So you’ve finally built something awesome. A game that makes people smile, scream, or just *lose track of time*. First of all—huge congrats! Now comes the next step: showing off your game to the world. But wait… how do you even make a website for that? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered!
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TL;DR
If you’re a game developer, having a website is a must. It helps you share your work, show your progress, and let others try your game. Website builders like Wix, Carrd, or WordPress make that super easy. You don’t need to code—just drag, drop, and publish!
Why Game Developers Need a Website
Your game is your creation, your baby, your work of art. But if people can’t find it, they can’t play it. A website helps in so many ways:
- Showcase your portfolio: Share multiple games and projects with screenshots and videos.
- Allow downloads: Upload game builds or link to your itch.io or Steam pages.
- Get feedback: Include forms where people can leave comments or report bugs.
- Add blogs and updates: Let fans track your development progress.
Plus, let’s be honest—when you share your work on social media, don’t you want a nice link to include? Something that says, “Hey, I’m legit!”
Website Builders Are Your Best Friend
You don’t need to be an HTML wizard or a design superstar. There are tools made just for this. Website builders let you create cool sites with zero code.
Top Website Builders for Game Developers
Let’s break down a few favorites:
1. Wix
Best for lots of customization and visual design.
- Drag-and-drop editor makes designing super easy.
- Lots of templates – including ones for portfolios and games.
- Can host game downloads and embed videos and animations.
- Comes with a free plan (with ads) or paid plans with more features.
2. Carrd
Perfect for simple, clean one-page websites.
- Very easy to use and fast to set up.
- Great for showcasing one game or a few projects.
- Super cheap – even premium plans are under $20/year.
- Lets you easily add buttons to itch.io, Steam, or download links.
3. WordPress + Elementor
Best if you want lots of control and plan to scale your content.
- WordPress is super popular and flexible.
- Elementor is a page builder plugin that makes it easy and visual.
- Great if you plan to write devlogs, host many games, or add a store.
- More setup than others, but also more powerful in the long run.
What Should Your Portfolio Website Have?
Okay, you’ve picked your builder. Great! But what should actually be on your website?
Here’s a good starter checklist:
- Homepage: A short intro about you and your games.
- Portfolio or Games page: List your projects with links, images, and videos.
- Download or Play section: Add buttons to download your games or play in-browser.
- About Me: Share your story. People love to know who made the game!
- Contact or Feedback Form: Let others get in touch or offer suggestions.
A few extras can really spice it up:
- Behind-the-scenes blog posts
- Animated GIFs or short gameplay clips
- Stats like number of downloads or stars
Tips for Making It Awesome
- Use short text – People skim websites. Keep your content snappy.
- Show, don’t tell – Screenshots, videos, and GIFs speak louder than words.
- Make things clickable – Buttons for download, links to trailers, contact forms, etc.
- Keep it updated – Add new projects, fixes, or updates when you can.
- Test it on mobile – Make sure it loads and looks nice on phones too.
What About Hosting Game Downloads?
If you want people to download your game from your site directly, make sure your website builder supports file uploads or external links. Here are a few options:
- Link to itch.io or Steam: Super easy and trustworthy platforms.
- Google Drive or Dropbox: Good for early builds or beta testers.
- Host directly on your site: If using Wix or WordPress, you can upload files directly.
However, be careful. Hosting large files might eat up your bandwidth. That’s why many developers use services like itch.io—it’s made for games!
Showcase Examples: What’s Possible
Need some inspiration? Here are a few ideas of what you can do with your game dev site:
- A homepage with a trailer and a “Play Now” button
- A “Devlog” section showing your journey with behind-the-scenes stories
- A downloadable press kit for journalists, with logos and screenshots
- A section for multiple games, maybe sorted by genre or year
- An embedded Unity build that runs right in the browser
Pretty cool, right? And it doesn’t take weeks to make—it can be up and running in a few hours!
Paid vs Free – Is It Worth Paying?
Free builders can get the job done. But paying a little often gives you:
- No ads on your site
- Your own domain (like yourgamestudio.com)
- More storage and bandwidth
- Better design tools and features
If you’re planning to use your site professionally—to apply for game studio jobs, get press coverage, or build a fanbase—it’s worth a small investment. Think of it like tools for your craft.
Final Thoughts
Game development is fun. Showing off your work should be fun too! Website builders make the hard parts easy, so you can focus on what you love—building awesome games.
So pick a tool, choose a cool name for your site, and go live! Your future fans (and maybe publishers or employers!) are just a click away from seeing what you’ve built.
Now go press “Publish” and let the world play!
