blurred the gap between game and film. It showed grit, consequence, and lore in such a way that drew even non-gamers’ attention.
4. Dead Island (2011)
Trailer Type: Official Announcement Trailer
Developer: Techland
Publisher: Deep Silver
This official announcement trailer was for the video game “Dead Island,” developed by Techland and published by Deep Silver. It depicted a survival horror title in which a family is attacked by zombies in a hotel. Produced by Axis Animation, the trailer starts with the daughter being thrown out a window after becoming infected and then shows the events in reverse chronological order. The development team aimed to create an emotional trailer that highlights the helplessness and inevitability of a zombie outbreak, separating it from competitors’ trailers.
5. Halo 3: Believe in Master Chief (2007)
Trailer Type: Live-Action Cinematic Promo
Developer: Bungie
Publisher: Microsoft
The Halo 3 “Believe” trailer was an advertising campaign for the game, launched in September 2007. It centered around the tagline “Believe,” exhibiting the Master Chief as a heroic figure who inspired his fellow soldiers when a conflict occurred. The trailer featured live-action videos directed by Rupert Sanders, demonstrating elderly war veterans at the “Museum of Humanity” reflecting on the war and Master Chief’s significance. The Halo 3 “Believe” campaign intended to create an emotional connection and highlight the Master Chief’s heroic legacy through a combination of live-action elements and a detailed diorama.
6. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)
Trailer Type: Launch Trailer
Developer: Nintendo EPD and Monolith Soft
Publisher: Nintendo
Released in 2017, the trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was in the lead-up to the game’s launch. It played a crucial role in generating massive excitement and anticipation for the game’s release. With sweeping shots, orchestral music, and emotional voiceover, this trailer wasn’t just a new Zelda, but a new philosophy of exploration in games. Viewers found the game trailer deeply moving and impactful, stating that the voice, visuals, and music contributed to this feeling.
7. Mass Effect 2 (2010)
Trailer Type: Cinematic Story Trailer
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios and Electronic Arts
Released in 2010, this trailer features Commander Shepard and his elite team fighting for humanity’s fate. It didn’t just show Commander Shepard gearing up, but it warned players that they could lose their entire crew. The trailer emphasizes Shepard’s journey to discover the best team members. Backed by mysterious characters, cinematic lighting, and a mounting score, it proved the idea that choices truly mattered. This very trailer prepared fans across the world for loss.
8. Mass Effect 3 (2012)
Trailer Type: Cinematic Trailer
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Electronic Arts
This cinematic trailer was in the lead-up to the launch of the game Mass Effect 3. It opens peacefully, with a child playing in a field, and explodes into war, as the earth is overrun by reapers. The intensive visuals, stark contrast, and emotional narration make this feel like the final stand for humanity. Released in early March 2012, and trailer employed the music track “Protectors of the Earth” from the album Invincible, making it more entertaining and immersive.
9. Gears of War (2006)
Trailer Type: Cinematic Teaser
Developer: Epic Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
The “Mad World” trailer for the first Gears of War game, released in 2006, is considered one of the most iconic and influential video game trailers of all time. It juxtaposes the ferocious gameplay of Gears of War with a slow, more haunting cover of the song “Mad World” by Gary Jules. The trailer’s an unmatched amalgamation of visuals and music created with a sense of anticipation and melancholy. It effectively captures the essence of the game, setting it apart from other shooters at the time.
10. The Last of Us Part II (2020)
Trailer Type: Announcement Trailer
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Naughty Dog, Sony Interactive Entertainment
This announcement trailer for The Last of Us Part II by Naughty Dog, owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment, is an exercise in immersive suspense-building. It starts gently, with a feigned sense of peacefulness, where Ellie was sitting, picking a guitar in an abandoned house, her hand shaking, blood on the floor. The trailer has almost no dialogue, just tension. It showcases the game’s brutal realism and moral ambiguity, attracting gamers into a world of revenge and emotional complexity.
11. Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)
Trailer Type: E3 Reveal Trailer
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
The Final Fantasy VII Remake is a reimagining of the iconic original with memorable characters, a mind-blowing story, and epic battles. This covers up to the party’s escape from Midgar and goes deeper into the events taking place in Midgar than the original Final Fantasy VII. When the trailer dropped, the fans of the original lost their minds, as seeing Cloud, Aerith, and Midgar fully reimagined with modern visuals was like a dream realized. The trailer combined nostalgia with modern polish, rekindling passion from an entire generation of RPG players.
12. God of War (2018)
Trailer Type: Story Trailer
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The God of War trailer, released in 2018, was intended to reintroduce Kratos, a character well-known for his rage and brutality, as a more nuanced, paternal figure. The game trailer played this with a single, unbroken shot, following Kratos and his son Atreus on a hunt. The camera reveals an older Kratos in Norse mythology and fatherhood. What’s truly noticeable is how it uses gameplay to tell a story. The combat, however, is still visceral; it’s more grounded. How Kratos interacts with Atreus ranges from stern to tender. Most of all, when the camera pans up to reveal the Norse setting, it’s clear, this isn’t just a new game; it’s a reinvention of the very franchise.
13. Kingdom Hearts 3 (2019)
Trailer Type: Reveal & Gameplay Trailers
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Released in 2019, the Kingdom Hearts 3 game trailer was a pure payoff for fans who waited over a decade. Backed with vibrant Disney worlds, flashy Keyblade combat, and sweeping music, it ensured a balance of whimsy and weight. This trailer was a reminder of the emotional power of nostalgia in gaming, and it hit hard in the game landscape.
14. Assassin’s Creed Revelations (2011)
Trailer Type: E3 Cinematic Trailer
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
The Assassin’s Creed Revelations trailer in 2011 follows master assassin Ezio Auditore, who walks following the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Altair, on a journey to recover five ancient seals that hold the keys to the future of the Assassins’ brotherhood. It is a perilous path, one that will take Ezio to Constantinople, which is the heart of the Ottoman Empire, where a growing army of Templars threatens to destabilize the region. Ezio’s final chapter is presented with cinematic flair and the haunting track “Iron” by Woodkid. Every frame drips with style, aged Ezio, fiery battles, and ancient secrets. This was Ubisoft at its most artistic, sending off its most iconic assassin in dramatic fashion.
15. Cyberpunk 2077 (Teaser) (2013)
Trailer Type: Cinematic Teaser
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Publisher: CD Projekt Red
The Cyberpunk 2077 teaser trailer, released in 2013, was a pivotal moment, establishing its early public image. This slow-motion teaser introduced players to Night City’s aesthetic, gritty, sleek, and neon-drenched. A woman with mantis blades frozen mid-attack completely stunned viewers with its futuristic beauty. It was less about showcasing final gameplay and more about setting the tone and creating excitement about the game’s vision amongst game enthusiasts.
Conclusion:
Whether it’s Grand Theft Auto VI, The Witcher 3, Mass Effect 2, or Cyberpunk 2077, these are the best video game trailers of all time that have become defining moments in gaming culture. Attributed to stunning visuals, unforgettable music, or sheer emotional weight, these trailers prove that video games are now as powerful, cinematic, and culturally relevant as film.
Now that you’ve become aware of the best video game trailers, if you’re one of those looking for any kind of game development solution, 300Mind is the game development company for your needs. Right from game design to development, game art and animation design, we’re a team of game developers, excelling at delivering comprehensive game development services with precision.
If you want to take a look at how we work, explore Dots and Boxes and Forbidden Islands, which are amongst our best creations. It’ll help you know how we work, and you can rely on us for your dream game development.
FAQs
Grand Theft Auto VI is widely considered the best video game trailer of all time because of its record-breaking viewership, modern editing style, and cultural relevance.
Subway Surfers’ Official Google Play Trailer is currently the most viewed video game trailer ever, with 361 million views.
Dead Island’s reverse-timeline trailer and The Last of Us Part II are often cited for their cinematic power among the best game trailers.
Minecraft and GTA V have remained among the most-played games globally.
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